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The core of Mat work, literally: the hundreds family, roll up, single leg circles, rolling like a ball, the classic single and double leg stretch, spine stretch forward, dead bug, the full seven-variation crunch series, and all three teasers. Because Mat exercises scale by tempo and lever rather than springs, every entry carries both a shorter regression and a longer, lower progression. The four class-closing stretches — downward dog, pigeon, mermaid, roll down — finish the page.
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Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: 5-10 breath cycles (50-100 pumps) · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Lie supine, curl the head and chest up with the legs in tabletop and the arms long by the hips. Pump the arms small and quick - inhale for 5, exhale for 5.
Modification: Keep the head down on the mat with the feet on the floor and cut it to 5 breath cycles.
Progression: Extend the legs long to a low diagonal and hold a ball between the ankles.
Load: Bodyweight - light to medium · Reps: 5-8 breath cycles, switching legs each cycle · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Curled up and pumping the arms, extend one leg long on a diagonal while the other stays in tabletop, then switch legs on each new breath cycle.
Modification: Slide the extending heel along the mat and keep the head down.
Progression: Lower the extended leg closer to the mat and hold it there for a full breath cycle.
Load: Bodyweight - medium · Reps: 10 breath cycles (100 pumps) · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Curled up with both legs long together on a low diagonal, pump the arms by the hips while the low back stays flat on the mat.
Modification: Take the legs higher toward the ceiling, or bend to tabletop if the low back lifts.
Progression: Lower the legs a few inches and squeeze a ball between the ankles for the whole set.
Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: 6-8 reps · Focus: core, mobility
How to: Lie long with the arms reaching overhead. Reach the arms up and roll the spine up bone by bone to fold over the legs, then roll back down slowly without throwing the head.
Modification: Bend the knees, or hold behind the thighs to help yourself up.
Progression: Slow the roll down to a 5-count, or hold a ball or small weight overhead throughout.
Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: 5-8 circles each direction, each leg · Focus: core, stability, mobility
How to: Supine with one leg reaching to the ceiling and the other long on the mat. Draw controlled circles with the top leg while the pelvis stays completely still.
Modification: Bend the bottom knee for support and make the circles much smaller.
Progression: Take wider, slower circles, or add ankle weights.
Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: 6-8 reps · Focus: core, stability
How to: Sit in a tight tuck holding the shins with the spine in a deep C-curve. Roll back to the shoulder blades and use the abs to roll straight back up to balance without the feet touching down.
Modification: Hold behind the thighs and rock only halfway, letting the feet touch down each time.
Progression: Hold the balance for 3 counts at the top of every roll with the feet hovering.
Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: 10-12 each side · Focus: stability, core
How to: Curled up with one knee drawn in and the hands on the shin, the other leg long on a diagonal. Switch legs on each exhale, keeping the chest lifted and the pelvis still.
Modification: Keep the head down and hold the extended leg higher toward the ceiling.
Progression: Lower the extended leg closer to the mat and pause 2 counts on each switch.
Load: Bodyweight - light to medium · Reps: 8-10 reps · Focus: stability, core, upper body
How to: Curled up in a tuck, reach the arms overhead and the legs long at the same time, then circle the arms around and draw the knees back in.
Modification: Keep the head down and extend only the legs, keeping the arms on the shins.
Progression: Take the reach lower and longer, holding full extension for 2 counts each rep.
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Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: 5-8 reps · Focus: lower body, core
How to: Sit tall with the legs long and slightly apart, arms reaching forward. Round the spine and fold over the legs one vertebra at a time, then restack to sitting tall.
Modification: Sit on a folded mat with the knees bent to take the hamstrings out of it.
Progression: Hold the fold for 3 breaths, or add a rotation to each side at the end range.
Load: Bodyweight - light (add small weights for medium) · Reps: 6-8 circles each direction · Focus: stability, core, upper body
How to: Supine with the legs in tabletop and the arms reaching up over the chest. Circle the arms out, down and around while the ribs stay heavy and the knees stay perfectly still.
Modification: Put the feet down on the mat and make the circles smaller.
Progression: Curl the head and chest up during the circles, or hold small weights.
Load: Bodyweight - light (add a ball or small weights for medium) · Reps: 8-10 each side · Props: ball, small weights · Focus: stability, core, upper body
How to: Supine with the arms reaching up over the shoulders and the legs in tabletop. Extend the opposite arm and leg away from each other, keeping the low back flat, then return and switch.
Modification: Slide the extending heel along the mat and keep the arms still.
Progression: Hold each extension for 2 counts, or press a ball between the opposite hand and knee.
Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: 12-15 reps · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Supine with the knees bent and the hands behind the head or reaching forward. Curl the head and chest up using the abs, then lower without dropping the head heavily.
Modification: Curl only to the shoulder blades and support the head with both hands.
Progression: Hold the top for 2-3 counts, or hold a ball overhead to lengthen the lever.
Load: Bodyweight - light to medium · Reps: 10-12 reps · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Supine with the legs in tabletop and the arms pressing down beside you. Curl the pelvis and knees toward the chest so the hips lift slightly off the mat, then lower slowly.
Modification: Keep the movement tiny and the feet lower, using the arms for support.
Progression: Extend the legs long as they lift, or add ankle weights.
