PILATES Improves posture Used as a prehab' / rehabilitation tool When modified, is gentle enough for pregnant women, yet challenging enough for advanced exercisers. Improves coordination Enhances body alignment Strengthens the abs, back and stabilizer muscles Stretches, strengthens and relaxes your body Incorporates exercises that target your abs, back and legs, making your body strong and flexible. There are two ways to exercise in Pilates. Today, most people focus on the mat exercises, which require only a floor mat and training. These exercises are designed so that your body uses its own weight as resistance, in order to improve strength and or flexibility of specific areas determined by the practitioner. The other method of Pilates uses a variety of machines to tone and strengthen the body, again using the principle of resistance.