Core 34

In This Module You Will Study:

Learn the 34 original mat exercises, as taught by Joseph Pilates in Return to Life Through Contrology, how the each relate the the 5 Elements from Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Physical Integration: Pilates activates the powerhouse - the deep core muscles - while supporting full-body mobility, spinal health, and joint stability. Each exercise has a unique physical focus, from strengthening the posterior chain to increasing rotational flexibility.

Energetic Integration: TCM sees movement and breath as inseparable for health. Pilates’ emphasis on breath-led control stimulates different organ-meridian pairs, harmonizing Yin and Yang, nourishing the body’s reserves, and encouraging emotional balance.

Five Element Connection: Each exercise can be linked to one or more of the Five Elements — Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water - both physically (via meridian stimulation) and poetically (via emotional and seasonal qualities).

The breakdown of each pose including: Purpose, Prep Set-up, Execution, Breath, Awareness & Energetic Alignment and the Contraindications/Adaptations

The OG Core 34

Please Note: You do NOT have to practice this sequence. You can simply observe it to answer your module questions. If you DO practice it - Please go slow, be mindful and pay close attention to your neck and low back.

Core 34 Questions

Observation & Awareness

What patterns of movement or flow do you notice throughout the sequence?
Which exercises appear most fluid or effortless, and what specific qualities contribute to that sense of ease (breath, alignment, rhythm, focus)?
What do you observe about spinal movement — where does the practitioner stabilize versus articulate through flexion, extension, or rotation?
How is breath integrated? Can you identify moments where inhalation supports expansion or where exhalation supports control or engagement?
What cues or visual details help you recognize activation of the “Powerhouse” (core cylinder: transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, diaphragm, multifidi)?

Anatomical & Technical Understanding

Which muscles or regions of the body appear to be the primary drivers in each movement — and which are stabilizing in the background?
How do alignment and joint integrity shift between exercises (for example, the difference between Rolling Like a Ball and Leg Pull Front)?
Are there any compensations or adjustments you notice — subtle shifts in pelvis, smaller movements, shoulders, or breath — that affect the flow or control of the sequence?
What teaching cues or verbal language could you use to help a future student refine one of these postures?
After watching, what key principles (breath, control, concentration, centering, precision, flow) do you feel were most evident — and how might you embody them when you next practice?