Mat Pilates Exercises List: 34 Foundational Exercises Explained

Joseph Pilates, the founder of the popular exercise method, believed that modern lifestyles, poor posture, and inefficient breathing were at the root of poor health. 

His solution was a system of exercises he called “Contrology,” designed to uniformly develop the body, improve circulation, and restore physical vitality. Central to this system is a specific sequence of 34 mat exercises.

This article provides a comprehensive mat Pilates exercise list, explaining the original 34 movements as prescribed by Joseph Pilates in his book, Return to Life Through Contrology. You will learn the rationale behind the sequence, the steps for each exercise, and the proven benefits of a consistent mat Pilates practice.

What Is A Top Mat Pilates Exercises List?

What are mat pilates exercises list essentials, and how do we choose the most essential?

When people refer to the classical Pilates mat sequence, they are talking about the 34 exercises Joseph Pilates developed. 

He didn’t just create a random list of movements; he designed a specific, logical order intended for practitioners to perform as a flowing routine (1).

The rationale behind this sequence is methodical. 

The routine begins with foundational exercises that warm up the body and activate the core, like “The Hundred.” As the body becomes more prepared, the exercises progressively become more challenging, demanding greater strength, flexibility, and control. The sequence concludes with movements that cool the body down and leave you feeling centered and lengthened.

Pilates prescribed this method to (1):

• Counteract the harmful effects of modern civilization.
• Uniformly develop the muscles of the trunk, arms, and legs.
• Improve blood circulation to nourish every tissue in the body.

By following the classical sequence, you are experiencing the workout exactly as its creator intended; as a holistic system for total-body conditioning.

How Many Exercises Are There In Mat Pilates?

There are 34 exercises in the original classical mat Pilates sequence. 

Below is a detailed breakdown of each movement, presented in the order they are meant to be performed.

1. The Hundred

1. Lie flat on your back with your arms by your sides, palms down. Your legs are together and extended.
2. Inhale slowly. Lift both feet about two inches off the floor. Raise your head, keeping your eyes focused on your toes.
3. Exhale slowly. Raise your arms 6-8 inches above your thighs.
4. Begin pumping your arms up and down from the shoulders, keeping them within a 6- to 8-inch range.
5. Inhale slowly for a count of 5 pumps and exhale slowly for a count of 5 pumps.
6. Repeat this breathing cycle 10 times for a total of 100 pumps.

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2. The Roll Up

1. Lie flat on your back with your arms stretched straight behind you, palms up. Legs are together with toes pointed.
2. Inhale as you bring your arms forward and up.
3. Continue inhaling as you bend your head forward, bringing your chin to your chest.
4. Exhale as you start to “roll” your spine up and forward off the mat.
5. Continue exhaling as you reach forward until your forehead touches your legs.
6. Inhale as you begin to roll back down, one vertebra at a time, to the starting position.

3. The Roll-Over

1. Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, palms down. Legs are together.
2. Inhale and lift your legs up and over your head until your toes touch the floor behind you.
3. Exhale and spread your legs shoulder-width apart.
4. Inhale and slowly “roll” your spine back down to the mat with your legs spread apart.
5. Exhale when your back is on the mat, bringing your legs to a hover about 2 inches off the floor before closing them.

4. The One Leg Circle (Both Ways)

1. Lie on your back with arms by your sides, palms down. Bring your right leg straight up to the ceiling.
2. Exhale as you circle the right leg across your body, down, and around to the starting point.
3. Inhale as you complete the circle. Keep your hips stable.
4. Perform the desired number of repetitions, then reverse the direction of the circle.
5. Repeat on the left leg.

5. Rolling Back (Rolling Like a Ball)

1. Sit on the mat, hug your knees to your chest, and balance on your sit bones.
2. Lift your feet off the floor.
3. Inhale and roll back onto your shoulder blades, keeping your curved shape.
4. Exhale and roll back up to the starting position, maintaining your balance.

6. The One Leg Stretch

1. Lie on your back and hug both knees to your chest. Lift your head and shoulders off the mat.
2. Inhale as you extend your left leg straight out, keeping your right knee hugged in.
3. Exhale and switch legs, bringing the left knee in and extending the right leg out.
4. Continue alternating legs.

7. The Double Leg Stretch

1. From the same starting position as the One Leg Stretch, hug both knees into your chest.
2. Inhale and extend both arms and legs away from your center.
3. Exhale and circle your arms around as you pull your knees back into your chest.

8. The Spine Stretch

1. Sit tall with your legs extended straight in front of you, slightly wider than your hips. Flex your feet.
2. Inhale and sit up even taller.
3. Exhale and round your spine forward, reaching your hands toward your feet as if stretching over a large ball.
4. Inhale and roll back up to a tall, seated position.

9. Rocker With Open Legs

1. Sit on the mat and hold your ankles, extending your legs into a V-shape. Balance on your sit bones.
2. Inhale and roll back to your shoulder blades.
3. Exhale and roll back up to the starting position, maintaining balance and the V-shape.

