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Becoming a Pilates princess is harder than it looks. After spending the final weeks of 2024 pinning impossibly aesthetic images of at-home workouts and matching gym sets, Alo Moves‘s “The Reset” challenge felt like the real-life manifestation of my mood board. The program is designed to help you shake off that winter slump and step into the new year feeling like the best, strongest version of yourself. But with three days of Pilates and two days of strength classes every week, the 30-day challenge takes some serious dedication (and that’s on top of daily cardio amounting to 8,000 steps).
I approached The Reset thinking it would be a welcome (and potentially Pinterest-worthy) break from my usual early-morning gym sessions. As a young stroke survivor and person with a chronic illness, I keep my workouts slow and steady, which my body seems to appreciate. For the past three years, I’ve committed to a combination of strength-training and low-impact cardio, with the occasional workout class thrown in from time to time. When I hear Alo Moves, I generally think of yoga, Pilates, and other workouts that would also fall under this low-impact umbrella. The Reset, however, was an entirely different story.
My Experience With the Alo Moves Reset
One of the hardest parts about The Reset was getting started. I have a sedentary WFH job, which meant I needed to start chipping away at that 8,000 steps before work even started. I realize that to people working more active jobs or living in walkable cities, 8,000 steps is just a drop in the bucket. But for someone like me, who typically maxes out at 4,000 steps thanks to the elliptical, this was a real challenge. I tried several different approaches, some of which were more successful than others. To see how The Reset went for me, here’s a quick summary of my day-by-day experience:
- Day One: I started the first day of The Reset at the gym to take a chunk out of my 8,000 steps. That meant I woke up at 5:30 a.m. on a cold winter morning (which felt like an accomplishment in and of itself). I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, plus used a couple of other machines, but still left with less than 4,000 steps. I later went on a 30-minute walk during my lunch break, which brought me to about 5,000 steps, and waited until after work to do my Alo Moves workout for the day. “This should be the easy part,” I thought to myself. Wrong. In my notes, I described the Pilates Dynamic Core session as “hard but not impossible.” I used a Pilates ball, as recommended, and felt this helped me connect with my deep core. At the very least, I certainly felt the aftermath the next day, especially in my upper abs. I did end up hitting my 8,000 steps (in case you were curious), and the dopamine rush that came with meeting my goal almost overshadowed the amount of time and energy it took.
- Day Two: You’ll all be relieved to know I woke up at 6:30 a.m. this time, which helped me feel a little less like the walking dead. After seeing how little the gym did for my step count, I opted for a 45-minute walk instead, earning 4,400 steps in the process (score). Notably, though, I didn’t enjoy it as much as my usual gym sessions. I felt restless and even bored at times. Maybe that’s just the price you pay for an extra hour of sleep. I also took a walk during my lunch break and felt confident I would hit my step count in a way that felt much more feasible than day one. The workout is what really did me in. Alo Moves called it a Lower Body Slow Burn, and I found that to be extremely accurate. I felt the workout mostly in my inner thighs and my glutes, but be warned: if you’re someone who tends to feel Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) in your lower back, you may want to brush up on your form beforehand.
- Day Three: Day three was a Friday, and I was feeling unmotivated. Still, I went on my lunch walk and had 2,000 steps by 4 p.m. Upon reading the words “Bodyweight Full-Body Flow,” I was anticipating a chill workout to wrap up the week. But Alo Moves immediately humbled me. I modified a lot of what turned out to be an extremely fast-paced HIIT workout (apologies, Alo Moves). “Can you add a jum—?” Let me stop you right there. If I have the opportunity to opt out of a jumping squat, I will be taking it (but trust I’ll still be sweating). My smart watch showed my heart rate in the 150 to 160 zone for the duration of the session. I did not hit my step count this day, but at least I didn’t drop dead. Little wins!
- Day Four: I wasn’t wearing my watch this day, so my step count is more of an estimation, but I went to a pole fitness class to get some cardio in, then walked some more in the afternoon. The Upper Body Push workout was actually one of my favorites from The Reset, especially as someone who never knows what to do on upper body day. I could definitely see myself going back to this workout when I’m not feeling brave enough to venture into the free weights at my gym. I only had 10-pound dumbbells, so I subbed lighter weights for water bottles. The ab burnout was also great, and I appreciated that we were training abs on multiple days. The one thing I’ll say is that I hit failure on the second round of shoulder presses, so just be mindful if you’re by yourself, and try to have some lighter weights available.
- Day Five: I started out at the gym to get a chunk of my steps in, then went to another pole fitness class. I’m aware that no one is forcing me to go to a class like this, but it’s a form of exercise I genuinely enjoy. I suspect many people have similar classes they like, whether it’s yoga, barre, or Pilates. It’s also about community and mental health . . . I wouldn’t want to abandon it for a month (or even a week). Afterwards I had about 7,000 steps and errands to do, so I ended up skipping the Alo Moves workout for the day. Looking back, I had been running around and working out from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Adding another workout on top of that wouldn’t have been a healthy or realistic choice for me, and I do remember wishing there had been a stretch class on this day due to my muscle soreness.
