BASI Pilates® Block System

The BASI Pilates® Block System lies at the heart of the BASI Pilates methodology.

Devised by BASI founder, Rael Isacowitz, the BASI Pilates® Block System is a specialized “filing” system for the hundreds of exercises in the Pilates repertoire. It categorizes exercises in a logical sequence that ensures the progressive structuring of classes within a flexible framework.

The beauty of the BASI Pilates® Block System is that it encourages progressive thinking within a structure. A Pilates teacher can construct a class that suits the ability of each client without compromising on their specific needs or restrictions. And, as BASI teachers gain the experience they become ever more skilled at working with the many opportunities and intricacies of the Block System.

“When I started teaching Pilates (not BASI Pilates at that time) I taught exercises randomly. It was like grabbing exercises from the air as they floated around without purpose. My appreciation for the BASI Pilates® Block System began when I understood that, in a class of 12 clients, say, I could tailor the routine to the needs of each individual without teaching the same exercises to 12 people—while challenging all of them within their range of movement and ability.”

— Theo Botha, BASI Pilates Principal Faculty