Pilates sounds complicated just by the sound of it, doesn’t it? What exactly is it? Sometimes fitness trends can feel way more complicated than they are. If you’re intrigued by Pilates, but don’t know what it is and are a little hesitant to walk into a class without knowing what to expect first, we’re here to break it down for you so you can confidently strut in like you know what you’re doing.
We connected with Lesley Logan, PMA Certified Pilates Teacher at Lesley Logan Pilates, to give us the lowdown on everything we were curious about with Pilates. She’s been teaching for almost a decade now, and we’re ready to soak in her wisdom on the fun workout regimen.
What is Pilates?
What’s the difference between yoga and Pilates?
Yoga primarily holds poses for several breaths and is mostly done on a mat with a few props to assist getting into the pose. In Pilates, you are constantly moving. Your challenge as the practitioner is to stay connected to your body throughout the movement, to control what’s moving where! Pilates is also done on equipment such as the Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, Barrels, and more.
If you have space and means then getting a Reformer or Tower Unit or Wunda Chair for your house is great! But, most of us don’t have space for a home Pilates studio. Plus, the good equipment that will last and get your the results you are looking for can be expensive.
So, finding a studio to go to regularly for equipment is ideal. For a home mat practice you’ll want a mat, if your floors are hard, you’ll want something thicker than a yoga mat. Also, consider a Magic Circle, some one or two pound weights and a Theraband. You can do mat classes at home with online programs like PilatesAnytime.com or my weekly online classes.
Where does one start?
If available to you, starting with a few privates from a comprehensively trained instructor is ideal. If you can continue to do privates and supplement with group classes on online classes at home, you will see the benefits of Pilates sooner. The best thing about Pilates is the more you do it the stronger you get and the results just get better. There are no plateaus as there are over 500+ basic Pilates exercises. And, one can always go deeper and connect more to their body as they learn the method. You can find comprehensively trained teachers online at Pilatesmethodalliance.org
If we’re going to a new studio, what tips do you have for us? What should we be prepared for?
What should people look for when choosing a pilates studio?
Ideally, a fully equipped studio is ideal for a practitioner. This is because our bodies have asymmetries and movement patterns that might be keeping us from connecting to the right muscles.
If you’re struggling to learn and do something on the reformer, your teacher can take you over to other Pilates equipment that can help teach your body the movement in a different way. It’s pretty incredible how the other pieces of equipment will teach your body so when you do your mat work or Reformer work later you will continue to change and grow and get stronger!
Finding the right instructor is key. Find out how long they trained for, why they became a teacher and what they love about teaching. Like Yoga, Personal Training and even your Spin classes the right teacher is integral to you hitting your goals and needs.