How to Pilates Exercises · From Our Archive

Reformer Foundations and the Hundred

Bring breathing, rhythm, and body organization together in your assigned Hundred.

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A student practicing the Hundred on a Reformer with teacher guidance
From The Pilates School SF Fall magazine, PDF page 11.

The Hundred asks you to coordinate a rhythmic movement with breathing and an organized body position. It can look simple from across the room. Up close, there is plenty to pay attention to.

Your teacher chooses the head, leg, and arm positions that suit your current practice. On the Reformer, the straps and springs add another relationship to understand. Learn how to enter the exercise and return from it before trying to match someone else's version.

Notice whether you can maintain the assigned position while breathing and moving your arms. If one part becomes difficult to coordinate, tell your teacher what is happening. A different position or a shorter sequence may make the task clearer.

The magazine includes breathing patterns and a range of spring settings. These are lesson notes, not a requirement for every reader. Use the pattern and setup assigned to you.

After class, record one cue that helped you keep the exercise organized. The goal is to understand your Hundred well enough to practice the version that belongs in your routine.