Pilates Matwork: The Heart of the Pilates Method

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My Journey with Pilates

My journey with Pilates matwork began unexpectedly, in a group reformer class taught by a close friend of mine during a visit back home. We had both graduated from San José State University’s dance program, though I had moved to Montreal and she stayed in California, becoming a Pilates instructor. In that reformer class, I was amazed by the workout I could get from this cool machine’s spring resistance and straps. But after returning to Montreal, I tucked the experience away—until one day, I decided I wanted to become a Pilates instructor.

I found a Stott Pilates training facility in Montreal in 2010, and soon I was diving deep into Pilates matwork, completing my certification and offering mat classes at my studio. At the time, I thought I was happy with just the matwork. But as I progressed in my teaching career, the allure of the reformer, Cadillac, barrels, and chairs was undeniable. The reformer, in particular, was such a fun, engaging way to challenge clients—everyone loves the glide of the carriage and the resistance of the springs. I spent more time teaching reformer classes, and my mat classes took a backseat.

The Shift Back to Pilates Matwork

Then, in 2020, everything shifted. As studios around the world shut down, I found myself teaching and learning Pilates online. The pandemic forced many of us back to the basics: the mat. This was the moment I truly began to appreciate the depth of Pilates’ matwork, especially in its classical form.

Joseph Pilates, the creator of the Pilates method, often spoke about the importance of body awareness, alignment, and control. In his book Return to Life Through Contrology, he wrote, “Perhaps with some feeling of doubt you ask, ‘How can I realize such a utopian condition? At night I am much too tired to go to a gymnasium… RETURN TO LIFE fully explains how you can successfully achieve your worthy ambition to attain physical fitness right in your own home and at only nominal cost.”

Joseph Pilates envisioned the mat as the foundation of his method—something you could do anywhere, with nothing but your own body. He didn’t design the reformer, Cadillac, or other apparatuses as the core of the system; they were tools to enhance your matwork.

The Depth and Intent of Classical Pilates Matwork

When I began to study the classical Pilates method more deeply, it opened my eyes. Exercises I had once dismissed as “too easy” or “boring,” like the Single Leg Circle, became profound when approached with a deeper understanding of their intention. The mat exercises aren’t just a set of moves; they are part of a flowing, interconnected system that builds strength, flexibility, and control in your body.

The beauty of Pilates matwork is that it doesn’t rely on external support. Unlike the reformer or other apparatuses, there are no springs or straps to guide you. You have to find your own stability and strength—especially in the Powerhouse (that vital core area). It’s the true test of your body awareness.

The Classical Pilates Mat Sequence: A Flowing System

The classical Pilates matwork sequence is designed to flow together. The Hundred, for example, isn’t just an isolated exercise—it serves as both a warm-up and a key to opening up the body. It gets the blood flowing, activates the lungs, and centers you. It’s a vital starting point that sets the tone for everything that follows.

As you move through the mat sequence, you’ll notice how each exercise has a purpose in preparing you for the next. After the Hundred, you progress into exercises like Roll Up, Roll Over, and Single Leg Circles. These aren’t just “moves” to fill time; they’re deliberate, carefully designed steps that work your body in different relationships to gravity. The Single Leg Circle, once something I dismissed or skipped in the past, is now something I truly value. In classical Pilates, it’s not just about the hip joint moving in circumduction; it’s about engaging the whole body and controlling the movement through your Powerhouse. When I approach it classically—engaging my whole body, rather than focusing solely on pelvic stability—it feels completely different. It’s still challenging, but now I understand its role in the broader system.

The Importance of Transitions in Pilates Matwork

The matwork exercises progress logically, so you’re never jumping from one unrelated movement to the next. For example, after Jack Knife, you move into exercises like Side Kick and Teaser, which help you challenge your core in a dynamic way in different planes of motion, massaging the spine and preparing your body for the more challenging Control Balance, which comes near the end of the series. This is an advanced move that requires not just flexibility and strength, but precision and control—key elements of Pilates.

The flow from one exercise to the next builds progressively, creating a holistic experience where no single movement stands alone. By the time you reach The Push-Up at the end of the Pilates matwork series, you’ve worked through flexion, extension, and rotation, and you’re ready to rise up, literally and figuratively, feeling more connected and balanced in your body.

Why Pilates Matwork Is More Challenging Than Apparatus Work

That’s why transitions in classical Pilates are so important. They are just as much a part of the workout as the exercises themselves. The whole system is designed to flow from one exercise to the next—gently pushing you further into your range of motion while ensuring your body remains stable, controlled, and aligned—appearing as though you are performing one long, continuous, and evolving exercise. Every movement has a purpose, and each exercise prepares you for the next, all leading you toward a stronger, more capable body.

This structure, however, doesn’t mean the mat is “easy”—in fact, it can be one of the most challenging aspects of Pilates matwork. Without the feedback of the apparatuses, you have to rely entirely on your own muscles, proprioception, and awareness. The reformer is fun, but the matwork asks you to dig deeper. And that’s where the true transformation happens.

The Role of Apparatuses in Enhancing Matwork

Of course, the apparatuses play an important role in enhancing your matwork. Joseph Pilates developed tools like the reformer, Cadillac, and barrel to help clients develop the strength and mobility needed to perform the mat exercises more effectively. The reformer, for example, provides support for certain movements and helps clients find their alignment more easily. But without also honing your matwork, you may be missing out on the full potential of the Pilates method.

Take the Challenge: Try Pilates Matwork in Montreal

If your Pilates practice has focused primarily on the reformer, you’re only scratching the surface of the method’s depth. And if you’ve tried matwork and found it “too easy” or “boring,” it might be time to revisit it with a new perspective. Come try one of my Pilates matwork classes in St-Henri, Montreal. I’ll show you how to unlock the challenge and fun of the mat, and you’ll leave with a new understanding of how it strengthens your entire practice.

When you return to the reformer, you may find that your newfound connection to the mat will enhance your work on the apparatus, making you a stronger, more aware Pilates practitioner.