F.A.Qs
What is Pilates:
I have visited so many websites that give you excellent descriptions of Pilates Benefits & the History, of where Pilates originated from, this is very informative but I find that if I didn`t actually teach Pilates & wanted to know what I was enrolling for I would still not know exactly what it was after reading, so below I have tried to give you an idea of what to expect when you enroll for a Pilates Course.
Before you enroll ask yourself why do you want to do Pilates? A lot of people think that they are going to loose weight by doing it, Pilates will help tone the body & combined with healthy eating & regular cardiovascular exercise such as walking you will see the benefits. If you prefer fast aerobic type classes then Pilates is not for you unless it is a modified version of the classic matwork, it is slow controlled, mind/ body exercise mostly performed on a mat for the entire class.
Who goes to Pilates Courses?
Pilates courses are open to men & women. Levels will be advertised so make sure you enroll into a beginners class as this will be suitable for you. Pilates movements can be modified if you have any medical conditions or injuries, you may need to receive medical clearance so state this when you are inquiring as it may be recommended for you to do Personal Training Pilates.
Enrolment:
At enrolment you will be asked to fill out a standard Medical Screening Form & you may need to provide a Doctors Cert if you have stated any medical conditions or injuries when inquiring.
Fees are paid in full before the term begins & bookings can be made online.
What do I need to bring/ wear?
Any equipment that is needed will be provided. You should bring a bottle of water & a towel or small cushion that if needed you can place under your head or lower back for extra support & comfort.
Pilates puts the body through a full range of movement so wear light unrestricting clothing. Movements are done in bare feet or socks.
So what to expect (1st Class):
You will find that most people in the class are in the same situation as you (never done Pilates before) so don`t worry!
*BE WARNED* For the first class a lot of the time will be given towards teaching Pilates Principles which involves sitting or lying in the one spot for a most of the class and listening. It may seem like you are not doing much but this is a very important stage that you need to fully understand before you can begin the movements.
After the principles have been explained & practiced you will do a slow/ controlled warm up applying the principles which will put the body through full range of movement preparing the body for exercise, this usually takes about 5 - 10 mins.
As I have explained previously most of the 1st class will be about education of Principles so you may not have a lot of time for movements on the first day.
You may go home and think you have not worked very hard which I have found through experience people can`t break away from the " No Pain, No Gain " but remember this is your first class!
The Movements:
The movements are modified to make the levels easier for beginners. Our Instructors teach STOTT PILATES which has a set class repetoir for each level. There are a set number of movements for beginners. Each week you will follow the same routine so as to have the movements fully perfected, you may get 5 movements completed in the first 1 or 2 sessions and from there on in new movements added each week.
You may wonder how do you fit all this into an hour? STOTT PILATES is a very precise method & will only allow a max of 10 repitions or less of each movement so as not to cause fatigue or injury.
So what are the movements like?
The movements are not static poses, they have a flow as one movement transitions into the next. As a Fitness Instructor I find some of the movements resemble that of a toning class for example the " Ab Prep " looks like an " Ab Curl " but the way it is taught & with the newly applied Principles are what make them different. Another movement that resembles a toning class movement is " The Push Up " it is slightly different & taught Pilates way.
There are lots of different names, Joseph Pilates named the movements to sound like what they looked like eg. " Swimming or Breast Stroke " both simulate the actions of swimming.
What will I feel like afterwards?
After or during your first session you may feel a little light headed this is because of the deep breathing & this may sound silly, but this is the first time you have learned to breath properly!
It is usually the following day or the day after, that you may feel soreness around the ribcage, this is caused by Lateral Thoracic Breathing or breathing into the sides & lower back of the ribcage, these Intercostal muscles you have not used properly before.
You may find that when you cough or sneeze that you have a tight feeling behind the belly button, this is a good sign that you have worked your CORE muscles (you should not feel any irregular pain just normal muscular pain).
I hope this has explained a little bit clearer on what to expect from a Beginners Pilates class.
Remember, do not do any of the movements if they do not feel right or are painful out of the norm as the movement might not be suitable for you.
