“Above all, learn how to breathe correctly.”

Joseph Pilates

In Classical Pilates, breath is not simply something added to movement. It is one of the central principles of the method and one of the reasons the work feels so energizing, restorative, and intelligent. Joseph Pilates believed that the way we breathe affects the way we move, think, and live. Breath gives rhythm to the exercises, supports the spine, activates the powerhouse, and creates a deeper connection between mind and body.

What makes Classical Pilates unique is that breath becomes the protagonist across the entire system. You feel it in the mat work, in exercises like the Hundred and Rolling Like a Ball, and throughout all the apparatus invented by Joseph Pilates. The Reformer, Cadillac, Tower, and Wunda Chair are designed with springs that follow the natural rhythm of the breath. As the body lengthens on the inhale and gathers strength on the exhale, movement becomes fluid, coordinated, and deeply connected.

Rolling exercises were even created with the intention of refreshing and cleansing the lungs while mobilizing the spine. The better we move, the better we breathe — and the better we breathe, the better we move. This relationship is at the heart of the Classical Pilates method.

At Pilates School of Movement, this understanding shapes the way we teach. We believe Pilates should never feel mechanical or disconnected from the person practicing it. Breath guides every session, whether in private training or small group classes. Our groups are intentionally limited to five people so every client receives personal attention while still enjoying the motivation and support of a shared practice..

Located in Brussels, between Saint Gilles and Chatelain, Pilates School of Movement is currently the only Classical Pilates studio in Brussels offering both fully equipped private sessions and small group classes. With all the apparatus created by Joseph Pilates, we teach the method as a complete system — one that develops strength, mobility, flexibility, coordination, and longevity through breath and mindful movement.

For us, Classical Pilates is not only exercise. It is a way of moving through life with more awareness, balance, and vitality.💛