Transform yourself with Pilates
Spring is transformation time and what better way to transform your body than with Pilates. Imagine getting a longer, leaner, stronger body without the sweat or pain of the gym. Used by many professional athletes, such as the All Blacks, to compliment their rigorous training regimes, help them recover from injury and enhance their performance, Pilates is great for almost any one. You should expect no pain, but lots of gain.
"In 10 sessions, you will feel the difference. In 20, you will see the difference. And in 30, you'll have a whole new body." Joseph Pilates
This is from
the founder of Pilates, Joseph Pilates himself, but don't just take his word
for it.
I wasn't doing any sort of exercise until I started going to Pilates. It is good for me, it stretches my body, I can move and I enjoy it. Arneyne Oliver
What can you expect from a Pilates workout?
- A Pilates session can be anything from 30 to 90 minutes, but normally around an hour.
- Pilates is taught in small groups, from 3 to 10 people, depending on the type of class, or you can do one on one sessions with just yourself and the instructor
- You
will be working on a mat on the floor, or possibly on one of the
specialised pieces of Pilates equipment such as the Reformer, Cadillac or
Chair, depending on what type of Pilates session that you do.
- To start with you will focus on breathing and alignment and you will work from the centre out. This means your first focus is always ensuring your deep abdominal muscles are 'switched on' before you start moving your arms & legs.
- You should not be sore after a pilates workout, (maybe just a tiny bit in the stomach area), but you will feel like you have 'done something'. Pilates will not get your heart rate up but you will get warm.
- Pilates instructors should be experienced and certified. International Pilates certification will mean that your instructor has done a minimum of 20 to 40 hours training, plus 200 hours + of self practice and supervised instruction, plus completed a practical and theoretical exam.
- If you practice pilates regularly, at least once or twice a week, you will start to see results within a few weeks and these may include, better muscle tone, flatter and stronger stomach muscles, reduced back pain and increased mobility (range of movement through your joints). You can also expect to have better posture and increase your feeling of well-being.
'Pilates keeps me healthy and flexible and at my age of 50 it helps me manage my weight and shape' Toni Laming
Jenny Green, Bodywise Pilates, at Remuera Rackets Club and Marua Medical Clinic
