What Is Mat Pilates

Mat pilates is an exercise system designed to strengthen your core.

What is mat pilates.

Pilates mat work is a series of exercises that are done on the floor without pilates machines. Joseph pilates accompanied his method with a variety of equipment for which he used the term apparatus. Each apparatus was designed to help accelerate the process of stretching strengthening body alignment and increased core strength started by the mat work the best known and most popular apparatus today the reformer was originally called the universal reformer aptly named for. Mat pilates is a series of exercises from within the pilates method designed specifically to be performed on a mat.

Though it is still a flexion exercise done with the abs lifted the emphasis has changed to stretching the spine. Many pilates mat classes don t require any equipment other than yes a mat which is usually provided. You can do pilates on an exercise mat either in a class or at home using a dvd. It s a functional accessible program that differs from reformer routines and can be done anywhere.

A pilates mat workout that incorporates the classic pilates sequence is an exceptionally good workout that will provide the foundation for a lifetime of healthy habits not to mention of course that pilates mat work is the ultimate in core workouts. Spine stretch is a pilates mat exercise that feels really good. The most common. Joseph pilates the founder of the pilates method which he originally called contrology developed mat exercises that were quite similar to the work done on pilates machines the reformer the cadillac the chair the barrel.

Spine stretch can also be a stretch for the hamstrings as well as a moment to center oneself before moving on to more challenging exercises. Or you can go to a gym or studio that has special equipment a class or a trainer who can supervise you. The attention to the flow of movement and to the core muscles is the same as when you do pilates on the machines and mat work is a challenging workout in its own right. Generally the goal of a mat pilates class is to strengthen the body s powerhouse a pilates term that refers to your abdominals lower back muscles pelvic floor hips and glutes.