Pilates Glossary

Apparatus / Equipment

Barrel

A curved, padded piece of equipment (Spine Corrector, Ladder Barrel, or Small Barrel) used to support and stretch the spine into extension. Helps with posture and spinal articulation. History of the Barrels article.

Cadillac (Trapeze Table)

A bed-sized frame with bars, straps, and springs, originally developed from hospital-bed design. Used for both gentle rehabilitation and advanced full-body work. History of the Cadillac article.

Magic Circle (Pilates Ring)

A flexible ring, roughly 13-15 inches across, with padded handles on both sides. Used to add resistance to mat exercises, often pressed between the hands, ankles, or thighs.

Reformer

The most recognizable Pilates apparatus: a sliding carriage attached to a frame by springs, with a footbar, straps, and shoulder blocks. Provides adjustable resistance for hundreds of exercises. History of the Reformer article.

Wunda Chair

A compact, box-like apparatus with a spring-loaded pedal, originally designed to double as a piece of home furniture. Known for being deceptively challenging. History of the Wunda Chair article.

Method & Principles

Centering

One of the original Contrology principles: the idea that all movement originates from the body's center (the "powerhouse") and radiates outward.

Control

A core Contrology principle: movements are performed deliberately, without momentum, so the mind directs the body rather than the body moving on autopilot.

Contrology

Joseph Pilates' original name for his method, emphasizing control of the body through the mind. "Pilates" became the common name only after his death. What Is Contrology? article.

Flow

The principle that movements connect smoothly into one another, rather than starting and stopping abruptly. In practice, this is what gives a well-taught Pilates class its rhythm.

Neutral Spine

A pelvis and spine position that maintains the natural curves of the back (rather than flattening or arching), often used as a default starting position for exercises.

Powerhouse

Joseph Pilates' term for the core: the muscles of the abdomen, lower back, hips, and glutes, which he considered the source of all controlled movement.

Precision

A core Contrology principle: small, exact adjustments in alignment and movement matter more than how many repetitions are performed.

The Hundred

One of the best-known mat exercises from Return to Life Through Contrology: a sustained core-engagement position with rhythmic arm pumps, performed for roughly 100 breath counts.

Lineage & Schools

Classical Pilates

The original Contrology method as preserved through direct teacher-to-teacher lineage from Joseph and Clara Pilates and their first-generation students. Classical vs Modern Pilates article.

Contemporary / Modern Pilates

A broad category of Pilates schools (BASI, STOTT/Merrithew, Polestar, Balanced Body, and others) that retain the core method while incorporating modern biomechanics and rehabilitation science. Classical vs Modern Pilates article.

Lagree

A separate, proprietary fitness system founded by Sebastien Lagree in 1998, performed on Megaformer-style machines. Lagree itself states it is not Pilates, despite visual similarities to reformer work. What Is Lagree? article.

The Elders

The informal name for Joseph and Clara Pilates' first-generation students (including Romana Kryzanowska, Kathy Grant, Ron Fletcher, Eve Gentry, and others) who preserved and taught the method after Joseph's death in 1967. Pilates Elders and Lineage article.

Practical / Class Terms

Duet / Trio

A private Pilates session with two or three clients sharing an instructor's attention, common in classical-lineage studios.

Mat Pilates

Pilates performed on the floor using bodyweight (and sometimes small props like the Magic Circle or resistance bands), without large apparatus. The original 34 exercises from Return to Life are mat exercises.

Reformer Class

A group or private class performed on Reformers, ranging from slow, classical-style sequencing to faster, more athletic contemporary formats.

Tower / Cadillac Wall Unit

A modern, wall-mounted adaptation of the Cadillac, common in contemporary studios with limited floor space.

Glossary terms