Pilates Bar Exercises

Pilates exercises can be done anywhere because you don't need any equipment to do them. You don't need any of the Pilates machines, weight machines or free weights to work your core and tone your body. However, if you want a bit more of a challenge or to work muscles like your biceps that are hard to get without weights, using a body bar with Pilates exercises is an effective combination.

The One Leg Teaser with Bar

The one leg teaser is a classic beginner's mat Pilates exercise. Adding a body bar works the powerhouse muscles and shoulders more than a regular one leg teaser. The powerhouse muscles are those around the waistline. To do this exercise, lie face up on the floor and hold a body bar with your arms on the floor above your head, palms facing the ceiling. Begin with your legs straight and then slide your right foot toward your left knee, bending the right knee to keep the foot flat on the floor. This is the starting position. Next, squeeze your abs and bring the bar over your chest as you roll your upper body off the floor. Once you are sitting up, pull your arms back in line with your shoulders so the bar is again above your head. Reverse the movement back to the starting position. Alternate legs after three to four reps.

Zip Up

The zip up is an arm, shoulder and upper back strengthening exercise. To perform a zip up, stand with your heels together and toes out to 45 degrees in the Pilates stance. Straighten your legs, pull your shoulders back and lift your chest without pushing your lower ribs out. Hold a bar in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body. Keep the palms facing the body throughout the exercise even as your wrists bend outwards. Next, raise the bar up the center of your body as if zipping up a jacket. Lift and bend your elbows out to your sides. Reverse the movement to lower the bar back down.

You can also do zip ups without weight or with dumbbells, as recommended by Brooke Siler in "The Pilates Body."

Lunge with Bicep Curl

The lunge with bicep curl in Pilates is a lower and upper body exercise that works your legs, glutes and arms. To perform this combination exercise, stand up tall with the powerhouse engaged and hold a bar in front of you with your arms straight at chest level, palms up. Begin with your feet together and toes turned out. Slide your right foot forward until it lines up with the center of the left foot and twist your body to face right in the same direction as your foot. Step straight forward with your right foot and curl the bar toward your shoulders. Bend your right knee and push through your left heel to straighten your left leg. Incline your upper body forward until it aligns with your left leg. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.