There is a huge focus on abdominal strength in Pilates. Old news, I know. But Pilates is also known for its positive effect on posture.

“Draw your ribs down and together” or “keep your suspenders on” are two of the most used cues for core connection.

“Spread your...

You as the teacher have the responsibility to keep the lesson focused. Your student might want to chat with you. You might have become friends over the course of many years of working together, but they are still paying you. They won’t say it, but they want you to keep them focused.

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In previous posts, I discussed the breathing pattern in Footwork, and I explained how your breath moves the spine.

Today we’ll discuss the best way to get you(r student) to maintain a neutral lumbar curve and stable lumbo-pelvic region during the bending and straightening of the legs.

First...

I bet you had a student recently who wanted to talk about her schedule in the middle of your lesson. It’s so tempting to just answer their question or start thinking of your own schedule and get into a back and forth about dates and times. I don’t blame her. Once the body starts...

As we move throughout our daily life, we need to be able to safely move the spine in all directions. In the Pilates Protocols chapter of the Pilates Encyclopedia, you’ll find a list of exercises that move the lumbar spine into flexion.

The biggest benefit of lumbar flexion is the...

For one or two of my students, Tower is the single best exercise to release tension from their backs. But what to do if they don’t have a Trapeze Table at home, or can’t make it to the studio every single day?

The best alternative that I’ve come up (so far) is Bridging with Feet...

I can’t keep count of how often people mention “Plank” when talking about building core strength. It’s the first exercise that comes to mind. Yes, Plank, or Front Control, as we Pilates snobs professionals like to call it, is a decent exercise with lots of benefits, but...

Magazine or news articles about health and fitness are not usually written by experts. A journalist interprets an expert’s paper maybe, or they interview an expert. Still, the final article is filtered through the knowledge of the interpreter.

I’ve read many an article that puts the...

With all types of exercise, there is a certain learning curve. Whether it’s martial arts or rock climbing or skiing, there is always a skill to learn.

But the expectation (backed by experience) is that it’ll get easier with practice. Running for 30 minutes will be easier after doing...

Pilates has so much to offer. If you’re ready to go deeper and explore each exercise in more and more depth, you can keep an exercise interesting for years.

I’ll explain how I layer one detail onto another, to progressively challenge my students while keeping them safe. I’ll use...