Pilates requires practice and a good instructor who knows the pitfalls that beginners encounter and who can help them adapt and move through their practice seamlessly. Here are a few issues we’ve seen in our many years helping new practitioners adapt to Pilates movements: not engaging the core, holding the breath, holding tension in the neck and shoulder,  overarching or flattening the lower back and rushing through the movements.     

Sometimes dancers have a fraught relationship with Pilates. They may experience a sense of conflict or confusion when starting their Pilates practice, especially around the idea of the “right” way to move or position their bodies. If you look at the way dancers are often trained, it makes sense that there might be some incongruities between dance and Pilates.

We sat down with Alison Johnson, owner of The Pilates Room NYC, to discuss what client-centered Pilates is, why it’s important to remain flexible as an instructor and how deviating from the script may be just what the session calls for.  

In today's fitness world, "Pilates" has become a catch-all term applied to everything from dance-inspired cardio classes to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on reformers. While innovation and variety are not inherently misleading, the term "traditional Pilates" has a specific meaning—one rooted in the original method developed by Joseph Pilates.

Asking for feedback isn't just a courtesy—it's a core part of becoming a more effective, client-centered Pilates instructor. We respect and value our clients, and we celebrate their accomplishments alongside them. Building a strong relationship with a client involves learning to accept feedback without judgment.

Pilates was founded on six principles: concentration, control, centering, flow, precision and breath. Music can interfere with the subtlety of breath—the very foundation of your movement. In our studio, we’d prefer you to be able to concentrate on your inhales and exhales and feel the rise and fall of your chest. In a quiet space, you may begin to notice how your breath supports your spine, your core, your strength. That awareness is powerful.

When it comes to health and fitness, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. With a number of options available, it’s important to choose the type of exercise environment that aligns best with your goals and lifestyle. If you’re curious about Pilates, and you’re debating joining a gym or a Pilates studio—it’s important to know that they offer very different experiences.

There are a few key reasons that dance and Pilates go hand-in-hand. Pilates emphasizes the development of a strong core—essential for nearly every movement in dance; it teaches awareness of body alignment, which is vital for dancers to achieve graceful, efficient and injury-free movements and it helps to create more balanced strength throughout the entire body, including often-neglected muscles like the deep stabilizers of the core and back.

SP has been practicing at The Pilates Room NYC for about three years. She talks a bit about starting her Pilates journey, how The Pilates Room instructors adapt their methods to provide a holistic experience and how Pilates has changed her life. 

We recently sat down with Robert to talk about how he found The Pilates Room NYC, how practicing Pilates has helped him with functional fitness and cross training and what advice he has for anyone who is curious about trying Pilates.  

Whether you go for the simplicity of the mat or the versatility of the reformer, Pilates has something to offer everyone. Explore both, listen to your body, and choose what aligns best with your fitness goals. The beauty of Pilates lies in its adaptability—and once you find your groove, your body (and mind) will thank you.

Pilates is a versatile and effective workout that you can do anywhere. Some Pilates exercises do not require equipment or much space and can help you unwind after a long flight or car ride when your whole body feels stiff from the journey. Here are a few Pilates moves to practice while traveling: Roll-Up, Saw, Leg Circles, Plank, Single-Leg Stretch, Side Leg Lifts and Bridge.

Maintaining a healthy range of motion reduces the risk of injury, improves posture, and increases mobility. It also helps keep us active, confident and limber. Improving your range of motion through Pilates is not just about stretching and flexibility—it’s about creating an overall healthy body. Regular practice of targeted exercises, such as those for the hamstrings, shoulders, and spine, will lead to greater flexibility, better posture, and a reduced risk of injury.

Pilates is a unique practice that introduces people to a new way of inhabiting their body and moving through the world. If you are a Pilates beginner, there are a few terms you may start hearing around the studio that involve parts of the body, important Pilates techniques and tools. To give you a leg up on what some of these terms mean, we’ve created a basic glossary of common Pilates vocabulary.

The Performance Plateau in Pilates can be a difficult barrier to overcome. It requires reframing your approach, conquering mental barriers, drilling down into particular skills and working to consciously refine your techniques. If you feel like you’ve plateaued in your Pilates practice, we recommend some strategies to deepen your practice that include focusing on breath, challenging your core, concentrating on flexibility and setting intentional goals.     

In the throes of insomnia, it doesn’t feel as if there are any good solutions for sleep. But in thinking about low-impact ways to increase physical activity, reduce stress and promote better sleep, Pilates seems like a no-brainer.