1st start your day with the Reformer Variations Workshop then meet I.C.Rapoport

This Workshop covers variations for all Levels on the Reformer, from Beginning to advanced. It's a great workshop for Teachers who work in studio's with Limited equipment as well as Reformer classes.

When: 9:30-12 noon, Sunday, Nov 13th.
Where: Ocean Pilates, 1727 Ocean Park, Santa Monica, CA 90405
To Register, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Then, stay and meet I.C. Rapoport, who photographed Joseph Pilates in Oct. 1961, exactly fifty years ago. Even if you don't attend the workshop, come by and meet Chuck and see his amazing photos.

He has a lovely Gallery of Rare photos of Joseph Pilates and clients in the  original Studio Of Contrology, New York. You can see a few of his pictures (including himself, on our history page)

You will be able to purchase signed photos as well as his beautiful bound book of all 29 Photographs he took with Joseph Pilates.
If you are a Pilates enthusiast, this is a rare treat you don't want to miss.

When: 12 noon, Sunday, Nov. 13th
Where: Ocean Pilates, 1727 Ocean Park
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Hope to see you all there!

As we are now heading into the the fall and the beginning of the Flu season, I am reminded of the great story of Joseph Pilates vs. Influenza. The story sticks in my mind, as I see Flu Shot advertisements everywhere! Stories tell of Joseph Pilates on the Isle of Mann as a prisoner of war. This is during world war 1, he and his brother were part of a Greek statue act in a traveling Circus. The circus happened to be in England during World War 1, because of his German citizenship, he and the rest of the group were sent to the Isle of Mann as POW's. Once there, Joseph Pilates was put in charge of the injured soldiers. He also had a group of soldiers that did his exercises religiously. When this influenza pandemic came to the Isle of Mann, Joseph Pilates' group of exercising soldiers were the only ones who did not come down with this horrible Influenza....

Several years ago, there was an article in the LA Times called "“MIND-BODY BENEFITS YOGA AND PILATES FULFILL DIFFERENT WELLNESS GOALS” (March 10, 2005 Los Angeles Times by Jeannine Stein - Please click here to read this article). In this article, the author clearly was not informed about the true benefits of Pilates Technique. Mary Bowen, A Pilates Elder, wrote a wonderful response to the LA Times Article. Mary Began her studies with Joseph Pilates in 1959, and studied with Joe, Clara and their assistant Hanna for 6 years. She has been a Jungian psychoanalyst since 1970, and has taught Pilates since 1975.  We at Pilates Technique Certification wanted to share with everyone this great article that truly captures the essence of the Pilates Method. Below is Mary Bowen's response to the LA Times Article.

"As an elder of the Pilates community who has lived the Pilates Method for 46 years, taking weekly lessons for all of that time, and teaching it for 30 years, I feel I must reply to this article. I find this article to be a dumbing down and bastardizing of what the Pilates Method was created to be (and has been experienced to be by myself and many, many others) by the founders Joseph and Clara Pilates. I will respond point by point.

( First, the article states that Pilates is without a spiritual component or holistic approach and is simply a strength and conditioning system done with mat work and apparatus). Pilates without a spiritual component? Pilates has been practically messianic in its spirit and still is for those who understand it. Joe was trying to change the world! We, his followers, were referred to as his disciples. That's how avid the spirit of the method has been. As I have experienced the Pilates Method, as I practice, teach and observe it, there is always a spiritual uplift and buoyancy that comes from the work. Moreover, spirit is everywhere, isn't it? The body is a house of spirit. Joseph and Clara Pilates knew and lived that.

Pilates Technique Certification is now accepting applications for the Sept. 17th program. If you are interested, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. These classes fill up quickly. If you are interested, we recommend that you sign up as soon as possible to hold your spot in the class. Please check out our Teacher Training packet, you can find this by clicking on The Program, then click on Program Details. Here you will get detailed information regarding the program, how it works, the cost, etc. Pilates Technique has certified over 300 students and is the longest running program in Los Angeles. Check out our testimonial page.....

Here at Pilates Technique Certification, we are finally able to take a moment and reflect on the busy months of Lectures that we have had. In February, the PTC5 group had their Level 4 Lecture, which is always a lot of fun. The exercises get much more difficult, and the students learn about how to teach clients affected by many different types of injuries. They also learned about Pregnancy and Pilates. The PTC5 group then had their 3rd Anatomy Lecture.

We then had a much more intense Workshop on Pregnancy and Pilates opened to certified Instructors. The students learned about the different myths that are out there regarding Pregnancy and exercise, learned movements and modifications for the different trimesters of Pregnancy and how and when to start Pilates after the client delivers. It was a very interesting workshop, alleviating many of the questions the teachers had about Pregnancy and exercise.

Then, our newest group of Trainees for Pilates Technique Certification had their Orientation as well as their first Level Lecture.

Recently, my 5 year old son's Kindergarten teacher asked if I could create some movement for the their morning routine; a few exercises that the kindergartners could do before they begin their day of learning. I was very excited to do this as I feel that today's school routines do not permit for children to move much at all. In Los Angeles schools, most kids get PE only once a week. Pilates in a morning routine could greatly enhance the children's physical lifes. Exercise in children can help focus their minds and and get them calm so they can stay focused throughout their day.

We have 18, 5 and 6 year olds in our class and the carpet area is not too big. So, I had to devise a routine that the children could do with out running into one another and simple enough for them to follow. My main goal was to get the children to become aware of their bodies in space, learn how to breath and become conscious of breath as well as have fun. We began with vertical movements,

Here we are in the New Year.This is the time when people have made their resolutions to get in shape or lose weight. At Pilates Technique, we see fitness and health as a life long endeavor. Think of fitness and health as a way to survive the stresses of life as well as to look younger and feel more alive. There are some very basic tools which Joseph Pilates used in his technique for life long health. We realize that there are many people who can not do Pilates, because of their location or their financial situation. We would like to offer three simple solutions to incorporate in your daily lives that will have a very positive affect on your health.

These three simple solutions are.........