It’s no secret that not everyone loves Mat, but it can be one of the most enriching and rewarding parts of a Pilates routine. Aside from the great posture it will help you achieve, there are so many other reasons to make it part of your practice.
1. Mat is part of the Pilates system.
If you’ve done mat before and thought it was easy, you probably missed out on lots of good, hard work. Clients who dislike mat pilates typically had a negative prior experience in a large class, where they may not have received specific cues or hands-on correction. We encourage you to give it another try in a smaller class setting. After all, mat is a part of the full Pilates system.
2. Mat makes you strong.
Mat is supposed to be hard! When Joseph Pilates first developed mat work, he found that most people struggled to do it well, and he then designed equipment to help assist the body. Regular mat practice will strengthen your body and make it easier for you to do anything and everything your body helps you do.
3. Mat creates good habits.
Mat Pilates will help you build discipline. When you practice consistently and maintain your routine, those good habits will build upon themselves. Because you can do mat anywhere, anytime and without equipment, it gives you the freedom to do all the other things you want to do, too.
4. Mat completes a holistic Pilates experience.
There are many pieces of Pilates equipment, and oftentimes, people get hung up on the reformer and forget there’s a whole world of other exercises using other equipment. Mat is one piece of the puzzle that is frequently overlooked and underutilized, but you won’t get the full Pilates experience without it.
Best of all, you don’t even need to be in the studio to practice mat. Make it part of your everyday routine, whether you’re in session, at home, or out and about, and you’ll feel the difference in your body and mind.
