What Are the STOTT PILATES® Principles and Why Do They Matter?
- Education Solepilates
- Jul 28
- 7 min read
Written by Saulo Ouverney
STOTT PILATES® Lead Instructor Trainer | Founder of Sole Pilates | Official Merrithew® Host Training Centre
Introduction
The STOTT PILATES® Principles help instructors understand how the whole body works together.
Instead of memorising choreography, students learn to observe movement, recognise compensation and make informed teaching decisions.
Questions such as these become part of every assessment:
Is the client breathing comfortably?
Is the pelvis supporting the movement?
Is the rib cage moving efficiently?
Are the shoulder blades organised without unnecessary tension?
Is the head and neck aligned appropriately?
Are the lower limbs providing the right balance between mobility and stability?
These observations allow instructors to adapt exercises to the individual rather than expecting every client to move in exactly the same way.
These Principles provide the biomechanical foundation of the STOTT PILATES® method. At Sole Pilates, an Official Merrithew® Host Training Centre, students begin applying these Principles from the very start of their instructor education.
Understanding the STOTT PILATES® Principles
These Principles help instructors understand how the whole body works together. Instead of memorising choreography, students learn to observe movement, recognise compensation and make informed teaching decisions.
Principle 1: Breathing
Breathing is often the first Principle introduced during STOTT PILATES® training.
The STOTT PILATES® method encourages a three-dimensional breathing pattern, with particular awareness of the lateral and posterior expansion of the rib cage.
This can help students explore the movement of the ribs while maintaining appropriate abdominal engagement.
Breathing may also:
Encourage awareness of the rib cage.
Help reduce unnecessary tension.
Support abdominal recruitment.
Establish rhythm and movement flow.
Help clients remain connected to an exercise.
However, breathing should not become so complicated that the client can no longer concentrate on moving.
A new client may already be trying to understand the equipment, the exercise, the instructor's terminology and the position of their body. Constantly correcting every inhalation and exhalation may create more tension rather than improving the movement.
The priority should always be to keep the client breathing comfortably.
As their confidence and movement awareness develop, more specific breathing patterns can gradually be introduced.
Principle 2: Pelvic Placement
Pelvic Placement considers the relationship between the pelvis and the lumbar spine.
Within the STOTT PILATES® method, exercises may be performed with the pelvis and lumbar spine in a neutral position or, where appropriate, in an imprinted position.
Neutral does not mean forcing the pelvis into one fixed or ideal posture.
It refers to working within an appropriate alignment in which the natural curves of the spine can be maintained without unnecessary muscular tension.
Imprint involves a controlled relationship between the pelvis, abdominals and lumbar spine. It may be used when the load of an exercise makes it difficult for a client to maintain an appropriate neutral position.
Understanding Pelvic Placement helps an instructor consider:
The client's individual spinal structure.
The load placed on the abdominals.
The position of the legs.
The demands of the exercise.
Whether the client can maintain control without gripping or straining.
The goal is not to make every pelvis look identical.
The goal is to help each client manage movement and load effectively.
Principle 3: Rib Cage Placement
The rib cage has a close relationship with the thoracic spine, shoulders, abdominals and breathing mechanics.
Rib Cage Placement focuses on maintaining an appropriate relationship between the ribs, spine and pelvis during movement.
When the arms move overhead, for example, a client may respond by lifting or thrusting the lower ribs forwards. This may create movement through the spine rather than through the intended areas.
An instructor therefore learns to observe whether the rib cage is:
Moving appropriately with the breath.
Maintaining a functional relationship with the pelvis.
Responding to arm movements without excessive spinal extension.
Being held too rigidly.
Creating unnecessary tension through the upper body.
The rib cage should not be forced down or fixed in place.
It must be able to move during breathing and respond naturally to the demands of an exercise.
The Principle teaches students to distinguish useful movement from unnecessary compensation.
Principle 4: Scapular Movement and Stabilisation
The scapulae, or shoulder blades, are designed to move.
They elevate, depress, protract, retract and rotate as the arms move.
Scapular Movement and Stabilisation does not mean permanently pulling the shoulder blades down and together.
Instead, the scapulae should remain appropriately organised on the rib cage while still being able to move.
This Principle helps students understand how the shoulder blades, arms, clavicles and rib cage work together.
An instructor may observe:
Whether the shoulders are lifting unnecessarily.
Whether the scapulae are winging away from the rib cage.
Whether the client is gripping between the shoulder blades.
Whether the scapulae can rotate during arm movement.
Whether tension is developing through the neck and upper shoulders.
Good scapular organisation supports efficient arm movement and can reduce unnecessary tension around the neck and shoulders.
It also reminds students that stability does not mean rigidity.
