I thought that would get your attention. What I really mean is that Mat Pilates is a full-body workout and a massage for your muscles and organs as well.  Joseph Pilates carefully crafted the mat work and designed this beautiful method, called Contrology, as a complete body workout from head to toe. When done in the original order you will feel the magic.

First, the Hundred: designed to warm up your body by pumping the blood through your body from your fingers to your toes as you vigorously pump your arms up and down the blood goes through your heart going to your extremities and back to your heart.

Next, the Roll Up/Roll Over: Flexion stretches your spine and body from head to toe. Single-Leg Circles: now that you’ve been stretched you work on strength of the abdominals and stability of the pelvis while moving one leg at a time. Rolling Like a Ball: is designed to massage your spine and nervous system as you roll back and forth getting deeper into your abdominals opening up the spine. Abdominal Series of Five:  Five different abdominal-focused strengthening exercises that work the 4 S’s: Strength, Stretch, Stability, and Stamina.

Eventually, you turn onto your stomach for Swan Prep, Swan Dive, Single Leg Kick, and Double Leg Kick: extension exercises designed to open up the front of your body and work the back of your body.

Side Kick Series: Challenges your body with a vertical pelvis and works you in a lateral fashion.  Getting you from all sides 🙂

Then, the Teaser was strategically put near the end.  A super challenging exercise that will make you stronger and challenge your core, concentration, coordination, and determination.

One more time you flip onto your stomach for Swimming: an exercise that challenges opposition in a prone position, works on extension, and pumps blood through your body very much like the Hundred.

Finishing up with a Seal: another exercise that massages the spine and challenges you in control and concentration.

These are just a few of the Classical Pilates Mat exercises mentioned but when you put them all together in the original order with the flow and concentration your body will feel energized and worked from head to toe – a full body massage.  These are just a few of the reasons why I love the Pilates Method of Contrology so much and believe in what it does for the body.  Thank you Joseph Pilates for giving us such a wonderful gift.

Check out our Contrology (classical) apparatus!