Before I started studying corrective exercise more seriously, I was sometimes a tad fuzzy on what people actually meant when they said they had “disc issues.” Then I came across this image and suddenly a lot of chronic movement patterns — and a lot of low back pain — started making more sense. Frankly, it also explained why some people get out of bed looking like they just lost a fight with a medieval drawbridge. Things to know about the discs: Healthy discs act like cushions and shock...

Way back when I was going through my Stott Pilates training, we were taught how to do a posture analysis. A pretend client (usually another instructor-in-training) would stand there while a very earnest, mildly panicked instructor-to-be (me) looked them up and down, clipboard in hand—checking head position, shoulder stacking, rib flare. Then I’d mark down what looked “forward,” “tilted,” “rotated,” and what, theoretically, needed fixing. I remember thinking: this feels…ambitious. How am I...

Mixed-level reformer classes at Speakeasy Pilates are great for beginners. Many studios require students to complete beginner Pilates before joining other classes. Clients often ask whether reformer Pilates needs strict levels to be safe. The answer depends less on levels and more on teaching. A lot of Pilates studios run on a school system. You take beginner classes. You’re observed. You’re approved. Then — and only then — you’re allowed into the next room. It’s orderly. It’s sensible. It...