Pilates - Our Approach
Our Approach to teaching Pilates is consistently effective because we take the time to set you up for success.
1. Start with one on one coaching to get the basics down.
Pilates, done correctly, has the ability to completely rewire your nervous system to automatically choose the best movement pattern without you having to think about it. Electricians learn their art by apprenticing one on one with more experienced electricians, so they have someone to guide them through the procedures. Pilates is no different. Just as you wouldn’t start ripping out the wiring in your house without some professional guidance, trying to learn pilates by yourself from a video or in a large group class simply won’t give you the success you are looking for, and in fact, can be dangerous.
The beauty and effectiveness of Pilates is in the details.
Pilates is intelligent movement. It takes complete mental and physical focus to perform the exercises correctly. There is a lot to it that you may never have experienced before, such as breathing into your ribcage instead of into your belly, and learning to access and “turn on” your deepest abdominal muscles. It is invaluable to have hands on assistance to feel the right way to do these things. Then it’s just like riding a bike, once you have the correct movement “in your body,” you’ll be able to do it without thinking.
2. Apparatus Work- giving your body assistance until it knows how to do it alone.
Maybe you’ve seen the Pilates apparatus at a gym or on TV. Looks kind of scary, huh? We hear it all the time-"What are those machines? Torture devices?"
Actually, the apparatus is mainly used to help you perform the movements in precisely the right way until you have the strength and flexibility to do it on your own. Most people don’t realize that the exercises in a pilates mat class at the gym or in a video are often more advanced than if you did the same exercise on the apparatus. Once you and your instructor decide you are ready, we offer group classes on the apparatus in addition to one on one instruction.
3. Home Practice and Mat work
Repetition is incredibly important any time you are learning something new. Pilates is no different. At each session, you will acquire new skills which need to be practiced at home. You will receive detailed instruction with printed materials, and/or video instruction so you can continue to progress on your own. Never too much, we don’t want you to be overwhelmed, but just enough to make sure you keep the new movements and feelings alive in your body.
4. Applying Pilates Skills to Real Life
There’s not much point in working to get your body moving fluidly and efficiently on the pilates apparatus or on the mat if you can’t bring that through to your daily life. Whether you need to pick up your toddler or sit at a desk for hours on end, the skills you learn in pilates can make those tasks easier and more pleasant.
By taking time to go through these four elements, you will be amazed at the differences you feel in your body. And, as your body gets stronger and more supple, you’ll notice differences in your mood and mindset as well. Pilates is holistic exercise in the truest sense of the word. You commit your whole self to every movement, body, mind, and spirit, and your whole self reaps the benefits.
If this all resonates with you and sounds like fun, you can get started by downloading our free guide “fundamentals for pilates success.”
If it sounds kind of interesting, but you’re still on the fence, you may be caught in one of the most common myths of living in a human body. What is this myth? Click here to read about it.