What Sanjana Ganesan’s advanced Pilates workout does for the body

Sanjana Ganesan recently shared a glimpse of working on her strength on a Pilates reformer. In the Instagram Stories she reposted from physiotherapist Dr Stuti Shah’s account, Ganesan can be seen performing an advanced Pilates Cadillac exercise resembling a reverse plank row variation with springs. “This is what we have been working towards,” Dr Shah captioned her post, to which Ganesan reacted with strength emoticons 💪🏼 💪🏼 💪🏼 while reposting the video story.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

To understand more about resistance training in Pilates, we reached out to an expert.

“The movement involves holding the handles attached to resistance springs while keeping the body lifted in a controlled position, requiring significant strength, balance, and body awareness,” said consultant dietitian and fitness expert Garima Goyal.

In the reverse plank position, her hips are lifted in a straight line. As her hands grip the handles attached to resistance springs on the Cadillac frame, she pulls the springs towards her torso (a rowing motion) while maintaining the lifted position, which requires strength and stability.

From a clinical perspective, Goyal said that this exercise is a powerful combination of core stability, upper-body strength, and posterior chain activation. “It primarily engages the deep core muscles, back muscles, shoulders, arms, glutes, and hamstrings while challenging the body to maintain alignment against resistance,” said Goyal.

Sanjana Ganesan in the Pilates studio (Photo: Dr Stuti Shah/Instagram Stories)

Unlike traditional strength exercises that isolate one muscle group, Pilates movements focus on controlled movement, stability, posture, and coordination. “The springs create variable resistance, meaning the muscles have to stay engaged throughout the entire range of motion, improving endurance and neuromuscular control,” said Goyal.

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This type of Pilates training is especially beneficial for improving spinal stability, posture, flexibility, and functional strength. “It teaches the body to move efficiently while maintaining control, which can reduce the risk of injuries and improve overall movement quality,” added Goyal.

However, advanced Pilates exercises like this require a strong foundation. “They should be progressed gradually under guidance, as maintaining correct form is more important than simply performing the movement,” said Goyal.