Pilates Movement Monday: The Hundred

Focused control in the Pilates Hundred, building strength, breath awareness, and deep core engagement.

The Hundred is one of the most talked-about movements in Pilates history. Everyone has a theory. Everyone has a reason. Yet no one seems to know for sure why Joseph Pilates made it the first exercise in the mat sequence.

What we do know is this: it’s the odd one out. While most of the mat sequence moves through clear flexion, extension, rotation, or control, the Hundred is largely static. It holds tension. It demands focus. It introduces breath. But was that the intention?

Some argue it was placed first to stimulate blood circulation, a way to “wake up” the system before movement. Others think it was a warm-up to prepare for what comes next, like the Roll-Up. Or perhaps, more practically, it looked good on paper. When Joseph Pilates published Return to Life Through Contrology, maybe he wanted to start his book with a strong image before leading into more dynamic sequences.

Whatever the original reason, we now have the benefit of research on the core and neutral alignment. Today, we teach the Hundred with purpose rooted in science.

• Head down: a posture position, ideal for those who don’t need neck flexion.

• Head up: what I call centre flex or centre focus, engaging the core more directly.

Both versions work when taught with understanding. The question is not why did he put it first, but why are we teaching it now.

So, as we continue to debate the mystery, the Hundred remains one of the best exercises to explore connection, breath, and endurance. Maybe that’s the real reason it has lasted so long.