Explore Pilates Insights for an Active, Balanced Life

If you see trendy Pilates videos on social media, you will likely notice they are filled with toned, slim bodies. (I have some thoughts on that, which you can read here.) This might make you wonder if Pilates will help you lose weight. The truth is you might or might not. If losing weight is […]

Have you ever heard the saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know”? It perfectly sums up my experience with Pilates. In the beginning, even after taking classes at my gym for a year and then doing a 40-hour Pilates certification course, I thought I’d learned so much! Looking back, I know now that I […]

As healthcare moves toward more integrative and personalized treatment options, combining exercise modalities is proving to be an effective way to enhance recovery outcomes. In this article, we explore how integrating Pilates into physiotherapy can boost rehabilitation efforts, offering practical tips, expert advice, and insights drawn from clinical research and professional experience. Understanding the complementary […]

The magic circle is one of the many Pilates apparatuses that Joseph Pilates invented to help his clients with the system of exercises he created. This small, portable device is a fun way to add variety to your own Pilates workout or that of your clients.  What Is The Magic Circle? The magic circle is […]

There have been many times over the years that people have told me that they want to try Pilates, but that they need to work on their flexibility first. Surprise! You don’t need to be flexible to do Pilates. That’s because one of the things Pilates does is help you get more flexible… and mobile, […]

Pilates is designed in a way that it can be done by anyone. It is purposely a gentle form of exercise (low impact), yet it is also very challenging. This may make you wonder if you should feel sore after Pilates. As a corrective form of exercise, Pilates seeks to improve imbalances in strength, mobility, […]

When you work out at home, you can wear whatever you’re comfortable in. But what do you wear to Pilates class in the studio? Does everyone wear high-rise leggings and bandeau tops? Do you need grippy socks? Here’s what I tell my new students.  The Best Clothing For Pilates When it comes time to choose […]

Pilates has come a long way over the past 99 years. When the first Pilates studio opened in 1926, who could have predicted that Joseph Pilates’ form of exercise would soon be found worldwide? He certainly hoped it would! And now, a century later, his dream has come true. So, how did we get here […]

Have you been considering doing Pilates teacher training? Even if you don’t necessarily want to be a teacher, there are lots of great reasons to do so. Finding the right path can be confusing, though, as there are a lot of options out there (some more reputable than others). Let me unravel things a bit […]

Have you done The Hundred in Pilates yet? If not, then you haven’t done a real Pilates workout. That’s because the hundred (and its equally memorable friend, The Teaser) show up all over the place in Pilates. You’ll find it on the mat, the reformer, and the various other apparatuses. Since you’re going to keep […]

I see a lot of clients who have neck pain or a combination of neck, upper back, and shoulder pain. Some of them are so used to it that they don’t even notice it any more! Whether your pain is a result of poor posture, sitting a lot while doing desk work, or an injury, […]

I’ve been talking a lot about the principles of Pilates over the past several weeks. While there are six different principles, they really all work together. And by keeping them in mind, you’ll keep gaining from Pilates. We all want to do Pilates well and keep improving, but there is a lot to learn! So […]

We’ve made it through the first five of the principles of Pilates, finally bringing us to precision. In Pilates, precision is the art of being exact in your movements. To do that, you need to incorporate all of the other principles: control, breath, concentration, centering (in your mind and body), and flow so that your […]

In last week’s blog post about Control, I mentioned how all of the principles of Pilates need to work together. Finding flowing movement in your practice is no different, with control and concentration playing a big part. I find that flow takes a while for most people, and I still have my own struggles with […]

Control is one of my favourite of the six principles of Pilates, so let’s dive right in! From Contrology to Pilates Joseph Pilates never called his method of exercise “Pilates”. He called it Contrology. Control + ogy to sound scientific. But why would Joseph care if the name of his type of exercise sounded scientific? […]