Begin your mat journey here with me.  I want to encourage you to shift your mindset and see this video series as much more than a workout.  If you are not living the movement that we are doing together, what the heck is the point??!

Be sure to do each video a few times and take the time to watch the Educate Me videos that I reference in each workout. This is your opportunity to dissect an exercise more completely so you can understand and execute the movements better. You will start to see and feel changes in your body.  Remember…..it feels good to feel good!

There really is nothing ‘basic’ about the work we do on the mat.  There is a sense of simplicity and minimalism to the workout because it is you and your mat.

The movements that we learn together might look easy, but truly have layers of complexity to them as you master this new art of movement.  This workout progresses nicely from the Beginner Mat Basics 1 and will begin to fill the canvas of the new picture that we are creating!

Be prepared to have so much fun and be challenged by these progressions. We will thread movements together and the pace will pick up so that you can experience the Pilates Principle of Flow.  

We are going to focus on the concepts of controlling our movements and have some fun with the transitions in between exercises! Have a water bottle close and buckle up! Let’s move!!

This workout is centered around the Principles of Focus and Concentration - do not make this mistake of thinking that this is an easy class! When our mind and our body are on the same page, simple shifts in our body start to occur - we get stronger, we improve our balance, we feel energized.  

Get ready to layer more learning in this video, you will start to notice the flow of the class will continue to get more challenging! You can do it!

Think that Pilates Mat work is easy?…..think again. I will lead you through the Full Mat Repertoire workout.

The pace of this workout is best suited to you if you are an Intermediate level client who has learned all of the Pilates Mat Exercises in the Pilates Mat Transformation package (available late October 2019) or if you have taken Pilates at a studio for at least one year. Have your water bottle and a towel to dab your brow….let’s go!

An exercise or movement without thinking about where are bones are located (alignment) is just an exercise and really has no major value when it comes to changing the look of your body. However, when you can layer the two, good alignment and good movement...well now you are talking!

That is what this workout is all about, pay attention to the specific cues I share throughout.  Let’s go!

The burn you will experience from this workout will leave you speechless.  How can a prop like a Pilates Circle that weighs so little, challenge our muscles in such a big way??  

We will work from head to toe and will focus on our postural positioning so that we can create the work that will actually impact our body in a positive way! Stronger, leaner, more flexible! Get ready for the magic!

Often, it is the most basic movements, when taught in a new way that create a new experience.  Whether you were the star of your high school volleyball team or felt like you always had two left feet, there is an athlete in all of us. 

Pilates does not discriminate between age, gender or if you have run a 10km or not. It is movement, plain and simple. The more you dive into this video, the more refined your movements will become, the stronger you will become, the faster you will become.  Buckle up!

Fact: You cannot change the look of a muscle that you cannot stretch.  Fact: You cannot stretch a muscle that is surrounded by unhealthy fascia. Fact: Many people do not know or do not understand the value of lengthening your muscles and releasing your fascia in order to change the way your body feels and looks.

Now that you have the facts, get ready to impact change, get ready to create an environment in your body that is ready for something new!  Get ready to stretch to sculpt!

Get ready to channel your inner ballerina!! Pilates Barre is a fun, sweaty workout that combines the postures and spinal movements that are so important in Pilates with the glute burning, quad tingling, ab on fire sensations that the Barre creates. 

Pop your own fave playlist on in the background and I will meet you at the Barre!

The Reformer is a large piece of Pilates Equipment that uses springs to create resistance as you move.  We have taken this concept and used a few simple props to replicate Reformer exercises on the mat.

Get ready for that gummy worm, shaky leg feeling as we work on our deep stabilizing muscles that often get overlooked by those bigger, bossier global muscles like our quads! A full body workout that will not disappoint!

Our mental health is just as important (if not more) than our physical health.  In this ‘workout’ we are going to dial things back a few notches (think slow dancing at your high school dance!).  

We will carve out time for a Body Scan that will help you tune into your body. This is a skill that many of us lack. Due to the fast forward pace of our lives, we are not very good at listening to our body until we have a raging knee, or low back pain that wakes us up at night.  You will feel blissful after this workout!

WE DO!! Neutral Spine is the position where the spine’s natural curves are optimized.  The reality is that our life (old sports injuries, sitting at a desk for decades, having babies for some of us) has taken a toll on the actual position of our spine. 

When our posture is compromised, our body is so smart, it adjusts and we carry on. This video will explain how to find neutral spine and why it is important, it will also talk about considerations for neutral spine if you have a disc issue.  Happy learning!

If you only decided to watch one Educate Me video - this is the one I would recommend.  We are an under-oxygenated society. Our trillions of cells are like little gas tanks with their low fuel light perpetually on! 

We have literally forgotten how to breathe and our diaphragm muscle, which is our main muscle of respiration is often very weak and underutilized.  When we are properly oxygenated, we have energy, our body’s systems work more efficiently and we can LIVE! Spend time with this video, it is a game changer!

Our pelvis….where the heck is it and why do we need to be able to move it like a clock??  To make things really simple all you really need to know for this video is where your hip bones are (fancy name is the ASIS) and where your tail bone is (fancy name is sacrum).

