Should I take Pilates Private Sessions or Group Classes?

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The Pilates method of exercise is based on learning specific principles of breath, control, precision, flowing movement, centering, and concentration.   Learning the method is truly a process that is continually challenging you to connect to your body so you can learn to breathe more efficiently, move from your center, and create uniform development or balance in your body.

Every body and every personality learns differently and the best process for you to learn will be unique to you. There really is no right or wrong way.

We suggest starting your Pilates journey with 3-6 private sessions.  By starting your learning process with private sessions you have a chamermaid adjustmentsnce to learn the basic ideas and principles in a way that is very specific to your body.   These private sessions will give you a chance to learn the Pilates fundamentals such as how to breathe during your exercises, how to engage your deep abdominal muscles, and how to stabilize your hips and shoulders.

These sessions will also give you a chance to create body awareness about how your body moves, where your individual imbalances may be, and give you an idea of places you can focus and work on as you continue your Pilates practice.

After your introductory private sessions, how you continue your Pilates training is really up to you.

Private sessions offer complete one-on-one attention from your instructor and allow you to move and learn at your own specific pace.  Individual sessions are also great for fine tuning and making adjustments to your movements that are specific to you.

Semi-private sessions are a great way to work out with a friend and still get the individualized attention of a private session.

Small group classes are a fun, effective way to do a Pilates workout while still getting great adjustments IMG_2412and feedback from your instructor.

Some clients take just private or semi-private sessions, some take just classes, and many do both!  We suggest trying them all so you can find out what you enjoy the most.

Consistency is the key in creating an effective Pilates practice in your life, so try to find some regular times that you can put into your weekly schedule.

Practice Your Pilates breathing!

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Joseph Pilates stated, “Above all, learn how to breathe correctly.”

Proper breathing is the cornerstone of the Pilates method of exercise.

The Pilates breathing technique promotes learning how to use the full capacity of our breath by emphasizing a complete inhale and a complete exhale. There is also a focus on maintaining the engagement of the abdominal muscles throughout both the inhale and exhale which allows the body to strengthen the core muscles and create movement from the center of the body.

It is not an easy task to focus on proper breathing technique while executing the Pilates exercises and still keeping a whole body awareness of our alignment and form. Just remember that Pilates is a movement practice and every time you practice it will get easier and easier, and your body will naturally start to incorporate the breath and movements!

Today’s video will give you some reminders of how to execute the Pilates breath and give you some tips to practice. When learning or fine tuning this breath it may help you to just practice the breathing by itself without the added coordination of trying to perform specific exercises while breathing.

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How can Pilates help me relieve stress in my life?

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Joseph Pilates knew the importance and power of our own thoughts. One of the fundamental ideas throughout the Pilates work is concentration.

Concentration refers to simply paying attention to what you are doing and how it feels in your body.

This means when your mind starts to wander and you begin to think about what you’re making for dinner tonight during your Hundreds exercise , bring your focus back to the exercise and the sensations in your body.

It sounds simple yet I believe that concentrating during Pilates is one of the hardest aspects of the work. We are all so busy and have so many things packed into our lives that it is hard to spend a whole session focusing on ourselves and our bodies. It is also one of the most beneficial aspects of Pilates, as it allows us to quiet our minds and relieve the stress of our day to day lives.

During your next session or class, try to work on your concentration and let us know how it changes your workout. When your mind wanders (and it will, probably a lot!), just remind yourself to come back to the present moment and focus on the task at hand. Know that whatever else is on your mind will wait until after your session and that by this practice of concentration you are truly giving your body a gift of health!

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Is it better to do Pilates Mat classes or Pilates Equipment classes?

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IMG_2871Have you ever wondered what is better- Mat Pilates or Equipment Pilates?  Or maybe you are curious about what the difference is between the mat work and the equipment work.  Keep reading and hopefully we’ll answer your questions!

First of all it’s important to realize that Pilates is a method of exercise and there are lots of different ways you can practice Pilates. The effectiveness of the Pilates work doesn’t necessarily come from having a particular piece of equipment to use, but really comes from HOW you do it. That being said, the Pilates equipment was to designed to help you learn the method more efficiently and to allow your body lots of different variations to do different movements.

What is Mat Pilates?

When we talk about Mat Pilates, we are talking about using the Pilates method to do exercises using only your own body as resistance.   Sometimes we use small props in the mat work such a a small ball, a theraband or a Pilates Magic Circle(a small ring that provides flexible resistance).   Joseph Pilates created a sequence of exercises that is often called the traditional Pilates Mat sequence. Since the method is highly adaptable to any body, there are lots of different variations of these exercises that can be incorporated into any workout. The mat work is especially nice when you are traveling or just don’t have access to any equipment.

