Pilates Movement Monday: Elephant on the Mat: A Fascia-Friendly Focus

Practising dynamic Elephant on the mat, lengthening the spine with fascia-friendly movement.

Today we’re revisiting the Elephant , not just on the Reformer, but bringing it into the mat class with purpose. This movement, often underestimated, is a brilliant way to explore spinal articulation, breath, and fascia without the need for equipment. But how fascia-friendly is this movement really? And how might it serve different postural types?

Elephant: A Moving, Not Holding, Experience

Unlike some static shapes found in other movement disciplines, Elephant in Pilates is always a movement ,not a held pose. That’s one of its strengths. It invites dynamic engagement, offering:

• Spinal lengthening with articulation

• Eccentric hamstring control

• Engagement through the shoulders and upper back

• A powerful relationship with the breath

Fascia and Movement: Not About Over-Stretching

Fascia responds best to hydrated, elastic, and varied movement , not forced, prolonged stretching. When we move with rhythm and intention, fascia is more likely to stay supple and integrated. The Elephant, especially when done dynamically, gives just that:

• Rolling through the feet stimulates the superficial back line

• Maintaining a neutral pelvis avoids over-pulling through the lumbar fascia

• Shifting weight encourages fascia to respond elastically rather than becoming overstretched

Rather than aiming to "lengthen everything,” the goal in Elephant is to mobilise while maintaining control.

Postural Considerations in Elephant

One of the strengths of Pilates is its adaptability. The way we teach Elephant can vary depending on the client’s spinal shape:

Postural Type	How to Adapt Elephant
Lordotic	Emphasise lifting through the abdominals to bring the pelvis toward neutral. Encourage softness through knees to avoid excessive spinal extension.
Flat-back	Allow the pelvis to tilt gently, focus on controlled spinal articulation. Watch for rigidity in the thoracic spine and invite fluid breath.
Kyphotic (rounded upper back)	Cue length through the crown of the head, not the chin. Use shoulder depression and wide collarbones to reduce load in the upper body.

Making Elephant Mat-Friendly

Bringing Elephant onto the mat isn't about mimicking the Reformer , it’s about translating its intention:

1. Hands on a box or small step: replicates the shoulder-to-hand relationship of the Reformer.

2. Heels lifted: reduces the pull on tight posterior lines, supporting spinal decompression.

3. Add marching: alternate lifting heels or legs to introduce dynamic fascia work.

4. Focus on breath: exhale to draw the navel in and shift the pelvis , making it less about the legs, more about the centre.

Why Pilates Elephant is Brilliant for Fascia

Fascia thrives on varied, rhythmical load , and Elephant delivers:

• Movement over position: Keeps tissue hydrated and responsive

• No overstretching: Dynamic shifts avoid strain on already-lengthened fascia

• Cross-body awareness: Hands and feet connect through the core, teaching true integration

Final Thoughts for Movement Monday

Elephant is a fascia-friendly favourite when taught with clarity and adapted to the client in front of you. Whether on the Reformer or the mat, it’s not about achieving a shape — it’s about moving with intention, connecting breath to action, and exploring the whole-body relationships that Pilates is built on.

So next time you're in class, remember , it’s not about the stretch, it’s about the sequence of motion. That’s the Pilates way.