I Broke the Cardinal Rule of Pilates
And it’s a hill I will die on.
There’s a lot of heat in the Pilates world right now. The method has never been more popular, but with this rise has come a huge diversification of styles and approaches. Between classical vs. contemporary, Reformer vs. matwork (I’ve spoken before about why that’s the wrong question to ask), and slow and controlled vs. dynamic and “spicy” styles, it’s fair to ask: what actually is Pilates these days?
But one thing almost everyone agrees on is breath.
Most teacher training programs treat breathing as a central pillar, and most instructors will tell you it’s the first thing they teach in class.
So when it came to developing my new online program, why did I choose not to focus on breath until week three?
This might be controversial to say, but…
After thousands of hours teaching 1:1, I’ve noticed that the people who could benefit most from the movement fundamentals I teach, often don’t have the headspace for an intricate deep dive on the anatomy of breath right away. And if we’re not learning the why behind it, the breath just becomes another thing to remember.
If you’re stressed, stiff, and just wanting to feel better, you don’t need that. I see it all the time in early 1:1’s; conscientious learners who are moving really well (for whom just showing up has taken a lot), scolding themselves for “getting the breath wrong”.
Once you’re a little further along, and tuned into your body, understanding how your breath works, and linking it to movement, can transform how you feel and supercharge your practice. But when you’re new to mindful movement, every instruction takes a lot of focus, and you don’t need another thing to hold in your mind.
Starting from the ground up
In MoveSmart in 8 Weeks, we truly start from the ground up, focusing on the basics that help you feel better straight away. Of course, we take some deep, grounding breaths to begin, but then we get on with exploring the spine (week 1) and hips (week 2), and we move.
Once that foundation is in place, we revisit breath and learn how to really use it to support the spine and ignite the core. That’s where the magic happens.
Why it matters
This is just one of the ways I’ve built MoveSmart in 8 Weeks out of years of experience working with real people, just like you.
It’s designed to set you up for success. I’m meeting you where you are - maybe stressed, stuck, or unsure where to start - and helping you build confident foundations for movement, one principle at a time, in a way you can process alongside busy day-to-day life.
So I'm by no means ignoring the incredible power of breath, the opposite is true. I see it’s full value, and want you to as well. When you’re ready.
So let’s start the journey to feeling better, one step at a time.
MoveSmart in 8 Weeks launches on January 3rd 2026. To claim your founding member discount, sign up now.