When do I get to do the Advanced Pilates Exercises?

Great question—and one that speaks to the heart of how Pilates evolves with the practitioner. At SOMA Movement Studio, we think of the advanced repertoire not as a goal in itself, but as a continuation of the method—a way to deepen the practice, challenge integrated movement, and explore the body’s full potential.

Here’s a breakdown of the role the advanced repertoire plays in Pilates:

1. Integration, Not Imitation

Advanced Pilates exercises require whole-body coordination, timing, and control. They don’t just add difficulty for the sake of challenge—they build on foundational skills like spinal articulation, core control, scapular stability, breath awareness, and proprioception.

You earn the advanced repertoire by layering skill upon skill. It becomes possible not because you push harder, but because you move smarter. Often there is more technique than strength required.

2. Advanced = Internal Sophistication

Some advanced exercises are dynamic and athletic (like Boomerang or High Scissors), while others are subtle and highly technical (like Balance Control or Control Balance Off). What they all share is a demand for internal precision.

The advanced work challenges your ability to stabilize one part of your body while mobilizing another, and to breathe deeply while coordinating complex patterns. It's less about strength and more about refinement under load.

3. A Mirror for Your Movement Patterns

Advanced exercises reveal compensation patterns quickly. If there’s instability, asymmetry, or over-reliance on certain muscle groups, you’ll feel it. In this way, advanced work becomes diagnostic—it shows you what’s integrated and what still needs attention.

This makes it incredibly valuable for both teachers and dedicated practitioners, who can use the advanced repertoire to fine-tune and evolve their own movement intelligence.

4. A Conversation, Not a Performance

While advanced Pilates exercises look impressive, they’re not about performance or perfection. They’re a conversation with your body. Some days you’ll have access to them, and other days you won’t—and that’s okay.

At SOMA, we encourage clients to view advanced work as part of a nonlinear movement journey. It’s less about ticking off exercises and more about staying curious, receptive, and responsive to what your body needs.

5. The Joy of Mastery

Finally, there’s something deeply satisfying about approaching a movement you once thought impossible—and realizing your body can do it with grace and control. The advanced repertoire offers a sense of mastery—not over your body, but with it.

It reminds you how adaptable, resilient, and intelligent your system truly is.

In short: the advanced repertoire is not a destination—it’s an evolution. It builds on the basics, challenges your awareness, and gives you space to explore the full depth and artistry of the Pilates method. Difficulty with an advanced exercise means that more attention has to be given to the fundamental skills developed in the earlier repertoire.

And when approached with integrity, humility, and consistency, it becomes a powerful expression of whole-body intelligence.