Sanjana Ganesan recently offered a glimpse of her fitness routine, showcasing an advanced Pilates exercise as she continues to work on her strength and stability. The sports presenter shared an Instagram Story originally posted by physiotherapist Dr Stuti Shah, featuring her performing a challenging exercise on a Pilates Cadillac.
“This is what we have been working towards,” Dr Shah captioned the video. Ganesan, in turn, reposted the clip with three strength emojis, highlighting her progress.
The exercise resembles a reverse plank row variation, performed using resistance springs attached to the Pilates Cadillac frame. It requires the individual to keep the body lifted while pulling the handles towards the torso, combining upper-body strength with core stability and balance.
Explaining the movement, consultant dietitian and fitness expert Garima Goyal said, “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.”
In the reverse plank position, the hips remain elevated, with the body maintained in a straight line. While gripping the spring-attached handles, the individual performs a rowing motion by pulling them towards the torso without allowing the body to lose its alignment.
From a fitness perspective, Goyal described the exercise as an effective 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,” she explained.
Unlike conventional strength-training exercises that often focus on individual muscle groups, Pilates emphasises controlled movements, stability, posture and coordination. The resistance springs add another layer of difficulty by keeping the muscles engaged throughout the movement.
“The springs create variable resistance, meaning the muscles have to stay engaged throughout the entire range of motion, improving endurance and neuromuscular control,” Goyal said.
According to the fitness expert, this form of Pilates training can help improve spinal stability, posture, flexibility and functional strength. It also encourages better movement patterns by teaching the body to maintain control while working against resistance.
“It teaches the body to move efficiently while maintaining control, which can reduce the risk of injuries and improve overall movement quality,” she added.
However, exercises of this difficulty are not recommended for beginners without adequate preparation. Goyal stressed the importance of building a strong foundation and progressing gradually under professional supervision.
“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,” she said.
