We are talking Pilates Matwork! March Matness is an amazing pun on March Madness!
So, what is March Matness?
It's a celebration for Pilates enthusiasts and practitioners all over the world to celebrate the Pilates Mat order by doing one of the mat exercises a day, all month long!
And TODAY - we are at the halfway point in all the Matness!!!
Whether you are new to Pilates, or have been around since the first year of March Matness (2013), there is a ton of content all over Instagram to help you know the order and to find inspiration or variations.
How have I been celebrating Pilates March Matness?
I have been doing variations of each exercise for my posts
I have tried to incorporate some props
I have been sharing others' variations through my stories
I have been liking and commenting on posts
It's been a lot of fun seeing different bodies perform the exercises and watching people showcase their favorite variations.
I love variations because I know that Joseph Pilates modified and variated his exercises based on the bodies he had in front of him.
Let's talk order:
Mat order (the order in which you do your mat exercises) can be different at each studio. I find that most of them are pretty close for the mat work.
The basics of the order are the same, but sometimes there are additions or subtractions of exercises. Any order will strengthen your body!
Photo showcasing the Mat Work via a handy notepad from Pilates Nerd
The mat order I practice and learned in Teacher Training is below. You can see it is different than the picture I posted. We have a few extras in our mat order. I have highlighted the Level 4 and Level 5 exercises in blue. I throw these into my mat workout here and there, time pending.
Remember - it doesn't matter what order you practice. If you are moving your body regularly, that is good enough!!
RCP Mat Order:
Footwork
100
Roll up
Roll over
Tree
Single Leg Circle
Rolling Like a Ball
Stomach Series (add Around the Clock for advanced challenge)
Spine Stretch
Open Leg Rocker
Corkscrew
Saw
Swan Dive
Single Leg Kick
Double Leg Kick
Neck Pull
Scissors
Bicycle
Shoulder Bridge
Spine Twist
Jacknife
Side Leg Kick Series
Teaser
Hip Circles
Swimming
Leg Pull Front
Leg Pull
Side Kicks Kneeling
Side Bend
Twist I
Twist II
Boomerang
Seal
Crab
Rocking
Control Balance
Push Up
Feeling inspired to try? Join me for the last half of March Matness! I'll be posting almost daily and will be sharing variations in my Instagram stories!! I am trying to show variations that anyone could try no matter what the level of the exercise is!