DOJO Stuff
Progressive Mat Pilates
Progressive Mat Pilates is about going deeper. Doing less, but with more intensity, focus, and intention.
“Gradually, then suddenly.”
From a half class to two full classes our Mat Pilates classes have grown a lot over the past year, and so have many of you who showed up and kept showing up. Now seems like a good time to reflect that growth with some updated structure to our current Mat Pilates classes.
10am Mat Pilates will be staying the same, but is listed as ‘Open Mat Pilates‘. You come in and you’ll get a great workout through a 45 minute Mat Pilates sequence that’s both approachable for first-timers but challenging to veteran practitioners.
9am will be changing to Progressive Mat Pilates.
So what’s that mean?
It’s not about your skill level now, it’s about how you’ll get to where you want to be.
Progressive Mat Pilates is about going deeper—doing fewer moves and sequences with more intensity, focus, and intention.
Here’s the class description:
”This class isn’t about where you’re at—it’s about where you want to go. Whether you’re starting fresh or ready to go deeper with your practice, Progressive Mat Pilates offers a focused, intentional approach. Together, we’ll systematically drill the 34 classical Mat Pilates moves and sequences until they become second nature, giving you the confidence to perform them on your own. The class is structured so you can join anytime, with weekly progressions that build on prior sessions. Home practice is encouraged ”
DAWN PATROL
Personal training intention meets small group energy in DAWN PATROL, our new M,W,F, class.
We have a new class.
M,W,F at 6am
”We move at dawn. This early morning class is designed to build functional strength and expand your natural mobility—the kind of capability that makes you feel ready for whatever. Dawn Patrol blends the intention and guidance of personal training with the energy of tight-knit small group training. Using minimalist equipment like sandbags, kettlebells, and boxes, mixed with proven movement patterns and bodyweight work, you'll train to be stronger and move better on any terrain—home, work, or wilderness.”
Let’s Walk Through WALLS Together
Walk through a Wall with Heather as she takes you through one of the 5 minute workouts in WALLS, start to finish, before the sun came up, with coffee, on a little spot between the bookshelf, Christmas tree, and our reading spot.
Five minutes and a little spot on the floor is all it takes.
We shot a video of Heather doing a wall start to finish before the sun came up, with coffee, on a little spot between the bookshelf, Christmas tree, and our reading spot.
In the video she covers how Walls is delivered, how to navigate your workout, and how much work you can get done doing just one wall.
WALLS begins December 30th.
Sign up by December 29th.
Walk through walls for winter
Just you, the ground, and five minutes a few times a day, how hard can it be? WALLS is back to start 2025.
The spot on the rug between the fire and the coffee table.
It’s all the space you need.
The glow from the hearth throws your shadow across the dark walls of winter morning.
The drop of sweat hanging from the tip of your nose glints with fire light.
You hold.
You exhale.
Your blood is pumping.
Outside, a whiteout sky of winter wind whips against the walls.
It’s a battering ram of cold eager to crack your will.
A wry smile flickers on your face and says no.
Your heat nips back at the cold.
The sweat drips.
You breathe.
You push.
It’s only five minutes.
It takes that long to make coffee.
And you’re on your third already.
WALLS is back, and begins December 30th.
You don’t need anything other than a spot on the ground the size of your body, and 5 minutes at time.
Enrollment opens soon.
More details to follow.
Learn mat pilates with Heather on our Youtube Channel
We’re adding Mat Pilates videos for each of the 34 Mat Pilates to our Youtube channel, the first 3 are up.
We’re adding instructional videos for each of the 34 Mat Pilates to our Youtube channel.
Mat Pilates was intended to be learned move by move, in order, with each practitioner moving on to the next move only after they’ve perfected the preceding move. In each video Heather covers proper form, progressions, and which muscles you should feel activating, so that you get the most out of each move.
These videos will also be available to all of our private Mat Pilates clients in our training app as part of on-demand sequences for you to continue practicing outside of The Dojo.
Check out the first three videos below.
Classes are back September 28th
Class break is this weekend. We'll be outside finding something fun to do, ideally somewhere beautiful. Hope you’ll do the same, send us a picture.
No class this weekend September 21st.
Night’s coming sooner and the day’s growing cooler.
The Autumn Equinox is this weekend and it’s our favorite time for doing anything outside.
This is our first weekend without class since the last years Autumn Equinox so we’'ll be doing something fun outside, ideally somewhere beautiful.
If you get into something similar send us a picture with the subject Fall Fun to thedojo@thedojoofdowell.com
We’ll see you next weekend on the 28th. Sign up for class here.
The Early panther
Panther People like to get started early, even on the weekends, but not too early. Panther now starts at 8am on Saturdays.
Panther people have spoken.
We’re moving Saturday’s Panther HIIT class to 8am.
