The Pilates Method of physical and mental conditioning is a well thought out philosophy which engages both mind and body.

Life is a process of constant change and constant learning, not only with our minds but with our bodies too. Once you start Pilates classes you will continue to "find your body" on new levels with new depth and insight.

More than 80 years ago Joseph H Pilates, a body builder and circus performer, designed and developed a unique system of body conditioning based on the principle that the body must be trained and controlled through the discipline of the mind. His objective was to make people more bodily aware and to bring mind and body together into a unified well balanced entity.

Joseph Pilates would often refer to a quote by Friedrich von Schiller.... "It is the mind itself which shapes the body".

The Pilates Method of Physical and Mental Conditioning is unique in that it targets the transversus abdominus – the deepest layer of abdominal muscle and one that seldom gets used or promoted in exercises classes, gyms and day to day activities.

Working from the inside out, a Pilates workout will concentrate on the deep core muscles of the body to create a girdle of strength and support for a supple and graceful body.

See the extensive range of Pilates classes we offer

The following online videos demonstrate Pilates on the Small Ball Exercises. The Pilates Lifestyle^® videos are available on our YouTube Channel. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and you will automatically be notified of new Pilates videos.

Featured video: Pilates 10-minute Small Ball workout

Here are 4 more Pilates exercises on the Small Ball. Many more are available on our Small Ball DVD Series.

The small ball is probably my most favourite piece of equipment with which to practise Pilates as not only does it helps to keep the spine in neutral, it also prevents the tendency to squeeze the buttock muscles instead of the pelvic floor.

When you start off, there are a few things you should be aware of in order to get the most out of these exercises.

• Try and maintain a neutral pelvis. In other words, don't clench your buttock muscles or try and tilt or "tuck" your pelvis under
• Use the small ball as your guide. If you are standing doing these exercises with the small ball between your knees and you clench the buttock muscles and tuck your pelvis under, chances are the ball will shoot out from between your knees. That will teach you that you are definitely doing the exercise incorrectly!

How often should I perform these exercises and for how long?

Every day if you can or if not at least three times and week and, as I tell all my clients once they enter my studio, what they do is not just for that hour but for the rest of their lives. So pelvic floor muscles should be exercised forever!

Imagine a workout without sweat and without boring repetitive exercises!

In a Pilates class we rarely perform an exercise more than 3 to 5 times and never to the point of strain.
You will learn to become more aware of your body not only in class but in your day to day routine. 

There are 6 fundamental principles to the matwork:

Concentration

You have to concentrate on what you are doing – not just your mind but your entire body.