Meet the Duo Behind Pilates: Joe and Clara 💛

Joseph Pilates may be the name you know—but the heart of the method wouldn’t be complete without Clara Pilates, his teaching partner and wife.

While Joe was the visionary behind Contrology, Clara brought care, clarity, and adaptability to the practice. She refined how it was taught, supported clients with compassion, and helped shape the legacy we know today.

This article dives into their partnership, Clara’s quiet leadership, and how both their influences still echo in every class at SOMA.

✨ A story of strength and sensitivity.
👉 Read the full post.

Why “Lengthen the Back of Your Neck” Is More Than Just a Cue 🧠🧘‍♀️

That gentle reminder in class? It’s not just about posture—it’s about your nervous system, vision, and whole-body alignment.

At the base of your skull are the suboccipital muscles—tiny but mighty players that affect tension, gaze, balance, and even how you breathe. When they’re tight (hello, screen time), they can trigger headaches, neck pain, and disorientation.

This article explores how subtle movements like head nods and skull glides can reset these deep muscles and bring clarity back to your system.

✨ Small shift, big impact.
👉 Read more.

What Makes the Pilates Reformer So Powerful?

At first glance, the Pilates Reformer may look intimidating—but this spring-loaded machine is one of the most effective tools for building strength, mobility, and body awareness.

Born from Joseph Pilates’ creativity during WWI, the Reformer was designed to help injured patients regain movement from their hospital beds. Today, it’s beloved by athletes, dancers, and anyone looking to move smarter.

With adjustable resistance, full-body engagement, and joint-friendly support, the Reformer helps you train with intention, balance, and control.

💡 Curious about how it works and why it’s so effective? Read the full story here.

What Is Weight-Bearing Exercise—And Why Does Your Body Crave It? 🦴✨

Weight-bearing movement isn’t just for gym-goers or runners. It’s any activity that makes your body work against gravity—and it’s essential for strong bones, muscles, and aging well.

From walking and climbing stairs to bridging and standing lunges in Pilates, weight-bearing helps build bone density, improve balance, and boost full-body strength. At SOMA, we integrate this through smart, supported movement—often without impact.

💡 Curious how Pilates builds strength and protects your joints?

👉 Read the full article to see why your bones (and future self) will thank you.

Feeling Tight, Tense, or Low on Energy? It Might Be Magnesium 💫

Magnesium is a quiet hero in your Pilates practice—supporting muscle recovery, nervous system balance, and even your mood. Yet most of us aren’t getting enough.

From easing post-class cramps to calming cortisol, this essential mineral plays a powerful role in how you move and feel. But not all magnesium is created equal—glycinate, citrate, threonate… which one’s right for you?

This article breaks it down and helps you find the best match for your body and goals.

✨ Small mineral, big impact.
👉 Read the full post.

Why “Press Through Your Big Toe” Really Matters 🦶✨

Ever wonder why Pilates instructors keep cueing “press into the ball of your big toe”? It’s not just poetic—it’s powerful.

This article dives into the importance of the first metatarsal (just behind your big toe) and how it anchors your balance, supports your arches, and connects your feet to your core. When this area is underused or collapsed, it can affect everything from posture to joint health.

Pilates helps you retrain this connection—one foot press at a time.

👣 Ready to stand stronger from the ground up?
👉 Read the full post.

Your Deep Core: More Than Just Abs 🌀

Think “core strength” is all about crunches? Think again.

Your deep core—made up of the diaphragm, pelvic floor, transversus abdominis, and multifidus—is your body’s inner support system. It regulates intra-torso pressure, which affects everything from posture and breath to balance, strength, and even stress response.

At SOMA, we don’t teach you to brace—we teach you to breathe and engage with intention. This article unpacks how your deep core works, why it matters, and how Pilates helps you move from the inside out.

✨ Real strength starts at your center.
👉 Read the full article.

Not All Breaths Are Created Equal 🫁

In Pilates, how you breathe matters just as much as when. At SOMA, we treat breath as a powerful part of your movement—not just an add-on.

This article breaks down the three main breathing patterns—abdominal, intercostal, and cervical—and when to use them. You’ll learn why intercostal (ribcage) breathing is best for core engagement, why belly breathing isn’t ideal mid-Reformer, and how breath impacts posture, stability, and even stress levels.

✨ Want to move (and breathe) with more control, support, and ease? Read the full article.

Why Am I Shaking in Pilates? (And Why That’s a Good Thing) 🌀

Ever feel your legs or core start to tremble during a hold or slow movement? That’s not failure—it’s called a Neurogenic Tremor, and it’s your nervous system recalibrating in real time.

These involuntary shakes often show up during deep core work or isometric holds and signal that your body is releasing tension, recruiting stabilizers, and integrating change.

At SOMA, we see tremors as breakthroughs, not breakdowns.

✨ Learn why your body shakes, what it means, and how to work with it—not against it.

👉 Read the full article.

🔈 Less Noise, More Signal: Mastering the Art of Pilates Cueing

Great cueing isn’t about saying more—it’s about saying what matters. This article dives into how to teach with clarity, calm the nervous system, and help clients connect deeply with their movement. From task-oriented cues that build safety to sensory prompts that deepen embodiment, you'll explore strategies for layering instructions that land. You’ll also learn how to shape your unique teaching voice through imagery, humor, and lived experience.