Because of our poor posture from so much sitting our pelvis it often tipped too far forward or sits too far back. This video will teach you why we need our pelvis to sit in its neutral position and then pelvic clock exercise sequence is the ‘how’ to get it there!

Did you know that short hamstrings (the muscles that live at the back of your legs in between the back of your knee and your butt) can wreak havoc on our posture and cause low back, hip and knee issues?  

Even though the hamstring muscle is not basic at all, this video will give you a good idea if this area could be causing you trouble and what you can do about it.

Chances are we do not remember learning to walk, right? BUT the truth is that very few of us actually walk correctly.  Over time we get ‘stuff’ - plantar fasciitis, hammer toes, bunions, fallen arches, achilles issues, unexplained knee and hip discomfort….why??  

This video will help you to discover some of the most basic mistakes you could be making over your thousands of steps a day, millions of steps in a year!  Learning these basic changes will leave you “walking on air!”

Many people believe that the 6 pack (whether you see yours or not) make up our abs.  This is what the fitness industry has taught us. The 6 pack or Rectus Abs are only a small part of our core, so why the heck do we chase the goal of a 6 pack when in reality it is probably the least functional of all the abdominal muscles??? 

This video will explain the parts of our core - the floor, the ceiling and the cylinder. Become core savvy, your perspective on core strength will shift and so will your back pain, hip tightness, pelvic floor disorganization…...this list goes on and on.

Calling all people with shoulder, elbow and wrist issues…...is that you?  It is most of us!! Our rib cage plays a HUGE role in how our shoulder, elbow and wrist move (or in some cases don’t move). 

Our rib cage can ‘cheat’ for a lack of movement in our shoulder which then places unnecessary stress and tension in your back - it’s ALL CONNECTED!!  Learn…..and be amazed…..the more you know!

It’s not just about putting on your socks!

Joseph Pilates had a recipe for movement, he said our spine has to move 5 ways everyday for optimal health.  Flexion (bending/rounding our spine forward) is one of those 5.

I will educate and move you into the proper positioning of spinal flexion and once you understand this, your Pilates journey, and there for you life will be changed forever!

You will teach your body some amazing posture and alignment skills if you start to understand this concept of opposition during movement.  It will feel like you are working 10x harder! In this video I will take you through the basics of opposition and will offer up a few examples where you can feel the difference for yourself. 

The tricky thing here is, whether you use opposition or not, the movement will not look very different BUT it will feel totally different. Maximize your time on the mat with me by understanding the difference.

Experience less neck tension!

How many of us have experienced neck tension after doing ab crunches???  Count me in that group. It was not until I started taking Pilates almost 20 years ago that I learned how to properly use my core and the muscles of my neck to properly.

In this video, I will share the keys to coordinating the movement (of your 8-10lb head) with your core engagement and breathing to create a head curl up that Joe Pilates himself would be jealous of!

Whaaaat?! You mean there are different ways to move??

Pilates as a form of movement is super efficient because you lengthen AND strengthen your muscles in one complete range of motion. 

Our activities of daily living are full of concentric - walking, climbing stairs, sitting down….we need to build eccentric movement into our lives; learn why in this video.

We really do understand very little about our anatomy, especially if it is anatomy that no one really talks about or talks about correctly.  Your pelvic floor, like your quadriceps or your biceps is made up of muscle and, when you do not work your muscles what happens??? They do not function as effectively as we would like them to. 

Take the time, watch the video. I will help to clarify misconceptions about the pelvic floor (for men and women), the information will empower you to change the way you think about what’s going on down there. After you watch this video, pop over to the Rescue Me link and join me in some pelvic floor release and strengthening exercises, because we need both!

Like we have day and night, peanut butter and jelly, we also have two aspects of our nervous system.  The sympathetic aspect is what has become known as ‘fight or flight mode’ and the parasympathetic aspect is what has become known as ‘rest and digest’. 

Here is the issue, many many of us live most of our day in fight or flight and we lay our head on our pillow at night and our brain does not shut off. We scenario a plan in our head until we are so worked up, we cannot function effectively for the rest of our day.  This video highlights how you can nurture your parasympathetic nervous system, slow down and feel more in control.  

Not all breath is created equal or delivers the same results.  In this video we will cover the differences between diaphragmatic breathing, percussive breathing, one lung breathing and lateral breathing.  

Joseph Pilates used to say that breath is the first and the last act of life and somewhere in the middle, we forget how to do it. Take the time to learn this skill, your body and your brain will thank you.

In this video I will dissect the Roll Over, I will cover all the watch for’s and ways that you can optimize this movement from a core strength and tricep angle. Get ready to feel the burn!  Note: the Roll Over It is NOT for anyone with osteoporosis, disc issues, who is pregnant or who has arthritis - a neutral bridge is perfect for these bodies.

A lot of the unexplained knee pain is the result of an alignment issue between the hip, knee and ankle. Take 7 minutes, watch this video then invest in a foam roller, grab a piece of PVC pipe or grab your rolling pin, because we are going to effect change!!

P.S. This is not going to feel great, in fact, the more discomfort you experience, the more you need to do this daily. Just ensure that you can continue to breathe when you are rolling - if you need to put a towel or a cushion on your prop to lessen the ‘ouch’ then go ahead! Happy rolling!