Issue #335 – May 19, 2021
The Heart and Soul of Pilates – the Mat Work
by Ana Caban
“No man – No machine can correct or create vitality, power, or health for you; everything comes from within; you have to unfold it.”
-Joseph H Pilates
I still remember the first weekend of my Pilates certification program, with Romana Kryzanowska, so many moons ago. I had left my career as a schoolteacher, in Miami, to study with the “grande dame of Pilates” in New York City. It was a Friday in July of 1997, when we filed into the Pilates Studio of New York on W. 74th St to spend a full weekend studying the Pilates Mat work. Anxious to jump on the Reformer (and other toys – as I saw them), I was surprised when the first weekend was completely dedicated to the Pilates Mat. Although I had taken several comprehensive Pilates sessions to qualify for the program, I had no idea of the importance of the Mat work. This was something that would reveal itself to me over time, and boy has it!
It wasn’t instantaneous. It took time for me to gain an appreciation and understanding of the value of the Mat work. After years of study and teaching, the importance of the Pilates Mat work unfolded for me. As my understanding of the work grew, I began to see patterns and similarities in the exercises done on the Mat, the Reformer, Cadillac, and all of the Pilates equipment. While I distinctly remember Romana telling us that the Pilates method began with Mat work, and only later did Joseph Pilates develop other pieces of equipment to support or challenge his clients, it was my own personal journey that made me truly understand the beauty and the genius of the Mat.
In the classical order, each exercise is thoughtfully placed in the sequence. You begin the Mat series lying down for the Hundred. With your head and legs elevated, you force the blood down to your heart and the vigorous pumping of the arms circulates the blood throughout your body. Then you begin to wake up your spine, and challenge your Powerhouse with the Roll Up, gently articulating your back, bone by bone. Next up, the challenge of stability in the powerhouse with the movement of the leg in Single Leg Circles. The flow and methodology continue on from there, all the way through to the Push Ups.
My favorite thing about the Pilates Mat work is that it can be done anywhere. I distinctly remember Romana telling us that there was no excuse not to do the Mat work. As long as we could lay a towel down on the floor, we could do it. In fact, she said that if the floor was dirty, we could just do the abdominal series (series of 5) on our bed. No excuses!
I’m not the only lover of the Mat. Check out what some of my Pilates buddies (and your Pilates leaders) have to say about the amazing Pilates Mat!
Kathi Ross-Nash – “Pilates IS the Mat. Every exercise on the apparatus was created to build the skills of the Mat. Each a broken-down component of a piece of the fabric to assist an individual with their own person journey to build a better Mat. The Mat is a continuous exercise that changes in complexity, orientation in space and difficulty as it progresses. When completed as prescribed, it is simply the perfect workout to balance the body from the inside out.”
Kathi Ross-Nash, The Red Thread Ranch, Bradenton, FL
Moses Urbano – “The Pilates Mat, for me, is the keystone of The Pilates Method of Physical and Mental Conditioning. On one side of the Pilates Vault of Wellness, we have the Reformer & Cadillac and on the other side, we have the Chairs, Barrels, and all the other apparatuses. In doing the Mat work, one is most challenged to acknowledge their alignment – by using the design of the Mat on how best to use the Foot Strap and Handles to lengthen and strengthen within their ability and simulate the resistance of Springs, by focused pushing and pulling on the surface of the Mat, Strap and Handles to simulate the use of springs, by moving through the postures of Mat ‘exercises’ with precision and then demonstrating with dynamics the natural movements of the human body. Mindful movement at is finest, The Pilates Mat brings me grace and gratitude.”
Moses Urbano, Los Angeles, CA/Berlin, Germany
Gina Papalia – “The Mat is the bread, and the work is the butter! Not only is the Mat the foundation of the Contrology system, but it also works wonders in very static and planned ways. By the end of a Mat workout, you have buttered all sides of your body. Furthermore, you have worked from the outside in. You have massaged your spine and organs. You have tamed your mind. Have you ever taken a focused, deep, breath before and then again after a Mat work out? Next time you do a Mat series, stop and feel the before and the after; feel what transpired on the Mat. There is something magical and wonderful all wrapped up in the Contrology Mat workout. That is the Pilates Promise.”
Gina Papalia, Grasshopper Pilates, NY, NY
Robert Turner – “Make no mistake about it, the magic of the Mat, is that the Mat is where it’s at.
The essence of the Mat work in Contrology is the control of your mind and body while moving through space, simultaneously resisting or deflecting gravity.
Mat work is symbolic of our daily lives as we go about our day seeking to perform our various tasks and duties ‘with spontaneous zest and pleasure’ (Return to Life). There are no springs attached to us while doing so, no straps, no bars, just our bodies in space. Many of the exercises performed on the apparatuses help to facilitate, and enhance movement patterns, either by providing resistance or assistance. If the ultimate goal is to move mindfully through space, then everything leads us back to the Mat, because once the tactile feedback that the apparatus provides has been eliminated, your mind and body are elevated to a state where they can reproduce those same outcomes. In conclusion, there is something very empowering about knowing that everything you need already lies within you. The apparatus when skillfully used, just helps to bring out the Mat in you.”
Robert Turner, Breathe Pilates, Lexington, KY
It became more and more evident, to me, over the 30 years that I have been a student of this revolutionary method that the Mat work is the heart and soul of Pilates. The Pilates Mat work is for everybody and EVERY body. My hope is that you will revisit the amazing classical sequence with a curiosity and appreciation for its value.
Foot note: Balanced Body® is proud to announce the premiere of the Contrology® Folding Mat. Complete with foot strap, mat boxes, dowels and handles (for easy carrying), this is the perfect space-saving apparatus for the studio or the home. Learn more here!
Ana Cabán is a leading Pilates instructor. For more than 2 decades she has gained a strong reputation among health and fitness industry experts for her distinctive style. Ana has sold over 4,500,000 of her award-winning bilingual fitness DVDs. Touted “a star Pilates instructor” by InStyle magazine and “the fitness guru to propel you into shape” by Martha Stewart Radio, she has appeared as the go-to fitness & lifestyle expert in the media for years. Some of the media outlets to feature Ana include Health, Fitness, Pilates Style, Latina and O magazines, Univision, FOX, NBC and SiriusXM. She is a proud to be part of the Contrology by Balanced Body team.