Somatic Pilates: Everything You Need to Know

What Is Somatic Pilates? Benefits and How to Get Started

Have you ever felt disconnected from your body or struggled with ongoing aches and pains? Somatic Pilates might be just what you need.

Unlike traditional Pilates or even Reformer Pilates, Somatic Pilates, another form of low-impact exercise, doesn’t focus on flexibility or core strength. Instead, it emphasizes the gentle awareness of the somatic movement to help you move and feel better.

What Is Somatic Pilates?

Somatic Pilates combines two powerful movement approaches. The first, somatics, teaches you to tune into your body’s signals and patterns.  The second, Pilates, helps build strength and control through focused exercises. When these two methods come together, they create a mindfulness-based practice that’s also physically rewarding at the same time. This practice helps you move better by teaching you to truly understand what's happening inside your body while you exercise.

Understanding Somatic Movement

The word "somatic" comes from the Greek word "soma," which means "the living body in its wholeness." This isn't just about moving your muscles. It's about understanding that your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations are connected.

Thomas Hanna, a philosopher and movement educator who coined the term "somatics," emphasized the importance of developing kinesthetic awareness—the ability to sense and control our body's position and movement in space. He came up with this idea after he noticed that many people are disconnected from their bodies because of their busy lifestyles and stress.

The somatic approach recognizes that many movement patterns and physical limitations stem from our nervous system's learned responses to stress, trauma, or habitual use. When you practice somatic movement, you learn to connect better to your body while resetting the patterns, allowing for more efficient and comfortable movement.

How Somatic Principles Integrate with Pilates

Somatic Pilates takes the classical principles Joseph Pilates came up with and uses somatic awareness techniques to create a practice that teaches practitioners how to feel every tiny adjustment and movement.

Before jumping into exercises, you learn to feel how your body moves and where you hold tension. This awareness helps you move more naturally and with less effort. Instead of forcing your body into specific positions, you learn to understand and improve how you naturally move. This is different from just working your muscles, as it helps create lasting improvements in how you move.

Goals of Somatic Pilates

While traditional Pilates focuses on specific exercises and precise movements, Somatic Pilates takes a more exploratory approach. The main goal of Somatic Pilates isn't just to make you stronger or more flexible. It aims to teach your body a new language that will help you break free from harmful movement patterns that might be causing pain or limiting your mobility.

With Somatic Pilates, you’ll learn to release unnecessary tension and develop a better understanding of your body’s needs.

Benefits of Somatic Pilates

The benefits of Somatic Pilates reach far beyond what you might expect from a typical exercise program. Its unique combination offers numerous physical and mental health benefits.

Enhancing Posture and Alignment

Somatic Pilates helps you discover your body's natural alignment without forcing or straining by making you more aware of the subtle shifts in your posture throughout the day.  You might discover that you tend to hold your breath when you're stressed, which affects how you hold your shoulders. Or you might realize that sitting at a desk all day has changed how your spine moves.

Better posture happens naturally when you become more aware of how you hold yourself.

Reducing Chronic Pain and Tension

The practice offers a unique approach to pain management by helping you understand the connection between your movement patterns and discomfort. Instead of just treating symptoms, you'll learn to address the root causes of pain.

Think of it as teaching your muscles to relax and let go of old habits that might be contributing to your pain.

Improving Flexibility and Mobility

Somatic Pilates’ approach to flexibility and mobility doesn’t focus on pulling or pushing your body into new positions. Instead, the practice helps you learn why certain areas of your body feel tight, emphasizing functional mobility. Or, in other terms, the improvements to your flexibility and mobility translate immediately to your day-to-day activities.

By learning how different parts of your body work together, doing things like reaching for something on a high shelf to tying your shoes feel easier and more natural.

Promoting Relaxation and Mental Clarity

The practice's focus on slow, mindful movement can help calm your nervous system and reduce stress. In this regard, it’s more like yoga. It helps you find moments of peace and clarity even during physical activity, which is more of a bonus or afterthought in traditional Pilates than a priority.

With regular practice, you’ll start to notice tension building up before it overwhelms you, allowing you to address it early. This increased awareness can help you manage stress better in your daily life, improve your quality of sleep, and feel more centered throughout the day.

How Somatic Pilates Differs from Traditional Pilates

While both practices share common roots, Somatic Pilates sets itself apart from traditional Pilates methods by taking a more exploratory approach. Whereas regular Pilates might tell you exactly where to place your arms and legs, Somatic Pilates encourages you to find what feels right for your body. This inside-out approach helps you develop better body awareness and more natural movement patterns.

Focus on Internal Awareness vs. External Form

While form is still important in Somatic Pilates, the focus is on how movements feel. Instead of watching yourself in a mirror, you're encouraged to close your eyes and feel what's happening inside your body. This internal focus helps you develop a deeper understanding of your movement patterns.

