Did you know that Pilates is a full-body workout?

If you’ve immediately broken into a cold sweat and are already worried about aching limbs, don’t worry!

In reality, Pilates exercises are completely low impact, but ultra-effective, and best of all you shouldn’t get out of breath!

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Pilates classes benefit you in lots of different ways. From improved flexibility, posture, and balance, to building a stronger core, aiding mindfulness, and burning fat. They also provide a safe environment for you to learn Pilates under the guidance of a friendly and experienced coach.

Now that we know that Pilates is a low impact workout, who is it for?

The short answer is everyone!

There is a common misconception that Pilates is just for fit, young, and healthy women, and that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The teachers at Perfectly Pilates, Sarah and Glenn,  have been teaching Pilates for years and worked mainly with individuals with mobility issues, injuries & health conditions that affect their lives, from farmers looking to improve their back problems to extend their careers, to golfers hoping to achieve a better swing while looking after their back, new Mums who want to improve their pelvic floor, 70+-year-olds who want to stay mobile and live independently, people recovering from hip or knee replacement surgery, and even a squad of under 23-year-old footballers who need to be more flexible and agile, and prevent injuries!

So whether you are young or old, stiff or flexible, fit or “out of shape”, recovering from surgery, or looking to improve your golf swing or your running PB, Pilates can work for you more than you might expect.

So, how do you get started?

Joining a Pilates class shouldn’t be intimidating. It’s a space filled with like-minded people and quite often new friendships are sparked.

Several of our members say their Pilates class is their only piece of me time in the whole week.

All you need for class is to wear comfortable clothing you can stretch in and bring an exercise mat and a water bottle; you don’t need to bring any additional equipment to a Pilates class.  Since Covid, some people have bought extra pieces of equipment to use sometimes but it’s not a necessity and often at our local in-person classes, we provide equipment.

If you are planning to participate in an online Pilates class, the only thing you need is adequate space on the floor.  A workout mat will make the exercises more comfortable on a hard floor, but they are not necessary on a carpet or a rug.

What are the Dos and don’ts of a Pilates class?

• DO be on time
  • Arriving to the class late whether in a studio or online may mean you miss the preparation exercises, and your body isn’t warmed up adequately for the session. It can also interrupt the experience of other clients, so please leave plenty of time to arrive and be ready for the class to start.
    
• Inform the instructor of any injuries or relevant medical conditions
  • This is really important. A long-term injury could be made worse by not informing your Pilates coach. If there is an exercise which could harm you further, we’ll be able to let you know and suggest an alternative. We’re also able to advise on exercises which could help to improve your injury and reduce your pain or discomfort.

• Ask questions!
  • We love questions at Perfectly Pilates. Asking questions can help you to learn faster and understand the benefits of a certain exercise.

• Don’t push through pain!
  • If a particular exercise causes any pain, don’t push yourself. Pain is a signal from your body that is trying to communicate with you so perhaps just reduce the range of movement or intensity and you can always ask the instructor for an alternative or sit an exercise out.

• Do enjoy yourself
  • Pilates is supposed to be a fun, interesting and sociable way to exercise and improve your quality of life without impacting your joints.

Now that you know what to do (and not to do), how should you dress for the class?

We recommend that you keep it casual and comfortable. Some form fitting or loose clothing like leggings, yoga pants or joggers – anything you can stretch and feel comfortable in.  Pilates is done ideally barefoot or you may wear socks, but not trainers as moving, stretching and strengthening your feet is key to Pilates and key to healthy calf muscles, knees and hips!

It is also best to remove any jewellery for the class, to avoid any accidents.

If you have long hair, tying it back or in a high bun is generally the go to style. You’ll want to keep your hair out of your face during exercises.

Okay, you’re ready to book your first Pilates class. Remember that Pilates really is inclusive, anyone can do it and all you need to participate is appropriate clothing and some water in case you get thirsty!

Feel free to visit our website for more information and get in touch, you can also see our availability and book an online or local Pilates class.

I hope to see you soon.

Sarah

Professional Pilates Coach & Perfectly Pilates Owner.