The SideKicks used to just include the Front and Back. But many of Joseph Pilates students have added a few variations to this. Why? Because the sidekicks are so important. Our side strength is what helps us do movements in multiple planes at once.

Think about how you move in life. When you are taking your groceries from the cart to your trunk you are lifting, twisting, bending and turning. Having strong obliques and glutes is key to stabilizing and agility. I mean, these muscles have to be able to do movements in both directions.

This week, we are taking the strength of our sidekicks through our mat work. Get ready to feel your hips in a whole new way!

See you on your mat,

xx-LL

Rolling exercises look so easy – and then you do them! And, the trickiest part about them is how easy it is to do them wrong. Yep, you can roll and get back up and be cheating your whole way through.

In this weeks Mat class we’ll use the Magic circle to help us Roll like a pro. And on the Reformer we will focus on how practicing our Rolling exercises allows us to do things like Shortspine, Knee Stretches and even Corkscrew.

Share your love or discoveries in the class comments or in our private member group!

xx~LL

Hi, this is Arlene. Welcome to my studio Bodywork & Pilates on our Pilates Retreat Maui!

This is day two of our retreat and we just had an amazing day of a morning mat class, hiking, an extraordinary brunch and now we’re about to get started with our evening mat class.

So glad you can join us!

Arlene

The Boomerang! Not just any mat exercise. But, almost every mat exercise!

I used to just say Boomerang was a rolling Teaser. But, as I made this class the truth is it’s more than that. It’s the rollover, it’s the seal, it’s the double leg kick arms, it’s inner thighs of spine twist and so many more.

Boomerang is often skipped in a mat class because it has so many moving parts, so this week’s class gives it the spotlight it truly deserves… Have fun thinking about the Boomerang for a full 30 min!

See you on your mat,

xx-LL

Spring has sprung and we can use the Theraband to feel like we’ve added springs to our Pilates mat work! If you don’t have a thera-band do not worry. You’ll still get a great workout. We will be exploring some of the Reformer exercises on our Mat and also what some Mat exercises would feel like with a little extra resistance.

See you on your mat!

xx-LL

Allow your favorite reformer exercises to meet you on your mat this week! A fun way to change up your Pilates practice and feel like you got to have a little bit of Reformer work at home!

xx-LL

The other day in our OPC members only group I had a request for Hip Circles being a theme. And so, if you don’t love this theme…do it anyways! haha!

My friends, some exercises in Pilates are teaching tools for our bodies. They strengthen or stretch us. And other exercises are revealers. They show us where we still need work. Hip Circles is one of those exercises.

In our Mat practice, we will use every exercise to prepare us to FLOW through our Hip Circles. On the Reformer, we will use the equipment to help us strengthen, stretch and make our Mat work a flow we enjoy!

See ya in class!

xx~LL

Join Lesley Logan for a 30 min Pilates mat class designed for you to do anywhere you can lay down! Seriously, Pilates was designed on the mat first. Sometimes we can’t get to a studio, can’t leave the house, office or we are off traveling. Lesley’s mat class is perfect for your 30 min window dedicated to all things you. Turn your notifications off and lay out your mat (or even a towel) and get connected to your mat.

Your mat is just like a piece of equipment. It gives you feedback on what’s touching, not touching and supports your movements. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get connected!

xx-LL

It’s a common cue in any Pilates class and exercise for a teacher to ask you to “find your length” or, reach in two directions. But, you are also supposed to keep everything connected at the same time.

In this week’s mat pilates class we will explore finding the length in our bodies but without letting it all hang out!

Can’t wait to hear how this feels for you!

See you on your mat!

xx-LL

It’s easy to Tricep press your way through Shave on the Reformer. But, Shave is an integral exercise for so much of what we do in our Pilates practice! On the Reformer we’ll explore all the ways you can shave. And on the Mat we’ll bring our rowing in with some 1lb or 2lb weights and how the connecting your arms to your back increases your full body connection.

See ya in class,

xx-LL

This week, our first week adding in the Reformer classes we are bringing a little Reformer to our Mat! If you have 1 lb. weights bring them with you to your mat. We will be incorporating the love of Rowing and some other Reformer exercises to your Mat practice as we have been the last couple weeks in honor of Spring and the springs on the Reformer. These exercises are designed to help you get more connection to your back and your mat!

And, for those of you taking Reformer class, welcome to the first Reformer class on OPC! This week’s class we will focus on what’s connecting to where. While it seems easier to work on these connections on our Reformer there are so many places where we can disconnect that it makes for a fun flow!Grab your mat and or Reformer and let’s get ready to flow!

xx~LL

P.S. After class be sure to use the comment box to share what you loved, questions you had and any wins!

Whether you love or hate the Teaser it’s probably here to stay! And, with so many variations and ways to do it around the studio, it’s easy to think it’s our peak Pilates pose! While it’s not – and all exercises are created equal – it’s integral to your practice to squeeze all the stretch and strength out of it!

So, this week, we dive into many ways to Teaser!

Are you ready?

xx-LL

I know it’s not just me. But, have you ever noticed how many exercises start with “single leg” and if they don’t how many exercises are one sided. It’s a lot!

And, why is that? Why so much emphasis on doing asymmetrical work? Well, as you know, we don’t do Pilates to do Pilates better. We do it to do life better! And so much of life is one-sided!

So, let’s rock what we got!

On our Mat and Reformer, we will explore more of the asymmetrical exercises and then challenge what we’ve learned by doing exercises that are symmetrical. You may have to work a bit more through one side!

See ya in class,

xx~LL

How does 1 little extra lb change your entire practice? I am not talking about your scale! I am talking about your mat work! What happens to how you feel your practice when you take one lb and add it in to almost every exercise?

Find out this week in class! It’s fun! And, if you don’t have a 1lb you can try a theraband or go weightless and imagine what 1 lb feels like. The mind is a pretty powerful thing!

Can’t wait to hear how what new discoveries you had.

xx-LL

I am the biggest fan of a good Swan exercise! I absolutely love to do this exercise. It feels so good when I connect to all the right spots. But, how did Joe do it in his book? That’s what we will explore this week as well as a few other OG versions of our Mat work from his book Return to Life. Which if you haven’t read you should! It’s pretty great at guiding you through his mat practice.

xx-LL