Load: Bodyweight - light to medium · Reps: 10-12 each side · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Curl the chest up and extend one leg long on a diagonal, then fold it back to tabletop and alternate, keeping the pelvis heavy and still.
Modification: Slide the extending heel along the mat and keep the head down.
Progression: Lower the extended leg closer to the mat and hold it for 2 counts.
Load: Bodyweight - light to medium · Reps: 10-12 each side · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Hold the chest curl with the legs in tabletop and tap one toe down to the mat and back up, alternating, without the low back arching.
Modification: Keep the head down and tap with a smaller range.
Progression: Tap without letting the toes touch, or add ankle weights.
Load: Bodyweight - medium · Reps: 8-10 reps · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Curl the chest up and extend both legs long to a low diagonal, then fold them back to tabletop, keeping the low back flat on the mat throughout.
Modification: Extend one leg at a time, or keep the legs higher toward the ceiling.
Progression: Take the legs lower and hold the extension for 2-3 counts every rep.
Load: Bodyweight - light to medium · Reps: 10-12 each side · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Curled up with the hands behind the head, rotate one shoulder toward the opposite knee as that leg draws in and the other extends long, then switch sides.
Modification: Slow the tempo right down and keep both feet closer to the mat.
Progression: Hold each rotation for 2 counts, or extend the reaching leg lower for a longer lever.
Load: Bodyweight - medium · Reps: 10-12 reps · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights · Focus: upper body, core, stability
How to: Supine with the arms reaching overhead. Sweep the arms up and forward as the chest curls up, then reach them back overhead as you lower with control.
Modification: Keep the arms reaching forward instead of overhead and curl a smaller range.
Progression: Hold a ball or small weight in both hands overhead, pausing 2 counts at the top.
Load: Bodyweight - medium · Reps: 8-10 reps · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights, hand weights, ring · Focus: upper body, core, lower body, stability
How to: Supine with the legs in tabletop. Curl the head and chest up and reach the arms long by the hips into a half teaser with the shins parallel to the floor, hold, then roll down.
Modification: Keep one foot on the mat and curl only to the shoulder blades.
Progression: Hold the half teaser for 5 breaths, or extend the legs into the full V.
Load: Bodyweight - medium to heavy · Reps: 6-8 reps · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights, hand weights, ring · Focus: upper body, core, lower body, stability
How to: Curl up and lift both legs long into a V, balancing on the sit bones with the arms reaching parallel to the legs, then roll the spine down without dropping the legs.
Modification: Bend the knees to tabletop, or hold behind the thighs to find the balance point.
Progression: Add 10 arm pumps at the top, or hold a ball between the ankles throughout.
Load: Bodyweight - medium to heavy · Reps: 5-6 each side · Props: ball, booty band, ankle weights, hand weights, ring · Focus: upper body, core, lower body, stability
How to: Lying on one hip with the legs stacked and long, lift both legs and the chest at the same time into a side teaser, reaching the top arm past the legs, then lower with control.
Modification: Keep the bottom knee bent and support the torso on the bottom forearm.
Progression: Hold the lift for 3 counts, or add a small pulse at the top of every rep.
Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: Hold 10-20 seconds · Focus: mobility, lower body, upper body
How to: From hands and knees, lift the hips up and back into an upside-down V with the spine long, heels reaching down and the head heavy between the arms.
Modification: Bend the knees generously and shorten the stance to take the hamstrings out of it.
Progression: Pedal the heels or add a slow single leg lift, holding each side for 3 breaths.
Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: Hold 10-20 seconds each side · Focus: mobility, glutes
How to: From all fours, bring one shin forward across the mat and stretch the other leg long behind you, then fold the chest over the front leg and breathe into the outer hip.
Modification: Do it supine instead - cross one ankle over the opposite knee and pull the legs in toward the chest.
Progression: Walk the chest further forward onto the forearms and hold for 5 slow breaths.
Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: Hold 10-20 seconds each side · Focus: mobility, upper body
How to: Sit with the legs folded to one side, one hand on the mat beside you. Reach the other arm overhead and side bend away, lengthening the whole side of the waist.
Modification: Sit on a folded mat for height and keep the reach smaller.
Progression: Add rotation - turn the chest toward the floor at the end of the bend, then open to the ceiling.
Load: Bodyweight - light · Reps: Hold 10-20 seconds · Focus: mobility, core
How to: Stand tall, drop the chin to the chest and roll down through the spine one vertebra at a time, letting the arms and head hang heavy, then roll back up to stand.
Modification: Bend the knees and rest the hands on the thighs at the bottom.
Progression: Hold the fold for 5 breaths, then roll up slowly with a 6-count.
None — everything on this page is bodyweight on a mat. Optional props that appear: a ball, small or hand weights, a booty band, ankle weights and a ring, mostly to lengthen the lever or add a squeeze.
The hundreds runs 5–10 breath cycles (50–100 pumps), crunch variations run 10–15 reps, single and double leg stretch run 8–12, teasers deliberately run 5–8, and the closing stretches hold 10–20 seconds.
Each entry includes a written progression using tempo and levers: extend the legs lower, hold the top for 2–3 counts, slow the roll down to a 5-count, or add arm pumps at the top of the teaser.
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