You might spend several more minutes than you’d expect exploring simple movements, paying close attention to how different muscles engage and release in Somatic Pilates, and that’s perfectly normal.

This increased awareness can prevent injuries and improve your overall well-being, which can carry over into other areas of your life.

Slower, More Adaptive Movements

Movements are performed at a slower pace, allowing you to notice subtle sensations and make small adjustments as needed. The slower pace also makes the practice more accessible to people who might struggle with faster-paced exercises. You have time to process what's happening in your body and make changes before moving on to the next movement.

Greater Emphasis on Individualized Progress

Somatic Pilates’ individualized approach usually means that your teacher will spend extra time helping you explore movements that are challenging for you or modify exercises to better suit your needs. This personal approach means that no two classes or sessions are exactly alike.

Here, your success is measured by your increasing awareness and comfort.

Who Can Benefit from Somatic Pilates?

The beauty of Somatic Pilates lies in its adaptability and accessibility. Women of all ages can find value in this practice, not just those of menopausal age or those in their golden years. However, certain groups might find it particularly helpful.

Individuals with Chronic Pain or Tension

Through constant practice, you may experience less back pain, neck discomfort, and joint stiffness as you learn to release tension and efficient movement patterns. The practice helps you understand the patterns contributing to your discomfort and teaches you how to change them.

Those Seeking Stress Relief and Relaxation

It’s a challenge looking for ways to relax in our fast-paced world, which is where Somatic Pilates comes in.

By learning to notice when you’re holding unnecessary tension and giving you the tools to release it, regular practice can help you develop better stress management skills that you can use throughout your day.

Athletes or Dancers Looking to Enhance Performance

The detailed attention to movement patterns can help prevent injuries and improve performance. The increased body awareness might also improve training gains and allow to make better movement-related decisions as you become more in tune with your body.

Beginners Exploring Gentle, Accessible Movement Practices

If you're new to exercise or movement practices, Somatic Pilates offers a welcoming starting point. The emphasis on awareness rather than achievement means you can progress at your own pace without feeling pressured to keep up with others.

The practice teaches fundamental movement principles that can benefit you in any physical activity you choose to pursue.

Getting Started with Somatic Pilates

Choosing a Qualified Instructor

Finding the right teacher can make a big difference in your Somatic Pilates experience. Look for instructors who have specific training in both Pilates and somatic movement methods. The best teachers can break down the concepts and explain them to you in a manner that you will understand, adjusting the practice to best meet your needs.

However, don’t be surprised if it takes time to find the right teacher. You might have to try different classes until you find someone whose teaching style matches your learning methods.

The good news is that many instructors offer initial consultations during which you can discuss your goals and any other concerns you might have about starting the practice.

Sample Exercises to Try at Home

While working with a qualified instructor is important, there are some simple exercises you can explore at home to get a feel for the practice.

Pelvic Tilts with Breathing

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Notice how your lower back and pelvis make contact with the floor. As you breathe in, allow your lower back to gently arch away from the floor. Let your lower back settle down as you breathe out. Keep the movement small and pay attention to how it feels rather than trying to create a big movement.

Shoulder Rolls for Tension Release

Sit comfortably and pay attention to how your shoulders feel. Slowly roll your shoulders forward, up, back, and down. Note places where the movement feels uncomfortable or stuck. Spend extra time exploring those areas with smaller, gentler movements.

Cat-Cow for Spine Mobility

Start on your hands and knees in a comfortable position. As you breathe in, let your belly drop toward the floor while your head and tailbone lift slightly. As you breathe out, round your spine toward the ceiling and draw your chin toward your chest. Move slowly and feel how each vertebra participates in the movement.

Tips for Cultivating Awareness During Practice

When you're practicing, try closing your eyes sometimes to help you focus on internal sensations rather than what the movement looks like. Remember that there's no need to force or strain. The goal is to explore movement with curiosity and gentleness.

Recap: Why Somatic Pilates May Be Right for You

While research specifically on Somatic Pilates is limited, both Pilates and somatic movement methods have strong scientific support.

By combining the precision of Pilates with the awareness of somatic movement, it creates an experience that can help you move better, feel better, and understand your body better.

Whether you're dealing with chronic pain, seeking stress relief, or simply wanting to move more comfortably in your daily life, this practice offers tools and insights that can help you reach your goals.

Combined with the expert advice you can get from our nutritional and health wellness experts at Reverse Health, you’ll enjoy a stronger connection between your body and mind in no time.

Ultimately, whatever path you choose, approaching it with curiosity and patience will help you get the most out of your Somatic Pilates practice.

‍