If I asked you to name the muscles in your glutes, most people would say “the glutes” and leave it at that. Maybe “glute max” if they’ve been around fitness for a while. But your glute max has a smaller, lesser-known neighbor — your gluteus medius — and it plays a critical role in how you move, balance, and stabilize through almost everything you do in a day.

Every week, someone in class asks me some version of this question: “Should my lower back be flat on the mat or not?”

It’s a great question — and the answer isn’t as simple as most Pilates instructors make it sound. Because the real answer is: it depends on what we’re trying to accomplish and where you are in your practice.

I’ve been teaching movement since 1986, and for years I watched the Pilates world treat this like an either/or debate. Imprint your spine! No, stay neutral! The truth, as it usually does, lives somewhere more nuanced — and understanding it will change how you experience every supine exercise we do together.

Fifteen years into my dance career, I was sitting in an orthopedic surgeon’s office listening to him tell me—with the casual certainty doctors sometimes have—that he’d see me back for surgery after I tried physical therapy. My back injury had stopped me cold, and according to him, the knife was pretty much inevitable.

Are you curious about the secret to a healthy spine and better posture? Look no further than the multifidus muscles! These deep back stabilizers play a crucial role in your body’s function and therefore in both my Pilates and mobility stretch classes. Let's explore why these muscles are so important and how you can strengthen them.

What’s the Difference Between Yoga and Pilates?
Yoga and Pilates both offer incredible benefits, but they cater to different needs, while also complimenting each other.