Four things to know about Pilates
Thursday, February 7, 2019
When I started working at Manning Physio in December 2018, I thought I knew what Pilates was. I had an image in my head of a class that was all about fancy positions and stretching. I thought I would find it easy as I'm pretty fit from playing both indoor and outdoor hockey.
All I can say now is …... wow, was I wrong!!
Here are 4 things I have learnt about Pilates since working at Physioinq Manning.
1. Pilates and Yoga couldn't be more different
I found this one out pretty quick! I came into Pilates thinking it was similar to Yoga, lots of stretching and balance work. The best way that I can describe pilates at Physioinq Manning, is that it is an exercise class that focuses on strengthening your core and improving your ability to control movement at your hips, back, and shoulders. I was surprised at how challenging I found it initially to stop my pelvis twisting while moving one leg at a time (but I'm improving every session). This gradual building of control and strength aims to restore normal patterns of movement which is especially helpful when you're recovering from injury or pain.
Classes at Physioinq Manning, are run by a physiotherapist who has good knowledge of muscle and joint anatomy, injury management, rehab and prehab principles. They can use this knowledge to help each person individually to modify or progress each exercise so that it challenges you. They can also recommend particular exercises to work on at home for the different injuries or issues you have.
2. Pilates is a full body work out, it doesn't just “work your core”
While Pilates does focus on activating and controlling your core muscles, it doesn't solely benefit them. This control then enables you to work the extremities and create a stable base for them to move in good movement patterns. It helps your back, hip and shoulder posture to enable you to safely strengthen the muscles of your arms and legs. Even if you are like me and are not currently injured or in pain, it can be a great overall body workout. It is a great way to cross train for athletes, working areas that are often missed in training helping you prevent muscle tightness, soreness and injury.
3. You don't need fancy equipment for a good pilates session
There are a few types of pilates: reformer classes, studio pilates and mat pilates. In mat pilates classes (which is what we have on offer here in Manning), you will exercise in a variety of positions from standing to lying. Using your own bodyweight or small pieces of equipment such as TheraBand's or soft balls to assist with the exercises. This can be less intimidating for the less coordinated people like myself as there aren't springs or moving parts and equipment to worry about. You can just focus on yourself, your body, your movement and your breathing. The other beauty of mat based class is a lot of the exercises can be replicated at home for some extra exercise homework! I believe that less equipment makes it more approachable to new comers and the small classes at Physioinq Manning make it a bit of a social outing too!
4. Pilates is accessible for all ages, flexibility, fitness and strength levels
Exercises in pilates can be modified or progressed almost indefinitely to allow everyone from beginners to pros to be included in the same class and be challenged appropriately. Being floor and mat based, these sessions often involve nothing but your body weight. As a result, even if you haven't exercised in years or have never tried Pilates before can begin at a level appropriate for them.
Pilates can even challenge your elite athletes and gym junkies. I'm a semi elite hockey player who can be training and playing up to 6 times a week. Ask me to run 5km – easy - run out 70 minutes of hockey with limited rest - easy. Ask me to do the basic tabletop pilates exercise… not so easy…. I thought that being an athlete and being “fit” would mean Pilates would be a breeze for me, however I discovered that my actual core stability and control around my back and hips was actually pretty poor. I now love how differently Pilates challenges me and I can see myself improving each session.
For me, pilates is something I now use regularly with both myself and as home exercise programs for my clients. Pilates classes are an environment where you and your teacher can discover your strengths and weaknesses and then address those imbalances or weaknesses over time. It focusses a lot on YOUR journey and YOUR improvement in both strength, control, and flexibility and doesn't compare you to anyone else or any other scale. If you're interested in Pilates but not sure if it is your thing, all I can say is give it a go! Each class leaves me with a sense of achievement and I can't recommend it enough!