Mat Pilates and Floor Pilates: What is Mat Pilates? Definition, Benefits, and Business Ideas

Looking for a new workout routine? Get started with mat Pilates or floor Pilates, a low-impact strength workout that can help ease a few aches

Pilates continues to be one of the most popular forms of exercise and will definitely be so in the future, as well. Mat Pilates is the most basic form of Pilates, which is gentle, affordable, and highly effective to improve your physical and mental health. It is a form of exercise that does not need complex types of equipment and all you need is a mat to practice the exercises. Mat Pilates is popular across the globe, especially among people with lower back pain. Mat Pilates strengthens and tones up core muscles.

This article explains what is mat Pilates and its benefits.  

What is Mat Pilates: Definition

One of the most popular forms of Pilates, mat Pilates, is a kind of exercise that does not require any equipment and you just need a mat to practice it. Mat Pilates is considered more effective than the other types of Pilates as it requires you to use just your body weight to increase core strength and build muscles without any fancy machines. Mat Pilates includes movements like core exercises, and planks and may include the use of extra accessories like stretching bands, sticks, dumbbells, exercise balls, etc. This basic form of Pilates is a great choice for beginners who wish to include Pilates in their daily regimen.

Floor Pilates

Mat Pilates is also known as floor Pilates because they are done on the floor. In this article, we will use the words floor Pilates and mat Pilates interchangeably. Be it beginners or advanced fitness enthusiasts; floor Pilates is a gentle workout for people at any level of fitness.  When you think about including Pilates in your routine, floor Pilates could be an excellent choice as you just need a mat and your own body to get started!

Mat Pilates Benefits

Here are the overall benefits of mat Pilates.

• Improves muscle tone
• Aids in flexibility
• Sculpts muscles
• Helps burn fat
• Helps shed calories and reduce weight
• Increases lung capacity
• Aids in stress management
• Helps reduce anxiety
• Builds a strong and balanced body
• Improves posture

Mat Pilates focuses on strengthening muscles, lower back, pelvic floor, hips, glutes, and abdominals through a series of exercises. These exercises are sure to sculpt your muscles and give your body a lean look. Likewise, floor Pilates can improve your posture as stretching is a vital part of this exercise. This low-impact exercise burns fat and helps you shed calories.

Pilates’ benefits are not limited to only physical health, but it is also beneficial to your mental health. You will remain more focused and your mind will benefit from mindfulness when you include floor Pilates in your daily workout routine. This form of exercise makes you concentrate on breathing deeply and help you breathe from your belly. It will let you relax and reduce stress.

Mat Pilates at Home: Start with These Popular Exercises

These are some popular mat Pilates exercises for home.

The Hundred

1. Start this mat workout by lying on your back on your mat.
2. Inhale and exhale and relax yourself.
3. Press your spine towards the floor by drawing in your navel.
4. Let your arms rest alongside your hips.
5. Curl up your shoulders, head, and neck and lift your legs to about a 45-degree angle or to a level you are comfortable with.
6. Make sure you do not lift your lower back from the floor.
7. Breathe in and breathe out for five counts each and pump up your arms up and down as you inhale and exhale.

Here is a quick guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaqpuUzs1i8

The Roll

1. Lie on your back with your legs straight and your arms stretched behind your head on your mat to start this fun mat workout.
2. Lift your head raise your arms as if you are grabbing your toes to roll up smoothly.
3. Make sure your abs are contracted and your spine is making a curved shape just like the letter C.
4. You will complete one repetition when you roll back down.

Here’s a quick guide: https://gethealthyu.com/exercise/full-body-roll-up/  

​Leg Circles​

1. Spread your mat and lie on your back.
2. Rest your arms by your side on the floor.
3. Extend your right leg towards the ceiling while keeping your left leg stretched on the mat.
4. Draw around eight circles with your right leg by keeping it pointed.
5. Repeat the same with the other leg and make sure your hip does not move while you circle your legs.

Here’s a quick guide: https://www.pilatesanytime.com/exercise-view/1427/video/Pilates-One-Leg-Circle-by-Amy-Havens

Important Points for Mat Pilates Workout at Home

Difficult Beginning: Floor Pilates may not be very easy in the beginning. As you start with mat Pilates, you might notice pain while lifting your head or bending knees. It’s normal! Continue the mat Pilates with the same consistency without getting discouraged. Once your body gets habitual with its movements, you will start having fun with mat Pilates.

Flexible Approach: It is totally fine to modify exercises as long as you do not get hurt. If you are in a class or if you are following a video, modify or skip exercises that you feel are too much for you.

Awareness: To ensure that you reap the benefits of mat Pilates, focus on your body and understand that you are moving one part of your body to strengthen another. A proper practice requires awareness. Make small movements and gain awareness of your movements.

How to Start Floor Pilates Business?

Once you gain expertise in Pilates, you can start teaching it and earn lucrative money. Here are some good options you can consider to start your mat Pilates business.

1. Upload free videos on YouTube and earn advertisements money.
2. Organize Pilates events or provide live sessions using Yottled.
3. Provide 1:1 virtual sessions or in-person sessions. You can use Yotteld to set appointments, send invoices, and collect money.
4. Collaborate with local gyms and fitness studios and offer Pilates sessions for free or at nominal charges to their existing customers. It would be like an add-on service to those gyms’ clients.
5. Start your own mat Pilates classes. It would be a less expensive business because you just need to invest in Pilates mats which costs approximately $80/mat, instead of heavy reformers which costs as much as $7,000/equipment.

Conclusion on What is Floor Pilates

The best thing about this floor Pilates is that it can be done anywhere as it does not require any equipment. If you are looking to include Pilates in your daily exercise routine, you can start with mat Pilates, as this is the most basic form of Pilates. Followed by that, you can include other forms of Pilates like reformer Pilates. As you progress, you will notice mat Pilates improving your body shape, mental health, and overall life.