Mind the Mat is in its 18th year of expert Pilates mat instruction. Over the years we have heard this common sentiment from beginners:  “I am intimidated to come to the studio” and, “I don’t know where to start, you have so many classes and many are full.” Yes, your first time can be intimidating but we do our best as your instructor team to make it fun and for you to feel welcomed.

Are you a beginner to the practice of yoga? This blog post by Mind the Mat owner, Sara VanderGoot, will guide you in understanding where to begin.

Does your back hurt? Here’s how and why Pilates works: as humans, we have to keep moving to stay alive. We especially need to keep moving when we are injured.

Why did our Pilates continue an upward “trend” while the method fell off elsewhere? Could it be that Alexandrians are more in-the-know? Instead of bragging about our expert team, here are three key benefits of our Pilates mat method, and how you can experience them for yourself.

A few months ago, a dear friend of mine invited me to a meeting at Alexandria Country Day School to have a conversation about race. Like her, I believe an important part of my yoga and mindfulness practice is helping to heal social issues by doing my own internal work. So I went.

For an overall happy and healthy body practice these exercises and movements from your home on Mind the Mat's FitClinic App. These everyday movements are for anybody and everybody and can be easily incorporated into your daily routine.

Even though we may be able to determine the cause of neck dysfunction, there are still three common factors that tend to exacerbate or cause our neck pain. If you suffer from bouts of pain or even constant neck problems, take a quick read, and practice these steps.