What is  Pilates Equipment?

Joseph Pilates designed spring based equipment to support and advance the body while practicing the Pilates method of exercising. The movements that we do during mat work and while using the equipment are very similiar. The springs of the equipment are often referred to as extra muscles, or an extention of the body.  They allow the body to experience a movement that they maybe could not do otherwise. They help teach the body how to move properly so that it can repeat that movement in other situations.

What should I do?

I like to encourage our clients to do a mix of both mat work and equipment work.  During private sessions, your instructor will combine various mat and equipment exercises to create a workout program optimal for your body’s needs.  If clients are primarily taking group classes I really encourage them to take a mix of both mat and equipment classes.

What are the benefits of doing both?

Doing the Pilates Method in a variety of ways will create the optimal results in your body and allow you to continue to progress through the exercises.  The different pieces of equipment and mat work really work together to create change in your body.  For instance, there may be a particular movement or exercise that is challenging for you( for example: teaser on the reformer long box).  By practicing the mat variation of this exercise you will create the strength and balance to help you perfect it on the reformer.  Another great example is an exercise called the roll-up.  In the mat work we try to leave the legs anchored to the mat as we roll down through the spine to a lying position, and then roll back up to a starting position with the same control.   Doing this same exercise on the Pilates equipment called the Cadillac(holding on to a bar attached to springs), teaches your body this same movement and helps you build the strength to do the mat version, in a very supported way.

Is Mat or Equipment better? 

Both Mat and Equipment Pilates are great for your body and equally effective.   If you have the opportunity I suggest using a variety of both mat work and equipment work to help you strengthen, balance and align your body to receive optimal results!

Try it today!

Worried about your plank?

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plank4A common question I get from clients new to Pilates is, “Are we going to be doing a lot of planks? They really hurt my wrists or my back or….fill in the blank.”  The quick short answer is no.  You do not have to be able to do a plank to practice Pilates.

You see Pilates is a system of exercises that is designed to strengthen the entire body from the center out.  As you begin your Pilates practice you’ll find that the majority of the exercises are done lying on your back or your belly and focus on you figuring out how to engage from your center.

As your body starts to figure out how to engage from your center the method will continue to challenge you by asking you to do whole body movements the engage, strengthen, and increase balance in your musclature.  As you continue to progress in your own strength and balance these exercises will progress to continue to challenge you.  You will naturally progress to more challenging exercises.  Eventually you may find yourself strong and balanced enough to do exercises that require you to support your body in plank-like or side-plank like position.

I promise by the time you get to these exercises….you will be ready for them and we’ll teach you how to do them without pain or injury.

Why it’s important to fill out your health intake completely…

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healthhistoryIf you’re new to Pilates you might find it a little strange that on your first visit to the studio we ask you to fill out a health intake form.  After all, you are just going to work out right?  Why do we need to know about your health ailments, surgeries, illnesses or past injuries? It’s not a doctor visit!!   Well, Pilates is a little bit different from traditional exercise and your health history and your current physical health highly effect how your instructor teaches you the Pilates Method.

As Pilates instructors we are trained to teach the Pilates method to the body in front of us.  What this means to you as a client is that every movement we teach you is taught in a way that is appropriate for your body.  When you fill out your health intake form completely it gives your instructor a great starting place to teach you from.Here’s a few things that people often forget to write down:

  • Old injuries (even those that happened as a child) can effect how your body moves and your movement patterns.  Old injuries that don’t bother you at all may seem silly to list, but as a movement instructor that information can help us decipher movement patterns we are seeing in your body and help us find the best way to help you improve your movement.
  • Occasional aches and pains can tell us a lot.  Don’t feel bad about telling us your low back occasionally hurts when you’ve been sitting for long periods of time or that knee you injured in college bothers you when you take a step in a certain way.  The Pilates method of exercise is designed to create balance in your body and telling us about those occasional aches and pains can help us figure out things like what muscles we need to strengthen, what muscles may need more flexibility and also what kind of movement tips we could give you to use when you are not at the studio.
  • Past surgeries even if they were a long time ago can effect your movements patterns and your muscles.  Depending on the type of surgery, incisions that were made, and what procedure was done this information can give your instructor a lot of information.

We know that for most people telling your fitness instructor your health history is not the normal and really just want you to know why we ask!  We also want you to know that the information is completely confidential and only used by our instructors to help tailor your movement practices to your body.