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Footwork on the Mat

Home  »  Pilates Mat Exercises | Free Tutorials   »   Footwork on the Mat
  • April 2, 2021
Table of Contents
Footwork on the Mat - Online Pilates Classes
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Equipment Needed: Mat (The mat shown in this video is the Contrology Folding Mat.)
  • Reps: 5-10x of each variation
  • Warning: May not be ideal for some neck and back issues
  • Questions: Contact us here

Footwork on the Mat

Footwork on the Pilates Mat is one of my favorite ways to bring a Reformer exercise on the Mat. Footwork is a great way to warm up before you hit your Hundred on the Mat and also a great way to make your Mat work a bit harder on days you want a bit more. This exercise will challenge you in unique ways because when you do Footwork on the Reformer your head and chest is down. When you do Footwork on your Mat your head and chest are up and it’s easy for your legs to try and take your chest with them. After this challenge try to feel the connections from your Mat on your Reformer.

As the legs go out and in maintain your head and chest in one place.

Laying on your back bring your knees into your chest and your heels together, toes and knees apart. Lift your head and chest up and place your hands behind your head elbows wide. If you would like support for your lower back, place your hands under your pelvis. Press your hands into your head and your head into your hands. This will help you connect your arms to your back. Squeeze your heels together and feel your outer hips hug in and ready to send your legs out and support them.

Toes: Send your legs out to the high diagonal and then bend your knees back in 5-10x. When you bend in make sure your heels don’t drop down as you bend your knees in.

Arches: Parallel your legs and hug them tighter together. Flex your ankles and curl your toes. Reach through your arches and send your legs out and in 5-10x

Heels: Flex your ankles and your toes, keep your legs parallel and together. Reach your legs out and in 5-10x

Tendon Stretch: Return to the “Toes” position, send your legs out to the high diagonal and leave them out there as your point and flex your ankles. 5-10x.

Keep your head and chest up the entire time or take a break between positions. When the legs move maintain your chest up and not coming up or lowering down as the legs move.

Be sure to check out more of my Pilates Mat exercises. I want to help you continue your Pilates Mat training!

By lesley.logan

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.

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Take class whenever, from wherever, on whatever device – as many times as you’d like. Spending 15 minutes deciding what class to take? Here there’s only one on-demand class each week. But, don’t miss it or it’s gone! Classes start at only $7! Cancel at anytime.

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MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, light weights and a Mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a Reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

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Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

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>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

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>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

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    >> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

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    >> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

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    Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

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    Let's check in with our balance in this week's classes. In fact, we're going to bookend our classes - a balance check at the start of class, and at the end of class - to see how our practice affected our balance.

    No props for the mat or reformer.

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    >> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

    REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a reformer!

    >> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

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    Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

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