Mat is where it is at!
Have you heard of March Matness? Well, it is the ultimate Pilates community building event that takes place online and in many studios. In March, the Pilates community celebrates all things mat. Why Mat? Mat was the original Pilates.It was designed by Joseph Pilates. He developed his routine as a POW during WWI. During this time, Joseph and the other soldiers that practiced his routine did not get sick like the other prisoners. You know that there has to be something magical about mat Pilates.
Mat uses all body weight and a mat. Seems simple. Wrong! Mat exercises will expose a lot of your weaknesses and imbalances if done correctly. I won’t lie. When I first did a Pilates mat class, I really felt nothing, but I liked it and it made sense to me so I kept practicing. The more I practiced, the deeper connections became, and I found mat Pilates to get harder (still true to this day!)
Why is mat hard? It is just you and the mat. The reformer can’t assist you in a roll up or teaser. You are fighting gravity most of the time. Think of a plank. While holding a plank, what is trying to pull you down? Gravity. Mat requires a lot more mind, body connection. You simply can’t pull straps back like you would on the reformer. You have to actively engage the muscles and get them to fire. Super easy to just go through the motions. A lot of connections need to be made in order to do the moves properly with control and strength.
The original mat routine is made up of 34 exercises. The best part is that you can take these exercises with you wherever you go! No gym or reformer required. Heck, you could probably do most without a mat. Once you learn the whole routine, it takes about 15-20 minutes, and you will have a total body workout.
Did you know that the reformer was designed to reinforce the mat work? The mat work is not just an after thought from Joe. I know, I love the reformer too, but I’m telling you that mat is where it is at. At The Studio on Third, we offer mat Pilates Monday and Friday at 9 a.m. Give it a try. If you put the practice into it, I promise that your reformer work will get stronger and deeper connections will be made. Happy March Matness!