His teaching focused on developing control to obtain a mind-body connection. Doing the exercises slowly and in a controlled manner allows you to perfect the movements and work your muscles correctly. In his book Return to Life Through Contrology, Pilates describes 34 exercises that are performed in a sequence starting with The 100s and finishing with Push-ups. The routine referred to as 'Classical Mat', takes about 45 minutes to complete and should only be attempted by people who are experienced in the key movements of Pilates. Over the years, instructors have adapted Pilates’ classical mat routine to make the exercises more accessible to people of all ages and abilities. Likewise, I incorporate some of the original exercises in my lessons to give variety and provide a degree of stretch to my students. You may be familiar with some of them such as Single Leg Stretch, Double Leg Kick and Scissors. If you're interested in finding out more, there are plenty of examples of Classical Mat on YouTube (good and bad!). When I did my Classical Mat qualification, I really enjoyed the challenge of moving through the exercises in quick succession, but after the tenth time, I was ready for a sit-down!
