The Side Kick Series is a set of traditional Pilates exercises that improve core stability, spine stability and hip strength. There are many different version of it out there. In today's video I'd like to explain how and why they are different from one another. So, when you see the exercise done...

Let me start with a personal story. My mother had been diagnosed with osteoporosis a few years ago. She found out when her doctor detected a fracture in her sacrum.

Now you might think, “Oh that must hurt.” Well - not so much, actually. Many fractures, especially in the spine, are...

Many people new to Pilates know that this method strengthens their core. They often don’t realize that Pilates looks at every body part from every direction. Pilates teachers often find it frustrating, that the method gets reduced to “just” core, when it can do so much more....

The Stomach Series or Series of Five was created by Romana Kryzanowska, who studied with Joseph Pilates himself, in an attempt to strengthen her student’s abdominals. The exercises are: 

Single Leg Stretch
Double Leg Stretch
Single Straight Leg Stretch
Double Straight Leg Stretch
...

I like using metaphors to describe how Pilates works. The technical and anatomical language is not as easy to grasp. That’s why I share the symphony metaphor with each person who is considering taking up Pilates. It will give them a good idea whether this is something that might work for...

The rotator disc is definitely not a classical piece of Pilates apparatus, but many contemporary Pilates teachers use this tremendous tool to get hip, leg and especially the pelvic floor muscles working hard.  

If you struggle with your balance, don't worry, that’s exactly the point....

I have honestly stopped teaching the full Swimming exercise in my beginner mat classes. Too many students have limited shoulder flexion (they can’t lift their arms overhead without creating some sort of disorganization in the shoulder girdle).

So I’ve starting doing a variation of the...

Swimming is an exercise that you will come across in almost every single Pilates mat class. It’s an excellent exercise to work the hip extensors (glutes and hamstrings), spinal extensors (erector spinae) and practice trunk stability while lying on your stomach.

You might have noticed that...

Did you know you can get stronger and more stable in your core just by breathing correctly? I know; too good to be true. (I hope this news makes your day!) Take a breath right now; feel how it moves through the body. Notice how and where it goes. In Pilates, breath has a very specific function:...

You might have noticed, that in Pilates and yoga push-ups are done with the elbows close to the body (aka narrow push-ups), vs. sticking out to the sides, like in more traditional fitness. I’ve heard them called “Triceps Push-ups” which is really a misnomer. Any push ups in...