To prevent injury and move efficiently, we need our bodies to have strength and mobility. Maybe that's obvious when we're thinking about our muscles, but people who are new to Pilates might not realize this also applies to our spines.  

During their Pilates journey, they might start to...

The Series of 5 or Stomach Series is a Pilates staple. And for good reason! These exercises build abdominal strength, endurance, and core control. I love to teach the Stomach Series on the Spine Corrector instead of the mat because it can be done more correctly by more students. 

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Seated Push-Through on the Trapeze Table is a great way to get the spine and shoulders moving, and your core activated. There are so many good reasons to practice this exercise like improved thoracic flexion, shoulder strength, and hamstring flexibility to name a few. 

A major benefit that...

In our daily lives, we spend most of our time shortening (and collapsing) the front side of our bodies. Sitting and slouching, for instance, shortens our hip flexors, pectorals, and abdominals. In our Pilates practice, many of the exercises shorten and contract the front side of our bodies...

One of the greatest benefits of practicing Pilates is how much it helps us in our daily lives. It can help us tackle our favorite hiking or biking trail, but it also helps in much smaller everyday activities. 

For example, maybe you can now sit at your desk for hours with improved posture...

Diastasis Recti is a separation between the right and left halves of the rectus abdominals (the 6-pack) and a thinning and separating of the connective tissue in between. This can create a "pooch" effect and reduced strength in the trunk.

This condition is very common among postnatal...

Recently, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Elevated Radio. 

We had a great chat about what the Pilates Encyclopedia is all about and where I see it going in the future. 

I shared how my own personal Pilates journey started and how that experience helped me develop compassion...

We curl the head, neck, and shoulders up so often in Pilates. Unfortunately, neck tension goes hand-in-hand with this movement for many people. How can we prevent this? Let's look at the Chest Lift on the Mat as an example. 

Interlace your fingers or nest one palm in the other palm so you...

Lots of Pilates exercises require us to move our hips into extension. Take, for example, Breathing on the Trapeze Table. For many of us, it's very difficult to keep the lumbar spine neutral while lifting our hips. #gluteamnesia

In exercises like this one, how can we make sure we're truly...

Your shoulder blades need to be able to move apart (protraction) and towards each other (retraction). 

The muscles required for protraction are your serratus anterior, the ones responsible for retraction are your rhomboids and middle trapezius.

Some of us tend to either squeeze our scapulae...