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Pilates

Pilates for bloating: a 20-minute class for a swollen, uncomfortable tummy

A 20-minute Pilates class for a day when your tummy feels swollen and uncomfortable. It starts upright and moving, because gas moves through the gut faster when you're upright, then practises breathing with your ribs widening and your lower tummy gently drawn in, and finishes with gentle moves on all fours, on your side and on your back with your knees bent. There are no curls, roll-ups, face-down moves or rolling. Unlike our yoga for digestion class it uses Pilates moves, and unlike our beginner Pilates class it leaves out the moves that press on a swollen tummy. No trial has tested this class: its structure is our editorial choice, and the breathing is our suggestion, based on the pattern taught in biofeedback trials for visible bloating.

20 minBeginner15 movesNo equipmentHip flexors · Abs · Back · Hip abductors · Glutes · Pelvic floor
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Move first (about 4 minutes)

  1. Standing march2 minutes
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoSwing your arms; or walk around the roomEasier: Seated marchHarder: Standing band hip flexion
  2. Thoracic rotation6 each side
    Beginner · 3D demoSitting or standing tall, arms crossed; turn from the ribs, hips stillEasier: Side-lying open bookHarder: World's greatest stretch
  3. Breath reach5 breaths
    Beginner · 3D demoArms rise as you breathe in and your ribs liftHarder: Slow breathing (6 breaths a minute)

Breathe: ribs wide, lower tummy gently in (about 3 minutes)

  1. Lateral breathing (Pilates breathing)8 breaths
    Beginner · Abs · 3D demoSitting tall, hands on the sides of your ribs: breathe in and feel the ribs widen and lift while your lower tummy draws gently in; breathe out slowly. Don't push your belly outHarder: Roll-up (Pilates)
  2. Slow breathing (6 breaths a minute)1 minute
    Beginner · 3D demoStill sitting tall: about 4 counts in, 6 out, ribs widening; no breath holdsEasier: Breath reachHarder: Crocodile breathing (prone diaphragmatic breathing)

All fours and sitting (about 4 minutes)

  1. Cat-cow8 slow waves
    Beginner · Back, Abs · 3D demoMove with your breath; keep it small if your tummy is soreHarder: Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
  2. Bird dog5 each side
    Beginner · Back, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoOpposite arm and leg; move slowly, with no long holdEasier: Bird dog, one limb at a timeHarder: Bear crawl
  3. Mermaid (Pilates seated side bend)3 each side
    Beginner · Back, Abs, Shoulders · 3D demoSitting cross-legged or on a chair; reach up and overHarder: Side bend (Pilates)

On your side (about 4 minutes)

  1. Clamshell10 each side
    Beginner · Hip abductors, Glutes · 3D demoPillow under your head; small, slow openingsEasier: Supine isometric hip abduction (belt press)Harder: Lateral band walk
  2. Side kick (Pilates side kick series)8 each side
    Beginner · Hip flexors, Glutes, Hip abductors · 3D demoSmall swings at hip height, head resting on your armHarder: Side-lying leg circles (Pilates side kick series)

On your back, knees bent (about 4 minutes)

  1. Pelvic tilt into bridge8 tilts, then 6 bridges
    Beginner · Glutes, Abs, Hamstrings · 3D demoLoosen anything tight around your waist firstHarder: Glute bridge
  2. Knee fold6 each side
    Beginner · Abs, Hip flexors · 3D demoPelvis still; breathe normallyEasier: Supine heel slideHarder: Dead bug heel taps
  3. Single knee-to-chest stretch2 holds of 20 seconds each side
    Beginner · Glutes, Back, Hip flexors · 3D demoHug one knee gently towards the same shoulderHarder: 90/90 hip lift-off
  4. Supine spinal twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)3 slow breaths each side
    Beginner · Back, Glutes · 3D demoKnees together, lowered only as far as is comfortableHarder: Seated twist, bottom leg straight

Finish (about 1 minute)

  1. Pelvic floor relaxation (reverse Kegel)5 slow breaths
    Beginner · Pelvic floor · 3D demoLet the pelvic floor let go as you breathe in; never push down or strain

Tips

  • Use it on bloated days, and walk for 10 to 15 minutes after meals: in a trial of 94 adults with bloating, a walk after each meal eased fullness and bloating after meals.
  • If you get heartburn, leave about 2 hours after a main meal before lying down for the last block (our suggestion, as our exercise for acid reflux guide suggests for head-down moves).
  • On good days, build back the core work one move at a time: the head-down hundred, dead bug heel taps, then the chest lift and roll-up.
  • The breathing is our suggestion and hasn't been tested for bloating. If visible swelling after meals keeps happening, ask your GP about it.
  • This class doesn't replace the diet changes and treatments that have more evidence for IBS. Check the warning signs in our Pilates for bloating guide, and see a GP before you put new or changing symptoms down to IBS.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

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Questions people ask

How long does the pilates for bloating: a 20-minute class for a swollen, uncomfortable tummy take?

About 20 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

No equipment: your body and some floor space. A mat makes floor work more comfortable.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 6 of its 15 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.