Kerry Washington Reveals the Pilates Routine That Keeps Her Strong and Centered at 49

2 min readActor and investor Kerry Washington graces the fall cover of Women’s Health with a Pilates-inspired photoshoot that, if we do say so ourselves, is pretty stunning. That’s because the 49-year-old isn’t simply striking poses—she’s embodying a method she’s practiced for two decades.“Pilates is a place where you can come to do it all,” Kerry says. “It helps with your flexibility. It helps with your strength. It helps with posture and alignment. It's so good for you and so effective, and I love it.”While Kerry partakes in a range of fitness modalities—she lifts, she swims, and she walks—she says Pilates is the most consistent and cherished part of her exercise routine because of the mind-body connection it fosters. She, alongside her long-time instructor Erika Bloom, give WH a taste of what a typical reformer workout looks like in the latest episode of Strong Like.The duo start off with single-leg footwork to focus on Kerry’s leg and spinal alignment. As footwork often serves as the warmup for many reformer-based classes, it’s also an opportunity to set a consistent breathing pattern for the rest of the session. (Breath is big in Pilates!)Next, they move on to roll down on the long box—a move that emphasizes the articulation of the spine. Bloom also likes this exercise for Kerry because it helps release her psoas—the muscle that connects the spine to the femur—where Kerry tends to hold tension while filming.“I think my proudest achievement in fitness, honestly, is coming to terms with the connection between my mind and my body,” Kerry says. “It's so important in my work as an actor, but also just in my everyday life, that I come to fitness to be embodied emotionally, psychologically, and physically.”Swan, a back extension exercise comes next, followed by legs (or feet) in straps, which Bloom has Kerry perform squeezing a magic circle in between her legs to activate her inner thighs. And, finally, the session ends with a standing lunge for a stretch.For Kerry, Pilates truly does touch almost every aspect of her life.“There's so much that you get out of Pilates that you can take into all of your other workouts,” she says. “I'm a better swimmer when I do Pilates. I'm a better weightlifter when I do Pilates. I'm a better runner when I do Pilates. I'm a better mother, human being, friend—all the things.”To hear more from Kerry about her go-to workout, click play on the latest episode of Strong Like above.Executive Editor Abigail CuffeyPhotographer Dana ScruggsStylists Rob Zangardi + Mariel Hanne Styling Assistant by Lee HaymanHair Nai'Vasha Grace using Curl Queen + OribeMakeup Keita Moore at The Only Agency using NarsNails Pattie Yankee at Opus Beauty using EssieSet Designer Natalia and OdinPilates Instructor Erika Bloom Deputy Visual Director Muzam AghaCreative Director Jamie Prokell Video Executive Producer Dorenna Newton Video Producer Janie Booth Video DP Alvah Holmes Video Editor Josh ArcherAmy Wilkinson is a contributing entertainment editor at Women's Health, where she edits the magazine's celebrity cover stories and writes health features. She has previously held editor titles at Entertainment Weekly and MTV News. In 2021, Amy completed her 600-hour teacher-training at Core Pilates NYC to become a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor.