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Mat Pilates Case Study
Block A
Student Details
- Name
- Tamara McGuinness
- Tutor
- Nina Plazanin
- Tutor CC Email
- coachedbynina.fit@gmail.com
- Course Location
- Dublin - Tallaght
- Course Group
- Mat Pilates
- Course Start
- April 2026
Block A
- Total word count
- 116 words
- Fields completed
- 24 of 24 (100%)
Block Overview28 words
Class Focus: Core stability, pelvic control and spinal articulation
Duration: 55 minutes
Key Exercises: C-Curve, Pelvic tilts, Chest lift, Leg lifts, Supine toe taps, The hundred, Shoulder bridge
My Goals31 words
My goals for teaching this block are to help the class develop their core stability, pelvic control and spinal articulation while improving postural awareness through slow and controlled breath led movement.
Block Details17 words
Block Name: Block A
Class Duration (mins): 55 minutes
Focus: Core stability, pelvic control and spinal articulation
Goals & Pilates Principles40 words
Class Principles: Breathe, Centre, Concentration, Control, Precision, Flow
Class Focus: This class is built on the principles of Pilates, demonstrated throughout the class are centering, control, breathing, concentration and precision, with flow encouraged through smooth transitions and coordinated movement patterns.
Warm-Up
| Exercise | Reps | Cues | Modifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alignment & Lateral breathing | 4-5 breaths | Standing tall with spine lengthened, feet hip width apart. Inhale through nose, sending ribs east and west. Exhale through mouth, drawing the belly to the spine | Place hands on sides of the ribs to feel the movement |
| Pelvic tilts | 6-8 reps | Standing tall with spine lengthened, feet hip width apart. Make diamond shape with hands and place on pubic bone. Start with pelvis neutral (hips and pelvis are level) Tilt pelvis forward (anterior tilt) Back to centre with neutral pelvis. Tilt pelvis backward (posterior tilt) | Reduce the range of motion, performing a smaller anterior/posterior tilt |
| Roll down | 1 | Standing tall with spine lengthened, feet hip width apart, slight bend in knees. Keeping the spine elongated, shoulders relaxed and arms by sides. Inhale to prepare, exhale as you tuck the chin toward the chest and curl the spine downward, articulating the spine one vertebra at a time. Keep core engaged as you fold forward allowing the arms to hand toward the floor, head relaxed. Hold for a few seconds. | Roll down to where you feel comfortable, for some this may be as far as the knees, for some it may be all the way to the floor |
Main Phase
| Exercise | Reps | Cues | Modifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| C-Curve | 8 | Seated on mat with spine lengthened, knees bent, hands behind thighs for support. Inhale to prepare, exhale draw the belly button in and tuck tailbone under to initiate a slight posterior tilt, creating a C shape with the spine. Inhale to prepare, exhale as you slowly roll back up to the starting position stacking your spine one vertebra at a time | Hold the back of the thighs to maintain form. Progression- Place arms out straight ahead if you would like to make it more challenging. |
| Pelvic tilts | 6-8 | Lying supine on mat, feet flat on mat and hip width apart. Make diamond shape with hands and place on pubic bone. Start with pelvis neutral (hips and pelvis are level) Tilt pelvis forward (anterior tilt) Back to neutral. Tilt pelvis backward (posterior tilt) | Reduce the range of motion, performing smaller anterior/posterior tilts. |
| Chest lift | 8 | Lying supine on mat, knees bent, feet flat on mat and hip width apart. Interlock fingers and place behind head for support. Inhale to prepare and cue stabilization, exhale to draw the chest up toward the ceiling, lifting the head, shoulders and upper back off the mat. Pause at the top. Inhale, exhale and lower back down onto the mat, slow and controlled | Regression- Lift only the head and shoulder blades slightly off the mat, focus on drawing the ribs toward the hips rather than curling high. |
| Chest lift with rotation | 6 each side | Lying supine on mat, knees bent, feet flat on mat and hip width apart. Place hands behind head for support. Inhale to prepare, exhale to draw the chest up toward the ceiling, lifting the head, shoulders and upper back off the mat. Rotate the torso to the right, bringing the ribcage toward the right hip. Keep pelvis stable, rotation is coming from the upper body, not the hips. Inhale as you lower back to center, exhale and repeat on the other side | Regression- Lower the head completely to the mat when coming back to center to reset posture. Progression- Place legs in table top position. |
| Leg lifts | 8 | Lying supine on mat, knees bent, feet flat on mat and hip width apart. Arms by sides. Spine and pelvis neutral. Inhale to prepare and cue stabilization, exhale as you slowly lift right leg into table top, keeping the knee above the hip. Inhale to prepare, exhale lift the left leg into table top. Engage the lower abdominals to control the movement, imprint the lower back into the mat if you feel the lower back is arching | Regression- Place hands under the lower back for support. Progression- Lift both legs at the same time |
| Supine toe taps | 8 | Lying supine on the mat, knees bent, feet flat on mat and hip width apart. Arms by sides. Spine and pelvis neutral. Inhale to prepare, exhale bring the right leg into table top. Inhale to prepare, bring the left leg into table top. Inhale, exhale as you slowly lower one foot toward the mat, tapping the toes off the mat while the pelvis stays still, hinging from the hip, not from the knee (imagine the knee is frozen) Use the lower abdominals to help lift the leg back up to table top, repeat with the opposite leg | Regression- Don't lower foot all the way to the mat, lower it half way and hold, then back to table top. Progression- Progress into a double toe tap, lowering both feet at the same time |
| The hundred | 100 pumps of the arms | Lying supine on the mat, feet flat on the mat and hip width apart and knees bent. Pelvis neutral. Lift fingers toward ceiling. Inhale to prepare, exhale into chest lift & flex forward, bring arms down by sides. Pulse from the shoulders, inhaling for 5 pulses, exhaling for 5 pulses. | Level 1- Feet on mat, knees bent. Level 2- Two legs in table top. Level 3- Straighten the legs, the lower you bring the legs toward the mat, the more challenging it will be |
| Shoulder bridge | 8 | Lying supine on mat, feet flat on mat and heels close to the sit bones. Knees slightly apart, arms by the sides. Inhale to prepare, exhale imprint the lower back into the mat. Inhale and peel the spine up into a bridge position, exhale to lengthen and lift the right leg toward the ceiling. Inhale as you lower the right leg down toward the mat, keeping the hips up, exhale as you lift the right leg up towards the ceiling. Inhale as you bend the right leg and return it to the start position. Repeat on the other leg. | Level 1- Peel spine from mat into bridge position. Level 2- Form bridge position, raise arms toward ceiling and return arms with spine to mat. Level 3- In bridge position, raise arms above head with biceps in line with the ears, keep arms above the head as you return the spine to the mat. Return arms to mat. |
Cool-Down
| Exercise | Reps | Cues | Modifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supine spine twist | 4-6 | Lying supine on mat, arms wide in a t-shape, knees bent in table top position. Inhale to prepare, exhale draw the belly down toward the spine to stabilize the core. Inhale as you lower both knees to one side, keeping the shoulders grounded and extended. Turn head in opposite direction for deeper stretch. Exhale, using the core to draw the knees back to center. Repeat on other side | Only move within a range that feels comfortable, knees don't need to touch the floor |
| Knee to chest stretch | 3 reps, 15 second hold | Lying supine on mat, gently hug the knees toward the chest allowing the lower back to relax into the mat | Hug one knee into the chest at a time |
| Roll up | 1 | Lying supine on mat, legs fully extended, spine and pelvis neutral. Arms stretched overhead, begin to lift the arms and bring over the head as you inhale. Exhale and slowly begin to peel the spine off the mat by rolling upwards one vertebra at a time, slow and controlled keeping the legs extended, sitting tall on the mat as you reach the top of the movement | Regression- Bend the knees and place hands behind the thighs to aid in getting up |
| Lateral breathing | 4-5 breaths | Seated on the mat, however you feel comfortable, place the hands on the outside of the ribs. Inhale through the nose, sending the ribs east and west. Exhale through the mouth as you feel the ribs soften | Place hands on outside of ribs to help feel the movement |