Order Of Pilates Exercises

There are two primary categories of Pilates -- authentic or classical, and contemporary or modern. In contemporary Pilates, the exercises vary by session. In classical Pilates, each session is the same and does not deviate from the original work of Joseph Pilates.

History

Pilates has a distinct history. It originated in the 1920s with Joseph Pilates as a form of physical rehabilitation. It was originally used on injured soldiers and dancers. It used a variety of machines, like the reformer and Cadillac, and mat-based exercises. The focus was, and still is, to improve muscular strength, flexibility and muscular awareness. In "Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology," Joseph Pilates recommends performing the exercises four days a week to achieve the most desirable results.

Progression

Classical Pilates remains close to the original intent and design of Joseph Pilates. Pilates was designed to first focus on the muscles and joints that you use most often in your everyday movements. If you start with a beginner's classical Pilates class, you will see focus on the flexion of the hips and trunk. This may be where the misconception comes from that Pilates is a core workout. This is just the foundation of Pilates training. Once you master those exercises, you will then move on to spinal extension, to coronal-plane movements, to transverse-plane movements. The movements begin with those that are close to the center of the body, or the proximal position, and then move out toward the distal portions.

Exercise Order

According to "Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology," the first few exercises focus on the area below the rib cage and above the pelvic bones. The hundred, the rollup, the rollover, the single-leg circles and rolling like a ball are the first five traditional Pilates exercises. These are followed by the single- and double-leg stretch, spine stretch, open-leg rocker, corkscrew, and saw and swan. The remaining list includes leg kicks, neck pull, scissors, bicycle, shoulder bridge, bicycle, spine twist, jackknife, side kick, teaser, hip twist, swimming, leg pulls, kneeling side kicks, side bend, boomerang, seal, crab, rocking, control balance and pushup.

Modern-Day Comparison

Modern Pilates may utilize some or all of the exercises, but it often incorporates a warm-up and cool-down as part of the class, and the exercises may not follow the order or progression of a traditional class. Modern classes may also use props and accessories. Modern Pilates has modified some of the exercises to maintain the natural curvature of the spine, whereas the traditional methods enforced flat-back positioning. Regardless of the method you choose to follow, there are benefits to both. You should always ensure that your instructor is certified to teach by a reputable organization.