Joseph Pilates revolutionized fitness when he developed his original 34 exercises, creating a foundation that continues to transform bodies and minds worldwide.
These classical Pilates mat exercises aren’t just movements; they’re a scientifically crafted sequence designed to restore balance between your body and mind through what Pilates called “Contrology.”
The complete sequence provides everything you need: improved core strength, enhanced mental focus, better recovery times, and reduced injury rates.
This comprehensive guide walks you through all 34 original exercises in their proper order, complete with Joseph Pilates’ exact instructions from his groundbreaking book “Return to Life through Contrology.”
You’ll discover not only how to perform each movement correctly but also understand the 6 essential principles that make Pilates so effective for long-term well-being.
Lots of people are wondering, “What are original Pilates exercises still practiced today?”
The original Pilates exercises represent decades of scientific study, experimentation, and research into the variety of physical ailments that upset the balance of body and mind. Joseph Pilates developed these 34 exercises based on concepts of balanced Body and Mind, drawn from the approach espoused by the early Greeks (1).
These exercises encompass the full scope of Pilates’ original definition of Contrology and remain fundamental to the expanding number of trainers worldwide whose teachings rely on the instructions in the founder’s original work.
Joseph Pilates designed a complete system that addresses every aspect of physical fitness, including:
What sets these original exercises apart from modern variations is their precise sequence and specific breathing patterns. Each movement builds upon the previous one, creating a flowing sequence that challenges your body progressively while maintaining the mind-body connection that makes Pilates so effective.
The movements that came after various instructors and schools developed these original 34, all stem from these fundamental exercises. Understanding and mastering the original sequence gives you the foundation to appreciate how Pilates has evolved while maintaining its core principles.
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Here’s the complete list of all 34 original Pilates exercises in order:
Read more: A Quick Guide To Simple Pilates Posture Exercises For Better Alignment
The Hundred takes the honored position as the first exercise in Joseph Pilates’ original sequence, and there’s good reason for this placement. This foundational movement serves as both a warm-up and a comprehensive introduction to the core principles that define all Pilates work: controlled breathing, precise movement, and unwavering focus (2).
The Hundred functions as your body’s preparation for the entire sequence.
It activates your powerhouse (core muscles), establishes the breathing rhythm you’ll maintain throughout your practice, and creates the mind-body connection essential for maximizing each subsequent exercise’s benefits (3).
What makes The Hundred particularly effective for athletes and fitness enthusiasts is its emphasis on controlled breathing under physical stress. This mirrors the demands of athletic performance, where maintaining steady breathing while your muscles work intensely can mean the difference between peak performance and early fatigue (4).
The exercise also serves as an excellent assessment tool. As Pilates noted in his original instructions, if you cannot initially perform The Hundred as illustrated, this proves exactly why these exercises will benefit you.
Your ability to maintain the position, coordinate the breathing, and complete the full 100 beats provides valuable feedback about your current fitness level and areas needing improvement (1).
Here are the complete steps to perform The Hundred, exactly as detailed in “Return to Life through Contrology”:
Pose 1:
Pose 2:
Pose 3:
Pose 4:
How To Perform Original Pilates Exercises Correctly
Now that you’ve mastered The Hundred, let’s continue through the remaining 33 original Pilates exercises. Each movement follows Joseph Pilates’ exact instructions from “Return to Life through Contrology,” ensuring you experience these exercises as he intended them.
Remember that patience and perseverance are key.
These exercises challenge both your physical capabilities and mental focus, which is precisely why they’re so effective for developing the mind-body connection that characterizes sustainable fitness.
1. The Roll Up
This exercise develops spinal articulation and abdominal strength while teaching controlled movement patterns essential for injury prevention.
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2. The Roll Over
The Roll Over challenges your powerhouse while improving spinal flexibility and coordination.
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3. The One Leg Circle (Both Ways)
This exercise enhances hip mobility while maintaining core stability, crucial for athletic performance.
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4. Rolling Back
Rolling Back develops balance, coordination, and spinal flexibility while massaging the spine.
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5. The One Leg Stretch
This exercise targets deep abdominal muscles while improving coordination and breathing control.
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6. The Double Leg Stretch
The Double Leg Stretch intensifies abdominal work while challenging coordination.
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7. The Spine Stretch
This movement promotes spinal flexibility and teaches proper sitting posture.
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8. Rocker With Open Legs
This challenging exercise develops balance while strengthening the powerhouse.
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9. The Cork-Screw
The Cork-Screw enhances abdominal strength and control while challenging coordination.
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10. The Saw
This exercise combines spinal rotation with forward flexion, promoting thoracic mobility.