10. The Corkscrew

1. Lie on your back with your legs together and extended up to the ceiling. Arms are by your sides, palms down.
2. Inhale and circle your legs to the right, down, and around to the left.
3. Exhale as you return to the center.
4. Reverse the direction.

11. The Saw

1. Sit tall with your legs extended wider than your hips. Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
2. Inhale and twist your torso to the right.
3. Exhale and round forward, reaching your left hand to the outside of your right foot, “sawing” off your pinky toe.
4. Inhale and return to the center. Repeat on the other side.

12. The Swan-Dive

1. Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders.
2. Inhale and press up, lifting your chest and arching your back.
3. As your body rocks, keep your arms and legs extended.
4. Rock forward and back while on your stomach, inhaling as you rock up and exhaling as you rock down.

13. The One Leg Kick

1. Lie on your stomach, propped up on your forearms.
2. Exhale and kick your right heel toward your glute twice.
3. Inhale and extend the right leg.
4. Switch legs and repeat.

14. The Double Leg Kick

1. Lie on your stomach with your head turned to one side and your hands clasped behind your back.
2. Exhale and kick both heels toward your glutes 3 times.
3. Inhale, extend your legs, and lift your chest off the mat, reaching your arms back.
4. Turn your head to the other side and repeat.

Read more: Does Pilates Give You Abs? Here’s What Science Says

15. The Neck Pull

1. Lie on your back with your hands interlaced behind your head. Legs are extended, feet flexed.
2. Inhale and lift your head, curling your chin to your chest.
3. Exhale and roll your spine up and forward, bringing your forehead toward your knees.
4. Inhale and stack your spine to a tall, flat-back position.
5. Exhale and roll back down to the mat.

16. The Scissors

1. Lie on your back and lift your hips off the mat, supporting your lower back with your hands. Extend your legs to the ceiling.
2. Exhale and lower your right leg toward the mat, while the left leg moves toward your face.
3. Inhale and switch legs in a scissoring motion.

17. The Bicycle

1. From the same supported position as The Scissors, bend your right knee and circle the leg down toward the mat and back up, as if pedaling a bicycle.
2. Switch legs and repeat the motion

18. The Shoulder Bridge

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Arms are by your sides.
2. Exhale and lift your hips off the mat, creating a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
3. Inhale and extend your right leg up to the ceiling.
4. Exhale and lower the leg toward the floor without dropping your hips. Inhale to lift it back up.
5. Repeat a few times, then switch legs.

19. The Spine Twist

1. Sit tall with your legs together and extended in front of you. Extend your arms to the sides.
2. Inhale and twist your torso to the right.
3. Exhale as you twist a little further.
4. Inhale to return to the center and repeat on the left side.

20. The Jackknife

1. Lie on your back and roll over, bringing your legs parallel to the floor.
2. Exhale and lift your legs straight up to the ceiling, “jacking” your hips over your shoulders.
3. Inhale and slowly roll your spine back down to the mat.

21. The Side Kick

1. Lie on your right side, propping your head up with your right hand. Your legs are extended slightly in front of your body.
2. Exhale and kick your top leg forward twice.
3. Inhale and swing the leg back.
4. Repeat, then switch sides.

22. The Teaser

1. Lie on your back with legs together and arms extended overhead.
2. Inhale and lift your arms, head, and legs simultaneously, rolling up into a V-shape.
3. Balance, then exhale as you slowly roll back down.

23. The Hip Twist

1. Sit tall with your legs together and extended. Place your hands on the floor behind you.
2. Lift your legs off the mat into a Teaser position.
3. Inhale, then exhale as you circle both legs to the right, down, around, and back to the start.
   
4. Anatomical Position: Lie flat on your back, legs together and extended.
5. Switch sides.

24. Swimming

1. Lie on your stomach with arms and legs extended.
2. Lift your right arm and left leg off the floor.
3. Switch, lifting your left arm and right leg.
4. Continue alternating in a “swimming” motion, breathing in for 5 counts and out for 5 counts.

25. The Leg Pull: Front

1. Start in a full plank position.
2. Exhale and lift your right leg straight up.
3. Inhale and lower it back down.
4. Repeat with the left leg.

26. The Leg Pull

1. Sit on the mat and place your hands behind you. Lift your hips into a reverse plank.
2. Exhale and lift your right leg straight up.
3. Inhale and lower it.
4. Repeat with the left leg.

27. The Side Kick Kneeling

1. Kneel on your right knee, placing your right hand on the floor for support. Extend your left leg out to the side.
2. Exhale and kick your left leg forward.
3. Inhale and swing it back.
4. Repeat, then switch sides.

28. The Side Bend

1. Sit on your right hip with your legs bent. Place your right hand on the floor.
2. Inhale and press up into a side plank, creating an arc with your body.
3. Exhale to lower back down with control.
4. Repeat, then switch sides.

29. The Boomerang

1. Sit with legs crossed and hands on the mat beside you.
2. Roll back, switching the cross of your legs in the air.
3. Roll forward, place your hands on the mat, and lift into a brief Teaser.
4. Circle your arms around and lower your legs to finish.

