I often find myself explaining to clients the diversity of what comprises the Pilates, Pilates workouts and Pilates fitness.
I hope this article will help to act as a foundation so you can know what to expect as you try and choose the appropriate form to complement your life and skill level.
Joseph Pilates is the founder of the exercise form – Pilates. From his job as a hospital orderly he was exposed to the use of slings and springs used in early medical rehabilitation. From his private life, he was involved with dancers and acrobats. As a personal victim of the polio virus he sought to improve his physique. He invented what we know today to be reformers, trapeze tables, wunder chairs and ladder barrels. He had a pilates workout routine developed for each piece of equipment. His routines were advanced with complex movement patterns. The end result being the long, lean-limbed physique that was to become very popular from the late 60’s onward.
Fast forward to today and we have to decide between Clinical Pilates vs Floor Work; Pilates in a gym vs with a Physiotherapist; Pilates in a big group or 1:1; Fitness related progression vs specific rehabilitation requirements; How much can you push yourself and when is your body telling you that you have gone too far?
A bit too much to digest in one go? See how you go!
Clinical Pilates: Involves the use of the aforementioned pilates equipment, MUST be supervised and include exercises specific to you as an individual.
Pilates Mat Work: Pilates exercises done on the floor and will include small props (balls, bands, rings and discs, to mention a few). Can be done as a home programme, in the gym, or alongside the pilates equipment.
Rehabilitation Pilates: Either or both of the above combined. Taught usually by a Physiotherapist, although there is now a qualification within the fitness industry which up-skills Pilates trainers and Personal Trainers.
Where should you begin? As with fine cars and furniture…….you get what you pay for!
I recommend everyone start with a Pilates Physiotherapist, Exercise Physiologist, or Pilates Trainer.
You are probably well familiar with the term core stability by now. To correctly engage your core you need to understand how to “switch on” your transverse abdominus and multifidi muscles. Everyone needs it, but if you have had an episode of back pain and/or have been pregnant, these muscles may not be in ship shape! It requires a 1:1 coaching to explain this concept and to adequately correct you.
Once you know what you are doing, by all means join the gym, and know your back is protected and that you are not going to be into those Teena pads too early!!
A little money spent early on could save hundreds down the track.
With its popularity, Pilates fitness trainers attract good and bad. If a person is good at Pilates themselves it does not mean they will make a good teacher. If you are doing Pilates in a group, the bigger the group the less amount of individual attention can be expected. If the instructor is doing all the exercise they can’t be watching you. You can’t always see what you look like performing an exercise no matter how advanced your skill level.
If you are in a 1:1 session or group of 3-5 you will have better opportunity to be trained as an individual. You may be a beginner, returning from injury, progressing to a higher level or someone fitter or more experienced, working on a specific training goal. Your qualified Pilates trainer should relish the challenge! No one likes to do the same thing all the time.
If Pilates is your thing you may benefit from specific coaching but through bigger groups you can stretch your budget further, combine the two for effective ongoing preventative health care. Through private healthcare you will be eligible for rebates when training with a Physiotherapist.
If Pilates is not your thing but you have been told it will help you…… Before you dub Pilates as your knight in shining armour….. Technique, technique, technique. Make sure you spend your 1st dollar getting the best advice on whatever your “thing” may be. Once you know what needs strengthening or co-ordinating you will get more out of the Pilates workout.
What I love most about Pilates is no two sessions are ever the same; the springs’ settings on the equipment can aide you, or push you to your max. You can exercise well into a pregnancy or commence basic levels soon after minor surgeries. And even the fittest of Athletes can use it, not only as rehabilitation after injury, but to gain strength and control.
I look forward to sharing some of my favourites in the next article.