The Forma Method
Precision in every movement.
The Forma Method is a contemporary approach to mat and reformer Pilates developed by Liana Levi, founder of Forma Pilates. It combines the fundamentals of traditional Pilates with more athletic, continuous programming, and it is taught in Forma's private studios and through Forma Pilates Online.
Built around controlled movement, precise technique and intentional sequencing, it is designed to challenge the body without sacrificing the principles that make Pilates effective.
The movements may be small. The work is not.
Traditional Pilates Principles. An Athletic Approach.
Pilates begins with awareness.
How you position your body, engage your core, control your breathing and move through resistance determines how an exercise feels and which muscles are doing the work.
These fundamentals are central to the Forma Method.
Liana developed her approach through years of practicing Pilates and later teaching it in intimate settings. She wanted to preserve the technical precision of traditional Pilates while creating a more demanding, athletic experience.
The distinction is in how the movements come together.
Individual exercises remain slow and controlled, allowing time for proper form and deliberate muscle engagement. Transitions between exercises are designed to be fluid, maintaining the intensity and continuity of a session.
The emphasis is on focused effort rather than momentum. The body is challenged through control, resistance and sustained muscular work.
What Makes the Forma Method Different?
The Forma Method is defined by the relationship between technique, sequencing and consistency.
Precision over volume. A larger movement is not necessarily a more effective one. Small changes in alignment, range and positioning can shift the work into the intended muscle group. The objective is to perform each exercise deliberately, not simply complete more repetitions.
Continuous, purposeful flow. Forma sessions move through carefully arranged sequences with efficient transitions. Rather than treating every movement as an isolated exercise, the programming creates continuity across the workout.
Athletic intensity, controlled execution. The method introduces resistance and sustained muscular engagement while maintaining a low-impact approach. Slower movement and precise execution remain essential, even as the intensity increases.
The mind-body connection. Attention is part of the practice. Understanding what a movement is asking the body to do helps practitioners engage more intentionally and recognize when positioning needs to be adjusted.
Consistency over shortcuts. Pilates is a practice that develops over time. Repeated exposure to the fundamentals allows practitioners to build familiarity, coordination, strength and control.
Together, these principles create an approach that is challenging without relying on speed, heavy impact or unnecessary complexity.
What to Expect in a Forma Class
A Forma Pilates session is structured around a sequence of exercises rather than a collection of unrelated movements.
Depending on the class, the emphasis may be on full-body strength, core engagement, glutes, legs, arms or a combination of muscle groups.
The programming often begins working the target muscles early in the session, using continuous flows and deliberate transitions to sustain the challenge.
Individual movements are performed with attention to alignment and control, while resistance, positioning and the sequencing of exercises determine the intensity.
Expect smaller movements that require concentration, repetitions that build muscular endurance and exercises that connect one part of the body to another.
The objective is not simply to feel fatigued. It is to understand the movement and execute it with purpose.
In the studios, intimate session formats allow instructors to provide individualized adjustments and help clients develop a stronger understanding of their technique.
Online, instruction and guided programming help members apply the same principles within their own practice.
Mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates
The Forma Method is practiced on both the mat and the reformer. Each format approaches the same underlying principles through different forms of resistance and movement.
Reformer Pilates
Reformer Pilates uses a spring-based apparatus to provide adjustable resistance and assistance through a range of controlled exercises.
The equipment creates opportunities to work through different angles, positions and resistance levels while maintaining an emphasis on core stability, coordination and alignment.
Forma's reformer programming includes full-body sessions and targeted work, with particular attention to the quality of each movement.
The reformer allows exercises to be modified through resistance, body positioning and range of motion, creating both challenge and opportunities for more focused instruction.
Mat Pilates
Mat Pilates uses body weight, gravity and, in selected classes, smaller props to create resistance.
Without the reformer, the body must stabilize and control movement through its own strength and coordination.
Forma's mat programming applies the same approach to precise positioning, deliberate muscle engagement and fluid sequencing.
Some mat classes require no additional equipment. Others incorporate props such as resistance bands, hand weights, ankle weights, gliders, a yoga block, a Pilates ring or a stability ball.
Both approaches share the same foundation. Neither is simply a substitute for the other.
How Forma Programming Supports Progress
Improvement in Pilates is not measured only by completing a harder class.
As practitioners become more familiar with a movement, they can develop greater awareness of alignment, improve coordination, sustain muscular engagement and work with resistance more intentionally.
The Forma approach emphasizes this progression through continued practice rather than constant novelty.
Forma Pilates Online includes individual workouts alongside structured programs. Each program sets out a sequence of classes, combining targeted sessions, full-body work and different workout lengths.
Programs such as Body by You and Core Challenge let members follow a plan instead of choosing unrelated classes each day, so there is always a clear next class.
The intention is to make consistency part of the practice while continuing to challenge strength, control and endurance.
Pilates at Home, the Forma Way
The principles of the Forma Method extend beyond the studio.
Forma Pilates Online offers more than 1,000 on-demand classes across mat, reformer and prenatal Pilates, from quick sessions under 20 minutes to longer workouts of 45 minutes or more, including focused workouts, full-body sessions and guided, structured programs that can fit into a home practice or travel schedule.
For those practicing Pilates at home without a reformer, mat classes offer a way to engage with the method using minimal or no equipment, depending on the workout.
For those with a suitable reformer, the platform provides dedicated reformer programming.
The key is choosing an appropriate class, following the instruction carefully and developing consistency rather than rushing through movements.
Whether the practice takes place in a private studio or at home, the same principles remain: precise technique, purposeful sequencing and an intentional approach to movement.
Explore Forma Pilates Online →
Who Is the Forma Method For?
The Forma Method is designed for people who appreciate detailed instruction, enjoy challenging movement and are willing to focus on technique.
Experienced Pilates practitioners may recognize familiar exercises performed with a different rhythm, sequence or level of intensity.
Those newer to Pilates benefit from learning the fundamentals first. Understanding positioning, breathing, muscular engagement and equipment is especially important before progressing to more demanding workouts. Online, that means starting with shorter, lighter classes. In the studios, individualized instruction helps establish the same foundation.
At every level, the central principle remains the same: precision comes before intensity.
The method is not about doing more for the sake of more. It is about understanding the movement, remaining present in the practice and allowing consistency to build over time.
Can Beginners Start with Forma Pilates Online?
Yes. No Pilates experience is needed to start Forma Pilates Online. The key is choosing the right first classes and building the fundamentals before increasing the intensity.
Choose a class length. Classes range from quick sessions under 20 minutes to longer workouts of 45 minutes or more. Members can filter by length: under 20 minutes, 20 to 30, 30 to 45 or 45 to 60 minutes.
Check the equipment before you start. Every class can be filtered by the equipment it uses, including No Equipment, Mat, resistance bands, hand weights, a Pilates ring, a stability ball or a reformer, so members can see what they need before choosing a class. Classes can also be filtered by instructor and focus area: full body, core, upper body, lower body or stretch.
Choose an intensity. Classes are marked Light, Medium or Hard. Newer members can begin with Light classes and progress as their technique develops.
Start with the beginner series. A dedicated beginner mat series is designed for those new to Pilates and builds the fundamentals before moving on. Members ready for more can continue to the intermediate and advanced mat series.
Follow a program. Programs such as Body by You and Core Challenge set out classes in order, so members know what to take next instead of choosing from the full library each day.
Mat or reformer. Without a reformer at home, start with mat classes. Reformer classes are designed for those with access to a reformer.
Body by You.