30. The Seal

1. Sit and wrap your arms under and around your legs to hold your ankles. Balance on your sit bones.
2. Clap your feet together 3 times.
3. Inhale and roll back. Clap your feet 3 times.
4. Exhale and roll forward. Clap your feet 3 times.

31. The Crab

1. Sit with knees bent and crossed, holding the outside of your feet.
2. Inhale and roll backward.
3. Uncross and recross your legs in the opposite direction.
4. Exhale and roll forward to the start.

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32. The Rocking

1. Lie on your stomach and reach back to grab your ankles.
2. Inhale and lift your chest and thighs off the floor, creating a “rocking horse” shape.
3. Rock forward and back on your stomach.

33. The Control Balance

1. Lie on your back, roll over, and extend one leg to the ceiling while the other remains parallel to the floor.
2. Switch the position of your legs with control, maintaining your balance.

34. The Push-Up

1. Stand at the back of your mat.
2. Roll your spine down and walk your hands out to a plank position.
3. Perform 3 push-ups.
4. Walk your hands back to your feet and roll up to stand.

Wondering how many reps to do?

Joseph Pilates designed the 34-exercise method for daily practice, which is why most exercises use only a few precise repetitions. 

He emphasized doing just enough reps with excellent form, sometimes as few as 3-6 and never more than 100 reps for the hundred, to keep the work effective without overtaxing the body (2).

It’s enough to perform each exercise 3-4 times, from 1st to 34th, or get as many as you can done within the timeframe you have available.

For those just starting, it’s beneficial to explore a mat Pilates exercises list for beginners, and practice Pilates exercises for beginners, to build a solid foundation.

Read more: Weighted Pilates Workout: The Perfect Balance Of Strength And Flow

How Effective Is Mat Pilates?

Mat Pilates is much more than a simple workout; it’s a method for transforming how your body moves and feels.

It’s highly effective, with scientific studies backing its numerous benefits.

• Improves Core Strength and Stability

The core is the powerhouse of the body, and virtually all Pilates mat exercises target it (3). A strong core provides spine stability, improves posture, and reduces the risk of back pain (4).

• Enhances Flexibility and Mobility

Pilates involves dynamic stretching, which lengthens muscles and improves joint range of motion. The stretching leads to greater flexibility and more fluid, graceful movements in daily life (5).

• Corrects Posture

By strengthening the deep postural muscles of the back and abdomen, mat Pilates helps correct common postural imbalances caused by prolonged sitting and modern habits. Better posture reduces strain on the spine and can alleviate chronic pain (6).

• Increases Body Awareness

Pilates requires immense focus and concentration, fostering a strong mind-body connection (7). The heightened proprioception allows you to move more efficiently and safely, both during exercise and in everyday activities (8).

If your goal is to shed pounds, consider focusing on Pilates exercises for weight loss.

Is 30 Minutes of Mat Pilates Enough?

Yes, 30 minutes of mat Pilates is certainly enough to be effective, especially when practiced consistently. 

Joseph Pilates did not prescribe a specific duration for a session, but he emphasized the quality of movement over quantity. A focused, 30-minute session where you perform each exercise with precision and control can yield significant benefits.

For best results, aim to practice mat Pilates 3-4 times per week. This frequency allows your body to adapt and build strength while also giving it adequate time to recover.

Is Mat Pilates Harder Than Yoga?

Whether mat Pilates is more challenging than yoga is subjective and depends on an individual’s fitness background, strengths, and weaknesses.

However, some people find Pilates more challenging for a few key reasons:

• Constant Core Engagement: Pilates demands continuous activation of the deep core muscles (3). For those with a weaker core, this can feel incredibly difficult.
• Emphasis on Precision: Pilates movements are subtle and require a high degree of control (9). There is a “right” way to perform each exercise, and this precision can be mentally and physically taxing.
• Lack of Rest: In a classical Pilates mat sequence, the exercises flow from one to the next with minimal rest. This continuous effort can challenge your muscular endurance.
• Different Muscle Focus: While yoga often emphasizes flexibility and static holds (10), Pilates focuses on building strength through controlled, repetitive movements (3), which can be a new and challenging stimulus for many.

Ultimately, both practices offer unique benefits. The perceived difficulty will depend on what your body is accustomed to. To break down foundational movements, review some basic Pilates moves.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can mat Pilates change your body?

Absolutely. Consistent practice of mat Pilates can lead to a more toned, leaner physique. It builds strong muscles, improves posture, and creates a more streamlined appearance.

• Can I get toned with mat Pilates?

Yes, mat Pilates is excellent for toning muscles. It uses body weight and controlled movements to challenge your muscles, leading to increased muscle definition without adding bulk.

• Is mat Pilates strength or cardio?

Mat Pilates is primarily a form of strength training that focuses on muscular endurance and stability (11). While it can elevate your heart rate, especially in a flowing class, it is not typically considered a cardiovascular workout.

• Does mat Pilates grow glutes?

Yes, many Pilates exercises, such as the Shoulder Bridge and Leg Pull, specifically target the gluteal muscles. Regular practice can strengthen, lift, and firm your glutes.