Matwork Pilates

Matwork Pilates, also known as mat Pilates, is the original expression of the Pilates method and forms the foundation everything else is built on. In our matwork classes, there’s no apparatus involved, just bodyweight exercises performed on the mat.

Many of our matwork classes are in fact performed on a raised mat that sits on top of our extended reformer Pilates beds, making getting into certain exercise positions much easier and more comfortable.

While our matwork exercises don’t use any of the larger studio apparatus, classes integrate a range of props, such as resistance bands, the magic circle, foam rollers, and/or the Pilates ball to provide resistance, improved support, alignment or feedback on the movement as required.

We use a contemporary teaching style, taking the Classical Pilates exercises and modifying these movements to suit the needs and abilities of the students in the class. Once our students have mastered the fundamental movements, our teachers will support them in progressing the complexity and intensity of the movement to ensure everyone continues to progress in their practice.

Our matwork teachers deliver classes in a way that aligns with the core principles of Pilates, which include the following:

  • Breath – using proper, lateral and deep abdominal breathing techniques to oxygenate the body, support alignment and activate the deep core stabiliser muscles.
  • Concentration – using appropriate coaching language, cues and adjustments to achieve full mental focus, connecting the mind with the active muscles and movement.
  • Centring – a strong and stable core is the foundation of all movement. Our matwork classes will teach you how to activate the body’s powerhouse, ensuring optimal stability and movement control.
  • Control – our teachers will show you how to ensure every movement, exercise and bodily position is deliberate and mindful, emphasising optimal movement over load and intensity.
  • Precision – our teachers are movement experts who will teach you how to move with purpose and accuracy, maximising alignment and quality of movement.
  • Flow – our matwork Pilates classes are structured in a way that is logical and graceful, allowing different exercises to seamlessly and gracefully flow into the next. This helps to keep our classes dynamic and efficient in terms of time, packing more into every session.

Most of our matwork classes will include Pilates exercises performed from different body positions (standing, seated, kneeling, and lying), utilising a variety of different types of movement (flexion, extension, rotation). This helps to ensure sessions are balanced, nourishing for the spine, and supportive of the body’s innate need for a variety of different movement patterns. All too often, we repeat the same movement patterns, often through limited range of motion and with poor movement mechanics. This is a common source of pain and dysfunction, which is why many people are drawn to Pilates in the first place.

Our matwork Pilates classes provide a tremendous number of benefits, which do vary from one person to the next, depending on their starting point and individual needs. Broadly speaking, most students will experience many of the following:

  • Improved core strength and stability
  • Better postural awareness and alignment
  • Increased flexibility and joint mobility
  • Enhanced control and coordination of movement
  • Greater body awareness, including how you move day-to-day
  • Reduced muscular tension, particularly around the neck, shoulders and lower back
  • Improved balance
  • A calmer, more focused mind, through the emphasis on breath and concentration
  • Reduction in some types of pain and movement dysfunction, when practised consistently

Many of our students experience orthopaedic pain, stiffness or impaired movement, and they find that with consistent practice their symptoms improve. We always encourage students to consult with their healthcare professional before taking part, but in most cases, there are more benefits than risks from participating in Pilates.

Matwork is where most of our students fall in love with Pilates and develop a greater understanding of everything it has to offer. This is also the place where they develop greater awareness and mastery of the Pilates principles, before learning to apply these to a wider range of more advanced matwork exercises, as well as other class styles and formats.

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