Principle 5: Head and Cervical Placement
The position of the head and cervical spine influences the alignment of the rest of the body.
Head and Cervical Placement focuses on maintaining an appropriate relationship between the head, neck and thoracic spine during different movements.
When the spine is neutral, the cervical spine should usually continue the natural line created by the thoracic spine.
During spinal flexion, the head and neck should respond as part of the movement rather than being pulled forwards independently.
Students learn to observe whether a client is:
Overextending the neck.
Pulling the chin too strongly towards the chest.
Leading movement with the head.
Creating unnecessary tension in the neck.
Maintaining an appropriate eye line for the exercise.
This Principle is especially important when teaching exercises involving upper-body flexion.
The aim is not to create one predetermined head position for every person. It is to support the head appropriately while maintaining the intended movement of the spine.
Principle 6: Lower Body Mobility and Stability
Lower Body Mobility and Stability considers how the feet, ankles, knees and hips function individually and together as part of the entire movement system.
The lower body must provide both mobility and stability. The joints require sufficient freedom to move, while the surrounding muscles provide the control needed to support efficient movement.
This Principle encourages instructors to observe the lower limbs with the same attention they give to the spine and upper body.
An instructor may observe:
How the feet connect with the floor, Mat or equipment.
Whether weight is distributed evenly through the feet.
The alignment between the feet, ankles, knees and hips.
Whether the knees are tracking appropriately during movement.
Whether movement is occurring efficiently through the hip joints.
Whether unnecessary gripping is occurring through the feet or lower limbs.
How the pelvis responds as the legs move.
How the lower limbs contribute to balance, control and force transfer throughout the body.
The feet provide the foundation for movement.
Changes in foot pressure or ankle mobility may influence the alignment of the knees, hips, pelvis and spine.
Likewise, reduced hip mobility or poor lower-limb control may create compensations elsewhere in the body.
Lower Body Mobility and Stability does not mean making the legs rigid.
It means providing the appropriate balance between mobility and control so movement remains efficient, supported and adaptable.
The STOTT PILATES® Principles Work Together
The Principles should never be considered independently.
A change in breathing may influence the rib cage, which in turn affects the shoulders, pelvis and spine. Likewise, lower-body alignment may influence pelvic organisation and movement throughout the body.
Understanding anatomy makes these relationships easier to recognise, which is why basic anatomy preparation is recommended before the STOTT PILATES® Intensive Mat-Plus™ Course.
Lead Instructor Insight
Saulo Ouverney is a STOTT PILATES® Lead Instructor Trainer, founder of Sole Pilates and former educator at Merrithew's Corporate Training Centre in Toronto.
"One of the biggest mistakes students make at the beginning of their instructor education is focusing too intensely on cueing the breathing pattern.
Yes, it is important that clients continue breathing during an exercise. However, we must first allow them to feel comfortable in their bodies, with the instructor and within the environment. Once they become more relaxed, they are often much more able to follow a specific breathing pattern.
The inhalation and exhalation can also be adapted according to the concentric and eccentric phases of an exercise. The breathing pattern should support the movement rather than become an additional source of pressure for the client.
It is always valuable to see students arrive prepared. When they have completed the recommended participation hours and studied the necessary anatomy, they are far better able to understand how the STOTT PILATES® Principles work together.
Some clients may naturally understand certain Principles while finding others more challenging. Their movement awareness, mood and emotions all influence how their bodies move on any given day.
Give them time. Watch the body moving and correct one thing at a time. This allows the client to process and truly internalise the information you are giving them."
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know all of the STOTT PILATES® Principles before the course?
No. A basic understanding is helpful, but the course teaches you how to apply the Principles.
Should every exercise use the same breathing pattern?
No. Breathing should support the objective of the exercise.
Should I correct every Principle during every exercise?
No. Focus on the most important point for that client.
Will anatomy help me understand the Principles?
Yes. A basic knowledge of anatomy makes it much easier to understand how the Principles relate.
Continue Your STOTT PILATES® Journey
We recommend exploring the STOTT PILATES® Intensive Mat-Plus™ Course and reading:
At Sole Pilates, our mission is to develop knowledgeable, confident instructors through world-class education, personalised mentoring and a genuine understanding of human movement.
About the Author
Saulo Ouverney is a STOTT PILATES® Lead Instructor Trainer and founder of Sole Pilates, an Official Merrithew® Host Training Centre in Oxfordshire.With more than 20 years of teaching experience, Saulo has educated Pilates instructors throughout Europe, Asia and North America. He previously worked at Merrithew's Corporate Training Centre in Toronto, where he helped educate and mentor instructors in the STOTT PILATES® methodology.His teaching philosophy combines contemporary biomechanics, movement quality and personalised education to help instructors build lasting confidence and professional excellence.
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