There’s a moment that happens in Pilates when something clicks.
You’ve done the exercise before. You know the shape. You know the breath.
But then you hear a cue like, “Pull your knees in as if they’re dragging through thick mud,” delivered with the tone of someone who’s truly living it — and suddenly your whole body reorganizes.
You feel the work more deeply. You’re not just feeling the Pilates workout, you’re feeling the method.
That’s the power of the right words.
Pilates isn’t just about choreography or muscle activation.
It’s about communication—between your brain, your breath, your nervous system, and your body.
And language is the bridge.
Words are not just instructions – they shape experience
When we move, we’re not simply muscles contracting.
We’re responding to imagery, tone, rhythm, and intention.
A cue isn’t just telling you what to do.
A cue tells your body how to do it.
For example:
- “Grow tall.” vs.
- “Imagine a stack of heavy books balancing on your head—keep pressing up into them.”
The movement is technically the same.
But the experience is completely different.
One feels mechanical. The other feels connected, supported, and fluid.
The body responds to meaning, not just directions.
The nervous system is listening
When cues feel rushed, harsh, or disconnected, our bodies tend to tense up, or not respond at all. But when a cue is delivered with presence and empathy, it lands differently. Think of someone saying “reach” in a way that sounds like they’re truly reaching—their intention helps your body understand what to do.
The right cue and tone:
- Regulates the breath
- Softens unnecessary tension
- Creates clarity
- Helps the right muscles work in the right order
This is why Pilates can feel like therapy for the nervous system.
The language and tone we use in movement either invites ease or creates strain.
Good cueing isn’t about saying more — it’s about saying the right thing
I think of cueing like choosing the perfect key that unlocks a door.
Sometimes:
- One image changes everything.
- One phrase helps the deep core switch on.
- One reminder helps the shoulders melt and the breath return.
And the cue that works for you today might be different tomorrow.
Because you are different every day.
Your body is always learning — not just how to move, but how to feel movement.
This is why Saran Pilates classes feel supportive
I teach in a way that:
- Makes sense in the body
- Creates flow instead of force
- Helps you understand yourself through movement
Not to get you to “perform” the shape…
but to help you inhabit it.
Not to look perfect…
but to feel organized, confident, and connected from within.
If you’ve ever taken a class and thought:
“Oh… that finally makes sense now.”
That’s the experience I want you to have again and again.
If you want to feel this in your own practice
If you’re craving:
- A practice that feels intelligent, not random
- Cues that help your body understand what it’s doing
- Workouts that actually build awareness, strength, and ease
That’s exactly what we do inside Saran Pilates.
Our classes are designed with thoughtful cueing and sequencing that meets you where you are — and takes you further.
You can start a free 7-day trial and experience it for yourself.
When you’re guided well, you move well—and you start to feel that shift both on and off the reformer.
Gabrielle Saran
