So you've tried Pilates.
Your friend from work told you it cured her persistent back pain. Your other mate said she's never felt fitter and your Mum said 'it's the only thing that has given me visibly lean muscles'. So you thought, 'wow, ok, sign me up'.
So you went to a class, but you didn't love it, the teacher was talking a lot of new language like 'powerhouse' and 'pilates stance' but the most confusing thing was when she was telling you how to breathe.
Anyway, you thought you'd better not give up after the first class, so you went to another one.
You didn't like it much more. It required you to think more than you’re used to during a workout. You thought it might be like the spin class you do at the gym where you just switch off and think about anything else rather than what your body is doing in the here and now.
You tried it a third time, but you're just annoyed.
Annoyed that you're not 'feeling' it, annoyed that it's confusing at times, annoyed that you have to use your brain when you thought you were signing up for physical activity.
You resign yourself to the fact that Pilates doesn't work and you'll just put up with the back pain/feeling unfit/noticeable deterioration of muscle tone as you age.
But here's the thing, Pilates isn't like what you do at the gym, Pilates isn't a quick fix, Pilates is a skill and like doing any new skill for the first time, it takes time. Pilates is physical, but it's the integration of the mind and body that ultimately makes it so darn good.
So to those of you that have tried Pilates and thought it wasn't for you, then you are owed an apology. Somewhere, someone along the way has given you a bum steer. You were sold a lemon.
Here are 5 reasons why Pilates isn’t working for you:
1) You went to a class down the road because they were offering the first month of membership for free.
2) You went to a class that has 20 reformer beds in the studio thinking it will fix your dodgy neck.
3) You went 3 times in 2 months.
4) You think you need to always 'feel the burn' for it to be working
5) You use your Pilates time to think about the emails you need to respond to, the swimming lessons you need to get the kids into, the holiday you're planning, the fight you had with your sister last week.
Here's how to make Pilates work for you:
Think about Pilates as an investment.
Pilates is not a gimicky freebie. It's expensive. Proper Pilates will cost you decent money. There is no getting around it. Think about how much it costs to see a Physio or Osteo every week or worse, how much back surgery costs (and I haven't even touched on the mental cost!) . Think about the cost of gadgets and props and supports you might buy to ease pain/numbness/sensitivity. The money you spend on Pilates prevents injury and pain, reducing the need to spend money on fixing the problem.
Do privates or semi-privates
At least initially, until you a) understand and feel confident with exercises/key muscle engagement b) feel you know your body well enough to omit exercises, alter exercises, progress exercises (because in a group class you won’t get specialised instruction so the onus is on you!)
Get yourself a decent instructor
Do your research. Where were they trained? Hopefully not on a weekend course that took 10 hours out of their life, but more like something near the 600+ mark. Can your instructor work with equipment or just mat? Have they had experience with working with people like you? If you're not sure, a good place to start is to check on the Pilates Alliance Australasia (PAA) website. Instructors that are a part of the PAA keep up their Professional Development and adhere to industry standards and regulations.
Commit
“There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.” Ken Blanchard
Be consistent
It won't happen overnight but it will happen. The main man himself, Mr Joseph Pilates said it like this…”You will feel better in ten sessions, look better in twenty sessions, and have a completely new body in thirty sessions”. So, how quickly will you get to your 30 (and beyond) sessions?
Open your mind
Be open to being challenged. Be open to learning new things. Be open to doing things differently. Like breathing. Maybe you've never thought about your breathing before, I mean you do it automatically, what more is there to it? Actually, a lot more. Proper diaphragmatic breathing is like your golden ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, where the chocolate factory is like a Pilates gold mine- that's where the magic happens. You'll get more bang for your buck, as in, you'll be able to get the most from the muscles you are trying to engage, strengthen and lengthen.
Stop using “muscle soreness” as a barometer of a “good workout”
And speaking of bang for your buck- the good ol’ ‘feel the burn’ expression, may or may not happen every single time you hit the mat in Pilates. If your measure of success from a workout is feeling muscle soreness to the point of it impacting daily activities like sitting and walking, then please read my blog on Pilates FAQ’s , specifically, the one answer that addresses this question ‘will I be sore?’.
Focus
Sorry to say it but you need to pay attention in Pilates. In fact, it’s one of the 6 principles of Pilates - Concentration! When we are concentrating and focusing our attention towards getting the right muscle engagement, then you learn to feel the muscles, you learn what it feels like when a muscle (or a group of muscles) is engaged. Therefore, your body awareness will increase and you can translate that into more mindful movement in everyday life, like how you sit at your desk all day long. You’ll start to be more efficient with your posture and how you hold yourself in everyday tasks, from driving and washing dishes, to cycling and running.