Equipment Library
Mat
The foundation apparatus. Everything the studio teaches, taught in a rectangle of floor.
Purpose
The mat is where classical Pilates begins. Joseph Pilates wrote Return to Life Through Contrology as a mat book — the apparatus were designed to teach the mat work, not replace it. A strong mat practice underpins everything the studio does.
Benefits
- Transferable to any room, any hotel, any morning at home
- The clearest possible test of the powerhouse
- Builds the discipline the apparatus rewards
Who it's for
- Everyone. There is a level of mat work for every stage of practice.
- Home clients between studio sessions
- Travellers who never miss their practice
Common misconceptions
- 'Mat is easier than reformer.' The opposite is often true — the reformer helps, the mat asks.
- 'Mat is for beginners.' Advanced mat is one of the hardest classes in a classical studio.
Frequently asked
- How often should I practise mat at home?
- A short daily practice will change you faster than a long weekly one.
Come and see it
Experience it in the studio.
Reading about the apparatus is one thing. Meeting it in a private session is another.
Book a private →