Lesley Logan / About Author
Lesley Logan, NCPT, is the founder of OnlinePilatesClasses.com, the first free online catalogue of Pilates exercise tutorial videos, where you can also find weekly online mat classes and workshops. When not teaching from her studio in Los Angeles, Lesley can be found traveling the world leading Pilates retreats, or offering Pilates business coaching to studio owners and other instructors through her private mastermind group. Connect with Lesley on instagram @lesley.logan or through the contact page on this site.
Related Posts
Pilates Mat & Reformer Classes: How Long Can You Stretch?
One of my most top watched Youtube tutorials is the Long Stretch Series. Every time I film a new video breaking it down it’s instantly popular. It was also my first video I ever posted to Youtube. So, this week’s Mat class will take the Long Stretch Series off the Reformer and ask how to get long, get up, get down and yes, we will even do the Elephant.
For those of you on the Reformer we will thread this series through some of the basic exercises and then a grand finale that you can join in, either on your Reformer or on the Floor (if you’re needing another option).
See you in class,
xx~LL
06 Aug 2019
Pilates Mat & Reformer Classes: Where My Legs At?
It’s soo easy to feel like your legs just hang off your hip flexors, pull on your back and make you feel like you’re two halves instead of a whole. So, in this weeks Mat and Reformer classes we are going to explore where are legs are moving from and how that helps us in each of our exercises. I’m bringing in some of the subscriber favorites like one leg teaser and one leg stomach massage.
See you in class!
xx~LL
28 May 2019
9/19 Online Pilates Mat Class: Oppositions
In this week’s class, LL wants you to feel your body go in two different directions. Normally in life, we prefer not to be pulled all over the place but in this case, on your Pilates mat, you will love how this tug of war feels inside your body. Plus, connecting your body to Pilates and your mind on your mat will allow the outside world to disappear. So, what are you waiting for? Put those people vying for your attention on hold. Snag some floor space and enjoy the work of Pilates in your body.
xx-LL
12 Sep 2017
Pilates Mat & Reformer Classes: Circles or Ovals
Ok, the title of this week’s class is pretty boring. But the workouts will be anything BUT! Because we are focusing on all the ways we circle in our Pilates practice. Where do they start from? Where do they stop? Is it always the same?
All you’ll need is you for 95% of these classes. But if you have a magic circle, we will use it just at the beginning of both the Mat and Reformer to remind ourselves where we circle from.
See your circles in class!
xx-LL
28 Jul 2020
Pilates Mat Class: Keeping It All Together
The other day my client noticed it was amazing how she could keep her heels together. It’s a problem we’ve been focusing on for 4 years. She said, “Who knew it wasn’t a problem with my heels?” I laughed! Of course I knew, it’s why we’d been focusing on here seat and inner thighs. This week, let’s focus on how we can keep it all together by focusing less on what’s touching and more on how we make that happen.
xx-LL
05 Feb 2019
Pilates Mat & Reformer Classes: Chest Expansion – It’s Everywhere
Chest Expansion is like Swan in Pilates – it is EVERYWHERE! You may not be familiar with Chest Expansion if you just started Pilates or if you’ve only ever done the Mat exercises. But, it’s a great exercise to understand if you’re wanting to do some of the more intermediate and advanced exercises.
So, this week, grab a thera band (or a set of leggings or a belt could even work). We’ll be using it throughout our Mat practice. If you don’t have one, it’s ok you’ll use your imagination.
On the Reformer we will use Chest Expansion sooner than normal and in different ways to help us connect to our back and see how that can help us deepen our practice.
Are you ready to see how many places Chest Expansion can show up?
See you in class,
xx-LL
09 Jun 2020
Full Body in 15 – Feb 2022 – All Workouts & Workshops
One thing I see in pics, videos or virtual sessions are the heels coming apart. And it does make a difference in making the exercises happen when the heels are together. The strength you gain from that hug is necessary when the heels are apart. This week, we will use the Magic Circle for some teachable moments. But you can hug a quarter to challenge yourself.
See you in class,
xx-LL
28 Feb 2022
Pilates Mat Class: Rolling Back!
This week’s class is inspired by the OG Rolling Back. We’ll play with the version as it is in Joseph Pilates book Return to Life and how it can help feed the rest of our Mat practice. We will also play with the Return to Life versions of a few other exercises as March Matness continues!
xx-LL
Ps have you read the book? It’s fun to read more than once!
26 Feb 2019
Pilates Mat & Reformer Classes: Squeeze or Hug
Let’s find out how we can work our midline without losing our outer thighs too! On the Mat, we’ll use the Magic Circle for a few exercises to discover what our midline feels like when it’s working. On the Reformer, we’ll use the Foot Bar and springs to discover our inner strength not just our “go-to” muscles!
Let’s do this!
xx~LL
01 Oct 2019
Full Body in 15 – Feb 2022
One thing I see in pics, videos or virtual sessions are the heels coming apart. And it does make a difference in making the exercises happen when the heels are together. The strength you gain from that hug is necessary when the heels are apart. This week, we will use the Magic Circle for some teachable moments. But you can hug a quarter to challenge yourself.
See you in class,
xx-LL
20 Oct 2020
Pilates Mat & Reformer Classes: Freaky Friday Style
Back by Demand but Fresh and New! Y’all loved the time we swapped the equipment exercises and I wanted to enjoy that flow again. So this theme is back but it’s all new! Let’s see what we get through this week when our Mat becomes a Reformer and our Reformer becomes a Mat.
Mat lovers, if you’ve never done the Reformer, some of these things will feel bizarre or you may not have seen or heard of them. Don’t worry, you’ve got the whole week to have fun! If you’re a Reformer lover who skips the Mat… I see you! You’re getting your Mat on this week. Have 1 or 2 lb. weights nearby for both classes.
See ya in class,
xx-LL
21 Apr 2020
Pilates Mat & Reformer Classes: Weight it Out
Let’s grab those 1 lb. weights (or lighter) and see how they help us connect to our center even more! If you don’t have weights around, do not worry. You can do a lot with your own imagination or grab some water bottles. We will be using the weights to do some of the OPC member fav’s: Rowing, Pulling Straps and Teaser. You can do all of these without props too.
On the Reformer we will also explore how using weights vs. straps connects us to our center more.
See you in class,
xx~LL
07 Jan 2020
Pilates Mat Class: What Are You Weighting For?
I know most of us are always looking to shed the weight whether physical or figurative. But, this week, I do want to bring a little weight into our practice. Just a little bit. Like 1lb or 2 lbs.
If you’ve got little hand weights bring them with you. If you’re traveling or at your office and you don’t no worries! The mind is a beautiful thing. Grab your real or imaginary hand weights and join me as we explore what a little weight can do for our Pilates practice.
xx-LL
29 Jan 2019
9/5 Online Pilates Mat Class: Focus On Control
Whenever LL hears that Pilates is easy or that an exercise isn’t hard she knows that there is zero control happening. The body is moving but it’s basically just doing the choreography. When you are doing Pilates with control and a bit of focus on precision every exercise works the whole body.
This week LL focuses on what’s moving where and really paying attention to even what’s not supposed to be moving. Get ready to ask yourself some questions and feel Pilates in your body at a deeper level.
xx-LL
29 Aug 2017
Pilates Retreat Maui – Mat Class 6
Aloha, welcome to the last full day of our retreat. This morning’s class is going to focus on the crab. Because you can crab sooner than you think! So all of the class is going to lead us up to get into that exercise.
I hope you enjoy it!
xx-LL
07 Aug 2018