I have visited so many websites that give you excellent descriptions of Pilates Benefits & the History, of where Pilates originated from, this is very informative but I find that if I didn`t actually teach Pilates & wanted to know what I was enrolling for I would still not know exactly what it was after reading, so below I have tried to give you an idea of what to expect when you enroll for a Pilates Course.
Before you enroll ask yourself why do you want to do Pilates? A lot of people think that they are going to loose weight by doing it, Pilates will help tone the body & combined with healthy eating & regular cardiovascular exercise such as walking you will see the benefits. If you prefer fast aerobic type classes then Pilates is not for you unless it is a modified version of the classic matwork, it is slow controlled, mind/ body exercise mostly performed on a mat for the entire class.
Who goes to Pilates Courses?
Pilates courses are open to men & women. Levels will be advertised so make sure you enroll into a beginners class as this will be suitable for you. Pilates movements can be modified if you have any medical conditions or injuries, you may need to receive medical clearance so state this when you are inquiring as it may be recommended for you to do Personal Training Pilates.
Enrolment:
At enrolment you will be asked to fill out a standard Medical Screening Form & you may need to provide a Doctors Cert if you have stated any medical conditions or injuries when inquiring.
Fees are paid in full before the term begins & bookings can be made online.
What do I need to bring/ wear?
Any equipment that is needed will be provided. You should bring a bottle of water & a towel or small cushion that if needed you can place under your head or lower back for extra support & comfort.
Pilates puts the body through a full range of movement so wear light unrestricting clothing. Movements are done in bare feet or socks.
So what to expect (1st Class):
You will find that most people in the class are in the same situation as you (never done Pilates before) so don`t worry!
*BE WARNED* For the first class a lot of the time will be given towards teaching Pilates Principles which involves sitting or lying in the one spot for a most of the class and listening. It may seem like you are not doing much but this is a very important stage that you need to fully understand before you can begin the movements.
After the principles have been explained & practiced you will do a slow/ controlled warm up applying the principles which will put the body through full range of movement preparing the body for exercise, this usually takes about 5 - 10 mins.
As I have explained previously most of the 1st class will be about education of Principles so you may not have a lot of time for movements on the first day.
You may go home and think you have not worked very hard which I have found through experience people can`t break away from the " No Pain, No Gain " but remember this is your first class!
The Movements:
The movements are modified to make the levels easier for beginners. Our Instructors teach STOTT PILATES which has a set class repetoir for each level. There are a set number of movements for beginners. Each week you will follow the same routine so as to have the movements fully perfected, you may get 5 movements completed in the first 1 or 2 sessions and from there on in new movements added each week.
You may wonder how do you fit all this into an hour? STOTT PILATES is a very precise method & will only allow a max of 10 repitions or less of each movement so as not to cause fatigue or injury.
So what are the movements like?
The movements are not static poses, they have a flow as one movement transitions into the next. As a Fitness Instructor I find some of the movements resemble that of a toning class for example the " Ab Prep " looks like an " Ab Curl " but the way it is taught & with the newly applied Principles are what make them different. Another movement that resembles a toning class movement is " The Push Up " it is slightly different & taught Pilates way.
There are lots of different names, Joseph Pilates named the movements to sound like what they looked like eg. " Swimming or Breast Stroke " both simulate the actions of swimming.
What will I feel like afterwards?
After or during your first session you may feel a little light headed this is because of the deep breathing & this may sound silly, but this is the first time you have learned to breath properly!
It is usually the following day or the day after, that you may feel soreness around the ribcage, this is caused by Lateral Thoracic Breathing or breathing into the sides & lower back of the ribcage, these Intercostal muscles you have not used properly before.
You may find that when you cough or sneeze that you have a tight feeling behind the belly button, this is a good sign that you have worked your CORE muscles (you should not feel any irregular pain just normal muscular pain).
I hope this has explained a little bit clearer on what to expect from a Beginners Pilates class.
Remember, do not do any of the movements if they do not feel right or are painful out of the norm as the movement might not be suitable for you.