As an athlete, Pilates studied eastern methods of training such as Yoga and Zen meditation and developed his system based on observed movement, creative exercises, and theories on healthy movement. The Pilates workout system is comprised of over 500 exercises, performed as a mat based workout or using special resistance equipment.
The main principles of Pilates are:
breath, control, precision, flow of movement, centering and stability.

By using these principles, the objective is to restore the body to a place of balance by gaining healthy postural alignment, strengthening the core, relieving overworked muscles, and gaining spinal mobility. All of these attributes allow for greater ease and freedom in movement. The concept that Pilates consistently reminds us of is that the body functions holistically and therefore should be addressed in the same manner.