The exercise repertoire we teach is in the exact way that was developed and intended by Joseph Pilates. We teach the Pilates method as a system. We use the mat and reformer as the foundation of the method, and additional apparatuses to help strengthen the areas of the body that need extra reinforcement. The mat and reformer exercises are taught in a specific order, and only require a specific number of repetitions.

The reasons for this particular order are as follows: First the order and sequence of the exercises was developed to warm up the body, then the exercises increase in intensity and complexity, and lastly the sequence finishes with exercises that focus on cooling down the body. The repertoire of exercises strengthens and stretches the whole body, while stabilizing the spine by engaging the powerhouse. The powerhouse includes the muscles of the abdominal wall, back, hamstrings, gluts, and inner thighs. The exercises provide a challenge on all planes of body movement, and are performed against gravity. Different positions are progressively incorporated: lying down, sitting, kneeling, and standing.

Your Pilates session can also be taught using the additional apparatus, such as the wunda chair, cadillac, or barrels. In this case, the instructor will create a class that includes the appropriate progression following the foundation of the mat and reformer repertoire.

I am Mariana, the owner and director of Shedden Pilates. I have a Ph. D in exercise sciences and I am the only Romana's Pilates certified instructor in Albuquerque. Romana Kryzanowska was Joseph Pilates' world-renowned protégé‚ who carried his legacy for decades.

I personally love to move, and I love seeing the healing effects of movement. It is not surprising that Joseph Pilates called his method a corrective system of exercises. My goal as a Pilates teacher is to share that love for movement with you, to teach you a method that was intuitively developed by the genius mind of Joseph Pilates, and a method that I have found to have a strong scientific foundation.