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11. The Swan-Dive
The Swan-Dive strengthens the posterior chain while improving spinal extension.
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12. The One Leg Kick
This exercise targets the posterior chain while teaching controlled movement patterns.
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13. The Double Kick
The Double Kick intensifies posterior chain work while challenging coordination.
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14. The Neck Pull
This advanced exercise develops abdominal strength and spinal articulation.
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15. The Scissors
The Scissors challenge stability while developing leg strength and control.
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16. The Bicycle
This exercise adds complexity to the Scissors while enhancing coordination.
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17. The Shoulder Bridge
The Shoulder Bridge strengthens the posterior chain while improving hip mobility.
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18. The Spine Twist
This exercise enhances spinal rotation while maintaining strong posture.
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29. The Jack Knife
The Jack Knife is an advanced exercise requiring significant abdominal strength and control.
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20. The Side Kick
This exercise develops lateral stability while strengthening the legs and core.
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21. The Teaser
The Teaser is one of Pilates’ signature exercises, requiring full-body integration.
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22. The Hip Twist With Stretched Arms
This advanced exercise challenges rotational stability and control.
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23. Swimming
Swimming strengthens the entire posterior chain while improving coordination.
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24. The Leg-Pull: Front
This exercise builds significant upper-body and core strength.
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25. The Leg-Pull
The Leg-Pull challenges posterior chain strength and stability.
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26. The Side Kick Kneeling
This advanced variation intensifies the Side Kick while challenging balance.
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27. The Side Bend
The Side Bend develops lateral strength and stability.
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28. The Boomerang
This complex exercise combines multiple movement patterns and requires advanced skill.
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29. The Seal
The Seal provides a playful yet challenging exercise combining balance and control.
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30. The Crab
The Crab is an advanced exercise requiring significant flexibility and control.
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31. The Rocking
This exercise develops posterior chain strength while challenging balance.
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32. The Control Balance
The Control Balance requires advanced strength, flexibility, and coordination.
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Looking to focus on specific areas? Explore our guide to lower body Pilates exercises for targeted leg and glute strengthening routines that complement these classical movements.
Read more: Somatic Wall Pilates: A New Era Of Mind-Body Movement
Understanding the 6 fundamental principles of Pilates transforms these exercises from simple movements into a comprehensive mind-body training system.
1. Concentration
Concentration forms the mental foundation of every Pilates exercise (5).
This principle requires your complete mental focus on each movement, creating the mind-body connection that enhances both physical results and cognitive function.
When you concentrate fully, you activate more muscle fibers, improve movement quality, and develop the mental clarity that translates to better performance in all areas of life (6).
This focused attention also serves as a form of moving meditation, reducing stress and improving mental resilience, crucial benefits for high performers managing demanding lifestyles (7).
2. Control
Control means performing every movement with precise intention rather than momentum or force (2).
This principle builds functional strength that directly transfers to daily activities and athletic performance while significantly reducing injury risk. Every muscle engages purposefully, creating the kind of strength that protects joints and maintains proper alignment under stress (8).
For athletes, this controlled movement pattern develops the neuromuscular efficiency essential for peak performance and injury-free training (9).
3. Centering
Centering refers to initiating all movement from your “powerhouse”, which includes the deep abdominal muscles, lower back, hips, and buttocks (2).
This principle creates the core stability necessary for all functional movement while protecting your spine during daily activities. When you consistently work from your center, you develop the kind of strength that prevents back pain and enhances overall movement quality (2).
This core-focused approach also improves posture and reduces the physical stress that accumulates from prolonged sitting or repetitive activities (10).
4. Flow
Flow describes the smooth, continuous quality that connects each exercise to the next.
This principle develops coordination and grace while improving circulation and lymphatic drainage.
The flowing nature of Pilates creates an almost dance-like quality that makes exercise more enjoyable while providing cardiovascular benefits through continuous movement (2).
Athletes particularly benefit from this principle as it improves movement efficiency and helps prevent the choppy, disconnected movement patterns that can lead to injury (2).
5. Precision
Precision demands that you perform each exercise exactly as intended rather than simply completing repetitions. This principle ensures optimal muscle recruitment while developing the attention to detail that prevents compensatory movement patterns.
Quality always takes precedence over quantity, leading to lasting improvements in strength and flexibility (2).
This precise approach also develops body awareness that helps you recognize and correct movement dysfunction before it leads to pain or injury.
6. Breathing
Breathing serves as the rhythm that coordinates all movement while providing the oxygen necessary for optimal muscle function. Proper breathing patterns also activate the deep core muscles that provide spinal stability, making this principle essential for both performance and injury prevention. The controlled breathing used in Pilates also activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting recovery and stress reduction (2).
