In today’s world where busy professionals have a minimal amount of time, it comes as no surprise that shorter workouts are becoming increasingly popular. As Julie Gagnon-Erickson mentions, class durations in the Pilates and Yoga world decrease over the past few years from 2-hour long yoga practices to 30-minute reformer workouts. Skilled instructors have adapted their class format to meet these time constraints for their clients. Warmups and cooldowns are still important yet condensed to make sense for an audience that is looking to get the most work in during the shortest amount of time. Getting into a class with an experienced instructor who can provide the most proper information to his or her students is imperative. Look for instructors with PLENTY of experience as it takes a good TEACHER seven years to understand Pilates, let alone teach it to others!
Working Out Multiple Muscle Groups
Pilates is a full-body exercise regimen. Pilates choreography is designed in a way that works out the entire body and allows a student to properly activate all muscle tissues, fascia, tendons, and ligaments inappropriate movement patterns at precisely the right time. For example, the combination of push and pull activities ensure that almost every muscle carries a load at all times in any Pilates exercise. Constant movement in the Pilates system makes it challenging to take an unplanned break which, in turn, promotes heart health and further muscle-strengthening objectives. Joseph Pilates wanted his students to learn how to engage their muscles to “take a punch in the gut.” Instructors want students to carry this lesson into their daily lives so that they are constantly engaging the muscles of the core, building a six-pack and sculpted torso just by walking down the street!
Pilates is VERY Different from Other Forms of Exercise
According to Pilates instructor Julie Gagnon-Erickson, the first thing that new students will notice is going the be the language and the way of moving used in Pilates classes. Julie shares that she tells newbies that if they understand 5% of what is said or done in their first Pilates session, he or she is way ahead of the game! New students should also be aware that Pilates is a method of moving. Joseph Pilates called his regimen, “Contrology” and his goal was for his students to become so adept at controlling the physical movement via the control of the mind. Pilates instructors will tell you to move your leg, will tell you the timing, muscular contractions needed, order of the movements and exactly where to feel everything!
Perpetuates Calorie Burning
Pilates is one of the few physical activities that will perpetuate calorie burning long after the exercising takes place. This is a byproduct of the constant isometric engagement of the stability muscles in the body during the class. Pilates builds a “suit of armor from within” and provides a constant source of physical demand within the body that continues well after the class or session into the student’s daily activities and other athletic endeavors. Many professional athletes and models swear by Pilates because it teaches them how to become adept at managing movement and unconsciously competent in providing stability throughout their whole body at all times. Celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Lebron James, and Lady Gaga are all big fans of the Pilates regimen.
Some similarities with Yoga – they share a Mat!
One of the most common stereotypes that surround Pilates is the never-ending comparison that puts it into the same category as Yoga. And somewhat rightly so. After all, both of these are classes that tend to be performed on a mat under the surveillance of an experienced instructor. Yoga is a centuries-old science of which the portion performed on a mat, “asana” or the physical poses is a very small part of the overall practice and experience of Yoga. Pilates is a decades-old exercise regimen based on the simple concepts of a strong core and oppositional reach, utilizing specialized equipment to assist a practitioner’s body to become more adept at moving mindfully and with control continuously.
