Pilates with Mela

👣 Footwork on the Wunda Chair is a great way to build strength, control, and confidence.

You’ve done it on the reformer, now rise to the extra challenge on the chair. Whether you’re just starting or ready to progress your footwork, there’s a little something for everyone in this tutorial.

It’s a lot more than just leg work. It’s working mobility in your hips, strength in your center and back, foot and ankle strength and stretch, and pelvic stability.

Also, loving that I get to film at Strong Body Pilates these days! What a beautiful studio 🤩

Which exercise would you like me to do next on the wunda chair?

🔗You’ll find the full video in the link in my bio and today’s story.

Did you know that carbon dioxide, not oxygen, is the primary driver of your breathing? 🫁

Your body constantly monitors CO₂ levels in the blood. When you become sensitive to CO₂, even a small rise can create an urgent feeling that you need more air. This may lead to faster, bigger breaths or switching to mouth breathing. Over time, mouth breathing can reinforce chronic hyperventilation, dry and irritate the airways, and make oxygen delivery less efficient.

In this workshop, we’ll explore how using functional breathing techniques during your Pilates workout can help you reconnect with your internal rhythm and develop a calmer, more efficient breath.

Benefits of nasal breathing include:
⭐️ Filtering, warming, and humidifying the air.
⭐️ Supporting more efficient breathing and oxygen delivery.
⭐️ Encouraging diaphragmatic breathing.
⭐️ Helping maintain a healthier balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
⭐️ Supporting focus, exercise tolerance, and nervous-system regulation.
⭐️ Better recovery post workout.

Your Internal Rhythm - Contrology Club Workshop
Saturday, August 29
12:30–2:00 PM
At Strong Body Pilates
$65 | In person or Zoom
☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️

Join Pilates with Mela this weekend, a second-generation classical Pilates teacher and Oxygen Advantage functional breathwork instructor, to explore the connection between breath, movement, and your body’s natural rhythm.

🔗 Link in bio to register

Joe Pilates called this a breathing exercise for a reason. The breath isn’t decoration here. It organizes the entire movement, protects your lower back on the reach, with the option to deepen your center on the pull back in - the exertion.

And the best part? Once you understand this breath pattern, you start finding it everywhere in your practice.

Are you aware of your breath as you workout? Do you ever hold your breath and if so, in which exercise?

🔗You’ll find my latest video in the link in my bio and today’s story.

Helicopter on the spine corrector is one of those advanced Pilates exercises that feels equal parts challenging and delicious. It asks a lot of your hip mobility, control from your center, and coordination, while the barrel gives just enough support to explore the range with more confidence.

I especially love this one after a lot of sitting. And the leg series on the spine corrector is such a helpful warm-up to compliment it.

What exercises help you get back into your body after a long day?

🔗You’ll find my latest video in the link in my bio and today’s story.

The Hundred isn’t just something to get through and it’s definitely not something you should skip. It’s where your breath and movement start learning to coordinate.

In Classical Pilates, this is your first real opportunity to build rhythm, control, and endurance through your breath. When that clicks, your center works more efficiently, you improve blood circulation and oxygen delivery… and everything else starts to work better too.

If you start your practice out right, it will carry through your whole practice (and honestly, your day).

I’m Mela, a 2nd generation Classical Pilates teacher and an functional breathwork instructor, and this is the first video of series discussing the breathing exercises embedded in the matwork.

Are you using your breath to support your movement?

🔗You’ll find my latest video in the link in my bio and today’s story.