- Day Six: I had the day off from work and thank goodness for that, because the only word I can use to describe this workout is “diabolical” (as was written in my notes). The Pilates Lengthening Flow is a deceptively peaceful name for a workout that begins with what is essentially a nine-minute pulsing squat. Yes, you’ll feel it in your legs the next day, but God, at what cost? I chose to forgo the optional ankle weights and dumbbells, but it’s good to know this workout could potentially get even harder.
- Day Seven: Still recovering from the horrors of the lengthening flow, I skipped the workout on this day, choosing to go to the gym instead. This made me feel a pang of guilt, although you technically have two rest days each week. As a side note, I seem to be walking more in general after The Reset, clocking 6,000 steps for the day despite letting myself off the proverbial Alo Moves hook.
- Day Eight: I accidentally skipped the Pilates Ab Work video and went straight to the Lower Body Circuit, which I loved. You don’t need resistance bands to feel the burn, and I definitely felt this one in my quads. I also liked the encouragement and mindset advice from the instructor, which helped me push through some of the more uncomfortable moments.
Although I intended to spend more than eight days with The Reset, I had a chronic illness flare up on day nine and decided to give my body the rest it clearly needed. Over the years, I’ve learned that — in order to stay consistent in the long run — rest and recovery is (sometimes annoying but) very much necessary. I’m proud I was able to make it this far, and I would love to revisit The Reset when I’m fully recovered.
What I Liked About the Alo Moves Reset
By the end of my eight days, I found myself developing healthier habits, walking more in general, and prioritizing fitness in my daily life. In a way, The Reset was a wakeup call to how little I move outside of the gym, and encouraged me to take more little breaks, move my body, and get some steps in where I could. I even felt more energized within the first few days of The Reset, which was greatly appreciated as someone with a chronic illness.
While I clearly struggled with the high-intensity aspect of some of the workouts, I found the Alo Moves platform easy to navigate, and I genuinely looked forward to the next day’s session (no two days were the same, after all). I especially liked the Pilates core and strength sessions, which I’ll definitely be returning to later on. It’s also nice that you don’t need a ton of fancy equipment to get started with The Reset. If you have resistance bands, a Pilates ball, and dumbbells, great. But you can still make do with a mat and your own bodyweight.
By the end of my experiment, I felt stronger and more focused on my fitness, which is a huge win overall. There were moments where I wished I didn’t have to sacrifice my preferred gym sessions and fitness classes (those long walks take time!) but for eight days, this was a fun way to shake things up.
What to Consider About the Alo Moves Reset
As outlined by an Alo Moves rep, each week of The Reset consists of three days of Pilates and two days of strength (that’s five workouts total). For the folks following along at home, that means you get two rest days to be taken at your discretion. While the workout videos are numbered on the Alo Moves app/site, these rest days aren’t made abundantly clear. Instead, you’re given nutrition tips to watch, which reads as slightly confusing to me (although the education is much appreciated). If I hadn’t been told about the rest days, there’s a decent chance I would’ve tried to power through these workouts without accepting the rest my body needed — and trust me, you’re going to need it.
One other thing to note is that every workout included in The Reset is labeled at the maximum level-four intensity. Alo Moves defines “intensity” as the amount of exertion required to complete a workout. Level four classes “are designed to test your limits to the max,” the website reads. “You’ll move at a fast pace to push yourself to your peak, increase your heart rate, and accelerate your breathing.” While this works great for people who prefer high intensity workouts, I would’ve preferred to see a range of intensity levels. Just because a workout is lower intensity does not mean it’s easy — a distinction Alo Moves acknowledges in its separate “difficulty” metric.
“Difficulty refers to the level of skill and technique called for in a class,” the Alo Moves website says. On a scale from “introductory” to “advanced,” The Reset workouts fall right in the middle at “moderate.” That means higher-level modifications and less detailed instruction.
Who Is the Alo Moves Reset Best For?
I’m not saying I like easy workouts, but as someone with a chronic illness, I tend to prefer lower-impact exercises (and if you do too, please know that’s totally valid). With that in mind, this was a definite challenge for me. If you like faster moving workouts that get your heart rate up quickly, I think you’d really enjoy The Reset. To me, this would be best for someone who already gets some steps in their day-to-day life — otherwise that 8,000 step challenge can feel really time consuming on top of the workout. I’d even recommend adding one of the Alo Moves workouts to the end of your gym sesh for a really well-rounded burn you’ll feel the next day.
Additional Details
- Alo Moves Pricing: $12.99 Monthly or $130 Annually
- Program Length: 30 Days
- New members can try Alo Moves with a 14-day free trial
- The Reset includes nutrition tips from Sakara Life
Rating:
★★★★
Chandler Plante (she/her) is an assistant health and fitness editor for PS. She has over four years of professional journalism experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributing to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group.