Whether you’re a new instructor or refining your craft, this is about transforming cues into connection.

👉 Read the full post:

✨ Just 10 Minutes Can Change Everything ✨
In our fast-paced world, slowing down might feel counterintuitive—but one simple, gentle movement practiced for 10 mindful minutes can reset your entire system. This article explores the power of somatic exploration: a quiet, attentive approach to movement that soothes your nervous system, reconnects you to your body, and invites real transformation—not through effort, but through presence. Whether you’re recovering from stress, injury, or burnout, this is the kind of movement that heals.

🌀 Read the full piece and discover how less can truly be more.

👁️ Stillness as a Practice

In a world of constant scrolling and split-second distractions, giving your full attention to a single work of art for 10 minutes might feel radical—but it’s also deeply restorative. This article explores how prolonged looking calms the nervous system, sharpens focus, and builds the same kind of presence we cultivate through Pilates and breathwork.

Stillness isn’t passive—it’s powerful.

📖 Read the full piece and learn how visual art can become part of your wellness practice.

📵 Reform Your Focus: A 2-Week Screen Time Reset

At SOMA, Pilates isn’t just movement—it’s mindful presence. But in a world of constant pings and scrolling, that presence is harder to access.

This April, we’re inviting you to Reform Your Focus—a 2-week challenge to gently reduce screen time and reconnect with your breath, body, and awareness. No guilt. No rigid rules. Just space to notice what shifts when distraction fades.

Better sleep, calmer energy, deeper connection—it all starts with a little less screen and a little more you.

✨ Ready to reclaim your attention? Read the full article.

You’re Officially Part of the SOMA Community—Now What? 💛

You’ve made it through your first few weeks at SOMA—amazing! Whether you’ve found your favorite class or are still adjusting your springs, this is just the beginning.

At SOMA, we believe movement is more than a workout—it’s a way to connect with your body, your breath, and your community. With small classes, expert instructors, and a warm studio vibe, you’re never just a number here.

💬 Stay connected, ask questions, join our FB group, and check out what’s coming up next.

👉 Read the full post to keep the momentum going.

Feeling Sore or “Off” After Class? It’s Totally Normal. 💛

If Pilates has left you a little sore, emotional, or even foggy—you’re not broken, you’re adapting. At SOMA, we call this the “messy middle” of progress.

Your deep stabilizers are waking up, old habits are shifting, and your nervous system is catching up. It can feel weird—but it means your body is learning something new.

From fascia releases to unexpected fatigue, this article explains why it happens and how to care for yourself along the way.

✨ Trust the process. Progress is happening—even when it feels a little wobbly.

👉 Read more.

When Does Pilates Start to “Click”? 🧘‍♀️

If you’ve ever watched someone glide through a Pilates class and thought, Will I ever move like that?—the answer is yes. But confidence in Pilates doesn’t come from pushing harder. It comes from consistency, curiosity, and learning at your own pace.

At SOMA, our class levels are like a swimming pool—start in the shallow end (Level 1), and build from there. Progress isn’t always flashy—it’s feeling more centered, moving with control, and finally knowing what your body needs.

💛 Ready to feel stronger from the inside out? Read the full article here.

Meet Your Core—It’s So Much More Than Abs 💡

At SOMA, we believe core strength isn’t about six-packs or crunches—it’s about connection, stability, and ease from the inside out.

Your core is a layered system of deep and superficial muscles working together to support your breath, posture, and movement. In Pilates, we focus on core intelligence—teaching your body to engage what’s needed, when it’s needed.

This article breaks down what the core really is, how it works, and why a responsive, integrated core can transform the way you move—on and off the mat.

🌀 Curious what your core is up to? Read more.

Pilates Is Personal—But You’re Not Alone 💛

There’s a quiet rhythm to SOMA—breath, springs, intention. But behind the calm is a shared agreement: to move with respect, presence, and care for the space and each other.

This article shares simple, thoughtful studio etiquette—like arriving early to ground yourself, setting up your Reformer before class, silencing devices, and honoring our 24-hour cancellation policy. It’s not about rules—it’s about creating ease for everyone in the room.

✨ Whether you're brand new or a regular, this is your guide to moving well—and being well—with others.

👉 Read more here.

Not Sure How to Set Up Your Reformer? We’ve Got You. 🔧🧘‍♀️

The Merrithew Reformer isn’t one-size-fits-all—and that’s the beauty of it. At SOMA, we’ll show you how to personalize your setup so you feel supported, aligned, and confident from your very first foot press.

This guide covers everything from stopper placement and spring settings to headrest adjustments and strap checks—plus how to add a Jumpboard for dynamic cardio work.

✨ A few mindful tweaks can make a big difference in your movement.

👉 Read the full post and learn how to make the Reformer work for you.

Why Do We Always Talk About Your Rib Cage? 🫁

If you've taken a class at SOMA, you've heard cues like “neutral spine” or “posterior tilt”—but these aren’t just habits. They’re rooted in the core principles of Pilates that guide every movement we teach.

This article breaks down the five foundational principles we use in Stott Pilates: breath, pelvic placement, rib cage placement, scapular stabilization, and head/neck alignment—and why they matter for safe, powerful, and intelligent movement.

✨ Pilates isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing better.

👉 Read more and deepen your practice from the inside out.