Tomorrow is my 1st Pilates reformer class. I'm nervous b/c I generally avoid stuff like that b/c i'm far from an athlete & uncoordinated. What can I expect & is there anything I should know before I go? Oh, & do you like it & the results.
Sorry, 1 more Q, how many times a week do you go? ----Thanks!
I do that at home and am super uncoordinated myself. Don't be worried about that piece. The focus is on core conditioning and getting the body balanced.
I used a form of Pilates in my rehab and pt with ballet. It is amazing. I would see a trainer three times a week. If I was working on something I would go more. Plan on being sore for the first couple of weeks. Drink lots of water and make sure you get enough sleep.
I loved it. The results for me were great. I was using mine as a form of Physical therapy though. So, the results were probably different from what you are expecting. I have seen it do wonders though for people.
Good luck and above all else just have fun with it. There maybe times you are in positions and you will feel goofy...it is ok to laugh at yourself while doing it!! Therapeutic:)
I do a pilates tape, not even once a week. I just throw it in there every now and then when I want a break from traditional cardio and weight lifting. I love it. Really lengthens your limbs and tones the body. Not easy though, looks easy, but boy does it take some serious balance. I've never taken a class in a studio though. Yoga scares me more, as I have no flexibility.
pilates is great for returning back to working out. I do it on the weekends as a good cool down from the high impact stuff i do during the week. get "10 minute solution quick start pilates" and familiarize yourself. Some moves to familiarize yourself would be 'the hundred" and "the saw" and "the bridge" "the pilates push up" and"Rolling like a ball"
I love Pilates!
I am so uncoordinated that walking and chewing gum at the same time is nearly impossible, but I can do pilates with few problems. I don't like to exercise in front of other people so I have several dvds I use at home. There has been a time or two that I had to rewind/watch the instructions again before I could do the move, but that has been really rare.
The results are fantastic! I lost 50 pounds by doing pilates and eating smaller portions. I ate anything I wanted, just less. But I did pilates 6 days a week. It took me 6 months to lose the weight, and pilates was the biggest reason I was successful at it.
Good luck!
I've been doing Pilates for over a year now and it's great. It can vary greatly though. I go to a small studio that offers Pilates and personal training. The owner of the studio actually teaches Pilates instructors. I highly recommend starting with a private session with a personal trainer or in a small class. There are plenty of Pilates DVDs out there, but a trainer will make sure you are doing the exercises correctly. I watched a couple Pilates DVDs after working with a trainer for a few months and the DVDs did not explain the moves as well as the trainer did. Plus the trainer watches to make sure you are doing it correctly and can help with moves that are more difficult.
The reformer is great because it can be adjusted for different levels. There are multiple springs that can be added or removed to make the exercises more or less difficult. About 3 months after I started I realized that Pilates will never be easy because the trainer just keeps adjusting the exercises as I become stronger.
Now I try to go twice a week for an hour each time. I tried cutting back to once a week last summer but it was too long between sessions. I would love to go 3 times a week, but I just haven't been able to work it in. I usually take a mat class and a tower class each week. Every so often, I take a private session. I also try to walk 3 or 4 days a week. I highly recommend walking or doing some type of exercise the day after you do Pilates especially if you are very sore. I find that walking the day after helps loosen the muscles up a bit.
It is not easy, but it will definitely tone your body. I have had muscles hurt in places I didn't know I had muscles. Your results will depend on the effort you put into it. Last year I was doing pilates twice a week, walking 3 or 4 days a week, and doing weight watchers. I lost 20 pounds in about 4 months and didn't mind putting on a bathing suit last summer. Unfortunately, I went back to my old eating habits last fall and cut back on the exercising during the winter so now I'm working on getting back to where I was last year.
