Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pilates Encyclopedia?

The Pilates Encyclopedia is an online database that provides top-notch Pilates research at your fingertips. It helps Pilates practitioners significantly improve their personal practice and equips Pilates teachers with the knowledge they need to stand out in a crowd.

Pilates Encyclopedia is right for you if…

You enjoy going down the rabbit hole about one exercise.
You want to dramatically reduce the time you spend searching online for an exercise, alignment tip or cue.
You are frustrated that information is spread all over the internet, your collection of books and manuals.
You don't want to buy another expensive Pilates book or manual, which you won't use because it's never where you need it.
You want to be able to ask a follow up question after or while watching a Pilates exercise video.
You enjoy being organized and love details.
You struggle with understanding a few exercises, and as a result, never practice or teach them.
You're frustrated that your teacher training manual is incomplete and is missing information.
You want to focus on the work, not the discussions around it.
You could happily discuss the details of one exercise for an hour or more.
There are some exercises you just don't get (yet).
You want to do Pilates right.
You're tired of contradicting information about each exercise. Who is right?
You're curious to learn new exercises or variations.
You believe in the magic of the Pilates method in achieving a truly miraculous change in a person's body.
you strive for excellence.

Pilates Encyclopedia is not right for you if…

you want to follow along to a class or session.
you enjoy spending hours sifting through video after video and website after website in search for the one exercise or variation you have a question about, only to never actually find an answer.
you rush through your workout just to get it over with.
you think more is better.
you strictly follow one school's repertoire and are not interested in learning any new creative variations and exercises.
you're happy being good enough.

How do I use the Pilates Encyclopedia?

After becoming a member, you can log in to the Pilates Encyclopedia via any browser or smartphone. You can look up a specific exercise or browse through the library for inspiration. Use the search feature to quickly find what you’re looking for. Read through detailed information about each exercise and watch a video to see it in action. You can ask questions or share your knowledge in the comment section and get quality answers from peers and professionals.

How will the Pilates Encyclopedia improve my practice and teaching?

The Pilates Encyclopedia is designed to empower practitioners and teachers with knowledge.

Have you ever wondered what an exercise is for, or you haven’t really felt that the exercise did anything? There are most likely gaps in your understanding. After all, there is no Pilates exercise that’s not challenging once we know how to perform it correctly. The Pilates Encyclopedia helps clear up confusion about exactly which area of the body should be working, how your body should be aligned and which muscles you should be feeling.

Each exercise is covered in detail so you’ll know from head-to-toe what you should be doing. You’ll find inspiration for new variations, tactile cues, and imagery that will help expand your practice and get you out of a teaching rut. Do you have a specific goal, sport, or limitation you would like to improve with Pilates? We have a whole (Programming + Sequencing) section to help you pick the perfect exercises.

Many teacher training manuals are missing content (meant for the student to fill in during the training). If you were too slow to write down everything that was said, you ended up with blank sections in your manual. Now you can't fully trust your manual as reference material because you might have written something down incorrectly or not at all. The Pilates Encyclopedia is here to fill in the gaps, helping you teach confidently and effectively.

What method do you use (classical, Polestar, Stott, Balanced Body, etc)?

We love looking into all Pilates schools and styles. In our world, there is only one Pilates. A lot can be learned from each of them, so the Pilates Encyclopedia isn’t limited to a particular style. On the contrary, we want to explore and explain why one person might benefit from one way to do an exercise while another person might benefit from a different way. We believe that it’s not about better or worse, it’s just different. Learn to understand this difference, and you’re empowered to change a body and a life. If you learned an exercise differently than what’s shown and we don’t mention it, please share in the comments so we can all learn from each other and help each other grow.

What if I can’t find the exercise or answer I need?

It’s possible that the exercise you’re looking for is listed under a different name than you’re used to. Many exercises have multiple names, depending on which school you learned from. We had to pick one name as the title of the page, but we list all alternative names we have heard of. So if you use the search feature, the exercise you’re looking for should show up.

If you still can’t find it, look in the appropriate category, such as supine or standing, and look at the video thumbnail image. Once you found it, please leave us a comment with the name you know it under, and we’ll add the alternative name it, so that you and others will find it more quickly in the future.

If an exercise isn’t in the Encyclopedia yet, leave a comment and we’ll get on it right away.

Even though we try to list as much detail about each exercise as possible there is always more to say. If you can't find what you're looking for, just use the comment section to ask us. Feel free to answer questions you see in the comment section as well. This is a place for us to all share what we know and help each other.

What do I get with my membership?

You get access to the Pilates Encyclopedia wherever you are, whenever you need it (internet connection required). In addition to this huge library of exercises, you’ll have access to:

Programming + Sequencing- Helpful exercise lists organized by movement goals, athletic needs, and specific pathologies.
Master the Boomerang- A course made up of 13 lessons that prepare and teach you the skills necessary to master this advanced mat exercise.
Learn to Teach a Successful Mixed-Level Apparatus Circuit Class- You can download several different sequences with variations for (truly) all levels and setup options for different apparatuses to successfully teach a Circuit class. For small(ish) boutique studios, this is one of the best ways to maximize your studio.
Pilates From Scratch- Learn basic Pilates mat exercises and principles in 21 short video lessons.

Can I cancel anytime?

You sure can! If you’re not loving the Pilates Encyclopedia, simply log in to your account and cancel anytime. We would love it if you gave us a short feedback about why you decided to cancel, so we can improve the content over time.

To cancel, click the circle to the right of “Library" in the top menu, then choose “Settings” from the drop-down menu. On the top right, it should say “Credit Card Info”. Click there to see your subscription and the option to cancel it.