For those seeking sustainable fitness habits, mastering Pilates breathing provides a tool for managing stress and maintaining calm focus throughout challenging situations.
Absolutely. Joseph Pilates himself advocated for quality over quantity, stating that you should “make up your mind that you will perform your Contrology exercises 10 minutes without fail.” His recommendation of 10 minutes daily proves that consistent, focused practice produces better results than sporadic longer sessions (1).
This approach involving Joseph Pilates original exercises aligns perfectly with neuroscience research showing that regular, shorter practice sessions create stronger neural pathways than infrequent, longer workouts. Your brain adapts more effectively to consistent daily challenges, developing the movement patterns and strength gains that lead to lasting results (11).
Performing 20 minutes daily provides ample time to complete a significant portion of the original 34 exercises while maintaining the precision and control that make Pilates so effective. This duration allows you to focus on quality movement without mental or physical fatigue compromising your form.
For busy professionals and athletes, this time commitment proves far more sustainable than hour-long gym sessions. You can easily integrate 20 minutes into your morning routine or use it as an active recovery session between more intense training days.
If you’re just beginning your Pilates journey, check out our comprehensive guide to original Pilates exercises for beginners to build a solid foundation before progressing to the whole classical sequence.
The best time for your Pilates practice depends on your personal goals, lifestyle, and how your body responds to exercise at different times of day.
Both morning and evening sessions offer unique benefits that can enhance your overall fitness and well-being.
The controlled breathing and flowing movements increase circulation, improve mental clarity, and establish the focused mindset that enhances productivity (12). Many practitioners find that morning sessions improve their posture throughout the workday and provide better stress management (13).
However, your body may feel stiffer in the morning, requiring a longer warm-up time and potentially limiting your range of motion initially. Listen to your body and modify exercises as needed until your muscles warm up thoroughly.
An evening practice can serve as a transition from your workday stress to relaxation, promoting better sleep quality (13).
Be mindful that vigorous exercise too close to bedtime may interfere with sleep for some people. If you practice in the evening, focus on the more gentle, flowing exercises rather than the most challenging movements that might overstimulate your nervous system.
Consider your personal energy patterns and preferences. Some people naturally have more energy and focus in the morning, while others feel stronger and more flexible later in the day. Experiment with both options to discover what works best for your body and lifestyle.
Begin with The Hundred, as it’s specifically designed as the first exercise in Joseph Pilates’ original sequence. This foundational movement establishes proper breathing patterns, activates your core muscles, and creates the mind-body connection essential for all subsequent exercises. If the Hundred feels too challenging initially, modify by keeping your feet on the ground while focusing on the arm movements and breathing pattern. Pilates primarily functions as strength training with cardiovascular benefits. The original 34 exercises focus on building muscular endurance, core stability, and functional strength through controlled, precise movements. While the continuous flowing nature provides some cardiovascular conditioning, the main emphasis lies in developing the kind of strength that improves posture, prevents injury, and enhances daily movement quality. Perform Pilates first when combining it with walking or other activities. Pilates requires significant mental focus and precise muscle control, which becomes more difficult when you’re already fatigued. Starting with Pilates allows you to maintain proper form and maximize the neuromuscular benefits, while walking afterward serves as an excellent active recovery that enhances circulation and helps your muscles relax. Pilates combines excellently with walking, swimming, or yoga for a well-rounded fitness program. These activities complement Pilates’ strength and flexibility focus while providing additional cardiovascular benefits. For athletes, Pilates serves as perfect cross-training that enhances performance in sports requiring core stability, balance, and precise movement control. Avoid combining Pilates immediately with high-intensity activities that might compromise form or increase injury risk. For those interested in combining Pilates with weight management goals, explore our guide to Pilates exercises for weight loss to understand how these classical movements support healthy weight maintenance through improved muscle tone and metabolic function.Frequently Asked Questions
Which Pilates to start with?
Is Pilates more cardio or strength?
Should you walk or do Pilates first?
What should I combine Pilates with?
Joseph Pilates’ 34 original exercises represent more than just a workout routine; they’re a complete system for developing the strength, flexibility, and mental focus essential for sustainable fitness and optimal well-being.
These time-tested movements continue to transform lives because they address the fundamental needs of the human body: proper alignment, functional strength, and the mind-body connection that enhances every aspect of physical performance.
Starting with The Hundred and progressing through the complete classical mat Pilates sequence gives you access to decades of scientific study and experimentation, refined into exercises that deliver maximum benefit with minimal time investment.
Remember that just 10-20 minutes daily, performed with concentration and precision, produces better results than sporadic longer sessions.
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