This 20-Minute Workout Combines Pilates and Cross Training to Strengthen, Lengthen, and Tone

A workout that sculpts, strengthens, and keeps things fresh—without a ton of fancy gym equipment? Yes, please. This 20-minute routine blends Pilates with cross-training for a core-shaking, sweat-dripping, full-body burn. 

Why is this combo so great? Pilates and cross-training are powerhouses on their own, but together—they’re pure magic. "It’s a killer combo for real results," says Carrie Minter Ebers, whose signature method, Carrie’s Pilates, fuses these two training styles.

Pilates builds muscles (including a powerful core), enhances flexibility, and strengthens stabilizers, while cross-training adds intensity—power, endurance, and athleticism, Minter Ebers says. This fusion gives you the best of both worlds: lifting heavy with core control, moving better in everyday life, and leveling up your fitness in a way that lasts, she says.

Best of all, you don’t need hours in the gym—just grab a mat and some dumbbells, and you’re ready to go. 

What is Pilates?

Pilates is a full-body conditioning system designed to build strength, flexibility, and control—and it’s a practice that’s been finessed for more than a century. Developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s, it first gained popularity among dancers looking to refine their technique and recover from injuries. Today, it’s a go-to fitness method for anyone seeking improved posture, balance, and core stability.

Whether performed on a mat or specialized equipment like the reformer, a typical Pilates routine features a mix of about 50 precise, flowing movements that engage multiple muscle groups at once, according to the Muscle, Ligaments, and Tendons Journal. 

At its core, Pilates strengthens deep stabilizing muscles, particularly the abs, obliques, lower back, and glutes, creating a strong foundation for overall mobility and injury prevention. It’s a low-impact, high-benefit practice that enhances muscle control, coordination, and mindfulness—making it a solid addition to any fitness routine.

What is cross training?

Cross training combines different types of exercise—cardio, strength training, and flexibility work—to maximize fitness and minimize injury, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). It’s the antidote to repetitive strain and overuse injuries caused by doing the same workout day after day.

The benefits of cross training go beyond injury prevention. By challenging different muscle groups, it builds full-body strength, improves agility and balance, and keeps workouts fresh and engaging. Plus, if you're recovering from an injury, cross training lets you modify your routine so you can stay active while giving certain muscles a break.

Whether you're a competitive athlete or just looking to level up your fitness, cross training enhances overall performance. It prevents burnout, keeps you motivated, and helps muscles adapt to new activities—so when you try something new, you’re ready to go.

The 20-Minute Pilates Cross Training Workout

This 20-minute, low-impact routine from Minter Ebers blends classic Pilates exercises with fast-moving cross-training for a full-body burn that targets strength, core, and mobility.

All you need is a mat and a pair of light to medium dumbbells. Minter Ebers suggests adding this routine two to four times a week as a standalone sculpt session, or a finisher after your normal strength or cardio workout. 

Starting with the first exercise, perform as many reps as you can in 45 seconds; rest 15 seconds, then continue to the next exercise and repeat. Complete two full rounds.

1. Serve the Platter

Targets: Shoulders, chest, arms, and posture muscles

• Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, elbows bent at 90 degrees and palms facing up.
• Keeping your core tight and shoulders down, extend both arms forward until straight (as if "serving a platter").
• Slowly return to start.

2. Tree Hugger 

Targets: Chest, shoulders, and upper arms

• Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand tall with your feet hip-width apart; raise the weights in front of you at chest height with your arms rounded (as if hugging a tree).
• Keeping your core tight and elbows slightly bent, open your arms wide, squeezing your shoulder blades together. 
• Pause, then slowly return to start.

3. Overhead Triceps Extension 

Targets: Triceps and upper-body strength

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart; grab the head of a dumbbell with both hands and raise it directly overhead, keeping your arms straight but not locked. 
• Keeping your core tight, slowly bend your elbows to lower the weight behind your head, keeping elbows close to ears.
• Pause, then straighten your arms back to start.

4. Arm-Assisted Crunches

Targets: Lower abs, hip flexors, and core stability

• Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent at 90 degrees in the air; holding a dumbbell in each hand, raise your arms directly over your shoulders. 
• Keeping your lower back pressed into the floor, brace your core and raise your shoulders off the ground, while simultaneously lowering your arms to your sides and extending both legs towards the floor. 
• Pause, then reverse the movement to return to start.

5. Pilates 100s

Targets: Deep core, endurance, and ab strength

• Lie faceup on the floor, arms by your sides and legs extended; lift your head, shoulders, and legs a few inches off the ground.
• Holding this position and keeping your core tight, pump your arms up and down while slowly breathing in for five counts, out for five counts. Continue for the full interval.

6. Side Plank

Targets: Obliques, shoulders, and glutes

• Lie on your left side with your feet stacked and your left elbow under your left shoulder, forearm on the floor.
• Press through your left forearm and lift your torso so that you're balancing on your left forearm and left foot.
• Extend your right arm toward the ceiling and hold for the allotted amount of time. 
• Lower yourself to the floor when time is up, then repeat on the opposite side. 

7. Dummbbell Donkey Kick

Targets: Glutes and hamstrings

• Kneel on the floor and place a dumbbell behind your right knee; lean forward to place your forearms on the floor in front of you shoulder-width apart. Keep your back flat and core braced.
• Slowly lift your right heel toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes.
• Pause then slowly lower to the starting position. 
• Repeat until time is up; rest, then repeat on the other leg.

8. Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge with Hinge

Targets: Glutes, quads, core

• Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Step back with your right leg, crossing it behind your left leg in a curtsy position.
• Bend both knees until your right thigh is parallel to the floor (or as close to parallel as you can comfortably go).
• at the same time, hinge forward from the hips to lower the weights towards the floor, keeping your back flat.
• Return to your starting position by straightening both knees and bringing your right leg forward.
• Continue until time is up; rest, then repeat on the other leg.