The Pivotal Motion Style of Pilates & Its Benefits

“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.”—Joseph H. Pilates

  • Are you interested in looking and feeling younger?
  • Would you like vibrant health back in your life?
  • Do you need to eliminate back, neck or knee pain?
  • Or perhaps you just want a more defined waist

Whatever your goals…Pivotal Motion Pilates can help.

What is Classical Pilates?

Classical Pilates stems from the instructional line of Master Teacher Romana Kryzanowska. Romana Kryzanowska is one of the pre-eminent disciples of Joseph and Clara Pilates. She trained extensively under their tutelage and worked for them at their studio in New York. After Joseph Pilates’ death and Clara’s retirement in the early 1970’s, Romana was handpicked by Clara to become the director of The Pilates Studio. Her approach to instructing the pilates system of exercises remains pure to the classical teachings of her mentor.

It’s How Joe Wanted It.

Romana teaches Pilates as Joe intended it to be taught. She learned from Joseph “his philosophy“ on how to break down each movement so it could be taught and tailored for each individual. Some of the other major pilates schools are passing on the method they learned, but with adaptations, without his original philosophy intact. That’s the difference. These teachers have created their own philosophies of movement, combining other techniques, such as modern dance or feldenkrais with pilates. We respect these philosophies, but they aren’t what Joe had envisioned for his system. Although pilates can have rehabilitative and therapeutive effects, it was designed to be a challenging workout.

Why we teach Classical?

“PILATES IS THE COMPLETE COORDINATION OF BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT.”—Joseph Pilates—

That’s a very important idea, a truly a holistic approach to exercise. We tend to look outside of ourselves for health and healing, asking others to make us better. Pilates asks you to control and invigorate your body, with the power of your mind, taking all responsibility for the outcome. When you come to Pilates, you become a student of your own body.

Classical pilates is for healthy people who want to workout, and train their body to optimal functionality. It teaches the injured to focus on the healthy parts of their body, instead of focusing on their injury as you might do in physical therapy. You focus on your strengths, and work around the injury. Essentially, Joseph Pilates wanted pilates to be for the normal, healthy body and when people have injuries they invigorate their healthy parts and allow the body to heal their injury. The ultimate mind body connection.

“We have tried many forms of pilates. Classical works the best! Period. No questions. We have seen the results in our bodies and in those of our clients.” -Pivotal Motion Pilates

Consumer Beware.

When Pilates died, there was no legal heir to the Pilates name and studio. In the 1980’s, some attempted to trademark the name pilates. It was later ruled that the term “pilates” referred to an exercise technique (like karate or yoga) and the name could not be restricted or trademarked by any one group. Because the name “pilates” is public domain, anyone can use it and claim to be teaching pilates techniques. With the popular growth of pilates, and no universal overseeing organization, pilates is prime candidate for pirating and knock-offs. This means you need to be a smart pilates consumer. To make sure you are getting correct, high quality pilates instruction make sure your instructor is fully certified, by an established national organization. Please look at our certifications on our instructor page.


“Pilates… develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit.”

—From Return to Life by Joseph Pilates.