Classical Mat Club: Rooted in Pilates, Designed for Progress

At Kore Pilates, we are passionate about the original classical Pilates repertoire — the 34 exercises Joseph Pilates developed to strengthen, lengthen, and harmonize the body. These exercises form the foundation of everything we do, and in our Classical Mat Club, we give you the chance to reconnect with them in a focused, guided, and live online setting each month.

The Origins of Pilates

Pilates was created in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates, who called his method Contrology. Born in Germany, Pilates was influenced by a wide range of physical disciplines, from gymnastics and boxing to dance, yoga, and martial arts. His goal was simple but profound: to develop a strong, flexible, and balanced body, rooted in precision, breath, and control.

The classical mat sequence of 34 exercises was designed to be practiced in a precise, sequential order, creating a full-body workout that builds strength, flexibility, coordination, and mental focus. By practicing the same sequence repeatedly, the body develops muscle memory, while the mind enters a flow state — a kind of mindful trance where you are fully present with each breath and movement. This is one of the reasons Pilates is as much mental training as physical training.

The classical mat repertoire, famously captured in his book Return to Life Through Contrology, consists of 34 exercisesdesigned to be practiced in a specific sequence, building strength, flexibility, and coordination while cultivating focus and flow.

The 34 exercises are:

1. The Hundred

2. The Roll Up

3. The Roll Over

4. The One Leg Circle

5. Rolling Like a Ball

6. Single Leg Stretch

7. Double Leg Stretch

8. Spine Stretch

9. Rocker Open Legs

10. The Corkscrew

11. The Saw

12. Swan Dive

13. One Leg Kick (prone)

14. Double kick (prone)

15. Neck Pull

16. Scissors

17. Bicycle

18. Shoulder Bridge

19. Spine Twist

20. Jack-knife

21. Side Kicks

22. Teaser

23. Hip Twits (arms extended)

24. Swimming

25. Leg Pull Front

26. Leg Pull Back

27. Side-kick Kneeling

28. Side Bend

29. Boomerang

30. The Seal

31. The Crab

32. Rocking

33. Control Balance

34. Roll-down & Push Up

Over the decades, Pilates students and teachers introduced slight variations, such as multiple versions of the Teaser or modifications to leg and arm positions, which we explore in class. Practicing the full sequence repeatedly, including these variations, allows the body to enter a focused, almost meditative flow, building precision, awareness, and embodiment of the Pilates principles. Each month, returning to the same sequence (but with slight variations) provides a consistent benchmark, helping you track your progress and deepen your connection to the method.

Classical vs Contemporary Pilates

Today, Pilates has evolved into many styles. Contemporary Pilates often adapts exercises, incorporates props, and blends influences from yoga, barre, dance, and fitness. While these variations can be highly effective, there is immense value in returning to the classical repertoire regularly.

At Kore, we teach both the classical foundation and contemporary variations, but always with a principle-based approach. We start with the fundamentals — the classical exercises — and branch out thoughtfully, layering in inspiration from dance, yoga, and fitness without ever losing sight of the Pilates “why.” Every modification, every progression, is rooted in alignment, control, and intention.

Why Classical Mat Matters

Practicing the classical sequence regularly has a range of benefits:

• Embeds the work in your body: Doing the full sequence allows your body to learn patterns, develop muscle memory, and move with precision.

• Highlights strengths and areas to improve: Some exercises will feel natural, others may challenge you — hamstring flexibility, scapular stability, core integration. Knowing your areas for improvement is invaluable when moving to the reformer or other Pilates equipment.

• Supports reformer practice: The reformer is designed to enhance and support mat work, so what you discover on the mat directly informs your reformer sessions.

The Highlights of the Original 34

While every exercise has a purpose, a few stand out:

• The Hundred: Builds breath, core strength, and endurance.

• Roll-Up: Strengthens spinal articulation, shoulder stability, and abdominal control.

• Leg Circles: Mobilize the hip joint while maintaining pelvic stability.

• Swan & Single-Leg Stretch: Open the chest, lengthen the spine, and coordinate breath with movement.

Practicing these month after month allows the body to remember, refine, and deepen each movement, so the Pilates principles become second nature.

The full repertoire covers all planes of movement: prone, supine, side-to-side, twisting, flexing, and extending. Exercises incorporate strengthening, mobilising, moving isometrically, and working eccentrically, creating a thoughtfully structured, full-body system.

The Benefits of Doing It With Me

Classical Mat Club isn’t just about going through the motions — it’s live and interactive. In each 60-minute online workshop:

• I provide direct guidance and feedback, helping you refine alignment and technique.

• You’re encouraged to take notes, tracking what comes easily and what challenges you.

• By identifying struggles — whether it’s hamstring length, spinal articulation, or shoulder mobility — you gain actionable insights to bring into your reformer practice or studio classes.

Building a Practice & a Community

Classical Mat Club is about more than just exercises — it’s about consistency, growth, and connection. Meeting live once a month creates a benchmark for your practice, while also fostering a community of Pilates lovers who are committed to showing up for themselves and each other.

When you attend regularly, you:

• Develop a reliable, structured practice that complements your other Pilates work.

• Learn to track progress over time, seeing subtle improvements that accumulate into significant changes.

• Become part of a supportive, motivating group, sharing the journey and celebrating progress together.

All workshops are live and bookable, so you can plan your practice for the full year of 2026 and make Classical Mat Club a cornerstone of your Pilates journey.

Join Us in 2026

Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or someone looking to reconnect with classical Pilates, Classical Mat Club offers the perfect blend of structure, guidance, and inspiration. Step into the classical repertoire, refine your technique, track your progress, and enjoy the support of a like-minded Pilates community — all from the comfort of home.

Because at Kore, we believe: consistency brings clarity — and Classical Mat Club helps you show up, see your progress, and keep Pilates at the centre of your practice all year long.

Classical Mat Club

And even if you don't decide to join us here at Kore - I implore you to try out, and connect with 'Joe's' original 34 sequence.