We have some news worth sharing. This September, Everybody Pilates Southsea will host MatFit Lab for a three-day continuing education workshop, running 9–12 September 2026 — and the event has already been featured by Gratz Pilates on their events blog.
For us, that’s a meaningful nod. Gratz has equipped our studios from the start, and their coverage reflects something we care deeply about: keeping classical Pilates education at the highest possible standard.
About the workshop
MatFit Lab, led by Michael Johnson, is rooted in the original principles of Joseph Pilates’ Contrology. Across three days, it explores how assessment, joint mobilization, fascia integration, and nervous system awareness can elevate the Pilates practice at any level. Michael’s framework — Assess, Mobilize, Heal — draws directly on tools Joseph Pilates introduced in the 1920s, including the 10 Point Fitness Test.
Though classically grounded, the material applies across all movement modalities, supporting both everyday clients and professional athletes.
Built for teachers and movement professionals
This workshop is designed for Pilates teachers, apprentices, and movement professionals who want to deepen their understanding of joint mechanics, sharpen client assessment, and programme apparatus work with more precision. If you’re part of our teacher-training community, it’s a natural next step in your continuing development.
Workshop overview — what each day covers
Day 1 — Assess & Foundations of Contrology: the origins of Contrology and its emphasis on motor control, joint space and safety vs. threat, Joseph Pilates’ Eye Chart and its modern applications, the 10 Point Fitness Test, plus an afternoon introduction to mobilization principles including tensegrity, fascia connection, and the role of isometrics in healing.
Day 2 — Mobilization in Your Pilates Practice: applying mobilization through apparatus work — scapula and humerus relationship, shoulder mechanics, and work on the Wunda Chair and Push-Through Bar in the morning; hip joint function and femur angle using barrels, leg springs, tower, and reformer in the afternoon.
Day 3 — Spine & Integration in Contrology: spinal mobility and posture through a Contrology lens — open vs. athletic posture, lumbar and hip mobility, gait-related joint actions in the morning; thoracic and cervical spine work, short box, barrels, and reformer positions in the afternoon.
What you’ll leave with
By the end you’ll understand how to assess and mobilize the entire skeleton, apply the 10 Point Fitness Test across all ages, load and optimise joints safely using Contrology equipment, identify safety vs. threat responses in the nervous system, and integrate eye chart work to support regulation and healing.
FAQ
What is MatFit Lab? MatFit Lab is a three-day continuing education workshop led by Michael Johnson, rooted in the original principles of Joseph Pilates’ Contrology and built around three pillars: Assess, Mobilize, and Heal.
When and where is it taking place? 9–12 September 2026 at Everybody Pilates Southsea, UK.
Who is the workshop for? Pilates teachers, apprentices, and movement professionals who want to deepen their understanding of joint mechanics, improve client assessment, optimise apparatus programming, and integrate nervous system regulation into their practice.
Do I need to be classically trained to attend? No. The workshop is grounded in classical Pilates, but the concepts apply across all exercise modalities and benefit both general clients and professional athletes.
Does it count toward continuing professional development? Yes — it’s part of Everybody Pilates’ continuing education programme for teachers.
How do I register? Visit our continuing education page: everybodypilates.co.uk/teacher-training/continuing-education
