New To Pilates? Start Here
If you’re here because you’ve heard the word Pilates getting thrown around a lot lately and you want to know more - welcome! Whether it’s on social media, or a class at your gym, or someone you know who’s in physical therapy…Pilates is getting a lot of buzz lately - which I love. But if you’re new to Pilates, all of the Pilates content out there can be overwhelming and, frankly, confusing. This post is here to clear things up and give you a real starting point.
We’ll cover:
What is Pilates, actually?
First and foremost, Pilates is a system of exercise created by Joseph Pilates. While you may not care about who Joseph Pilates was, it’s good to know where the name comes from, and good to know that it was created by a person who spent years and years developing and perfecting this method. (If you are interested in learning more about Joe, check out this article for a brief history).
What you should definitely know and care about is that Pilates is a workout. It’s not just rehab, it’s not just stretching (although it can be good for those things); it is a system of exercises that will work the entire body.
You might have noticed that I’ve used the word “system” a couple times, and this is a really important point. Pilates is not just a “buffet” of exercises where you pick and choose random exercises each session. The system means that a) there is a set order of exercises, and b) there is a set progression from one level to the next. The order of the exercises ensures that you are warming up the body and different movement patterns appropriately before moving on to the next exercise, which builds upon the previous. The order ensures a well-rounded workout where each part of the body is moved in all of its possible ranges. The repetition of these exercises from session to session allows you to actually get better at the exercises. The progression from level to level ensures that you are building a strong foundation - gaining all of the necessary awareness and skill in your body before adding more advanced exercises. It is important to understand that the exercises in Pilates are much more than shapes or movements that we are trying to create in any way possible. The how you do something is much more important than the resulting shape. The work lies in the details. Your Pilates practice is a long process of building the system piece by piece. There are no shortcuts. And by following the system you have a clear measure of how much you are progressing.
If you want to dig a little deeper on what Pilates really is, check out my last blog post, What Real Pilates Is.
What you can expect to gain
The thing about Pilates is this: you’re actually not there to learn exercises, exactly. What’s going on is something much deeper. By learning the exercises using the proper technique and principles, you are actually gaining a deep and detailed understanding of your own body. By doing Pilates, you will learn how each individual part of your body moves. Where is it easier for you to move and where is it more challenging? You will learn to be aware of every part of your body. This will enable you to move deliberately and with control, through your full range of motion at each joint. Your definition of “full range” might evolve over time too. You’ll learn to be aware of what parts of your body are not moving during an exercise, and how to control that as well. Being able to stabilize one part of the body as another part moves is a key part of controlling the body as a whole, as well as working full range of motion on the moving part. Put it together and you start to really understand how the body is fully connected. Full mastery of the body comes from total body awareness and control. You won’t get that from some other workout where you’re just focused on feeling the burn.
Pain Relief
If you’re not sold just on the idea of mastering your body and being able to control all of its movements, let’s take it a step further and think about how that translates. At the heart of Pilates is the spine, as the center of the body around which everything else is organized. In almost every exercise you will be asked to think about your spine, and either work on moving it in its various full ranges of motion, or work on stabilizing it against movements of other body parts. Restoring this flexibility and strength in and around the spine is a key step in improving your posture. While posture isn’t a fixed position, everyone has a neutral position that we try to move to and from - and the ability to move in and out of it with ease and deliberation is the key. When the spine is able to move and work from good alignment, the rest of the body is able to work optimally as well. This is why so many people cite Pilates as having helped them get rid of pesky aches and pains, particularly back pain. Pain is a complex topic that deserves its own conversation and there is no one fix for any type of pain; but my personal experience both with my clients and myself has been that Pilates can be an effective tool in pain relief.
Flexibility
As I mentioned before, Pilates will likely increase your flexibility. Whether or not it does depends on where you are currently in terms of flexibility. Flexibility alone is not the goal of pilates - rather, it seeks a balance of flexibility, strength, stability, and stamina. For each exercise, you will move into the fullest range that you can control with your strength and still be able to stabilize the rest of your body. Being able to do it repetitively will test your stamina. If you are already very flexible, you will be more challenged to control the range of motion and work your stability. But if you are not as flexible, you will be challenged to work and gradually increase your full range of motion; increasing strength, flexibility, and stability side by side.
Strength (not just abs)
Pilates will increase your strength, and not just in your abdominals. It’s a little bit of a misconception that Pilates is only an ab workout. It does work your abs, but it will also challenge and improve strength in your whole body. As you move through each range of motion, you will be challenged to either move or hold still, both of which require strength (I would argue sometimes it’s harder to hold still than move). Whether you are doing mat work and just moving your body weight against gravity, or using an apparatus which adds outside resistance from springs, you will definitely feel an increase in strength, particularly in the smaller stabilizing muscles that don’t get as much work, even if you do other types of workouts.
Mental benefits and Improved Breathing
One of the often overlooked benefits of Pilates are the mental benefits. One of the key principles of Pilates is concentration, bringing your full focus and attention to your body and each movement. There is also a strong focus on breath. You will sometimes be asked to coordinate your breath to your movements. You will be challenged to breathe in fully, expanding the whole area of your lungs and ribcage and possibly expanding that capacity. You will be challenged to exhale fully, finding the true emptying of the lungs. This mental control of the breath is the bridge between what we think of as the physical body and the brain, creating a strong mind-body connection. And, as with any exercise, the physical movement and increased blood flow is also good for your mental health, improving mood, energy, stress levels, and general sense of well-being.
Translation to other sports/activities
One of my absolute favorite things about Pilates is that the benefits of it do not exist in a vacuum. Pilates improves posture, flexibility, strength, coordination, breathing, and more. It teaches you how to really know and understand your body on a deeper level, and be able to control all of its movements. It just helps you move better. And because of that, Pilates will improve your performance in all other aspects of your life. Whether that is just day to day activities like bending down, picking things up, walking from place to place, reaching for high shelves, balancing on unstable surfaces, or however else you move your body; or participating in other sports or types of workouts. Pilates will help you maintain good posture, move your joints fluidly through their full range with good alignment, and have the strength to be resilient against sudden movements or external forces. Working the system ensures that you are practiced at moving every possible range of motion and plane of motion, so your body is prepared for any movements your life takes you in (for example, a sudden twisting motion won’t hurt your back, as your spine will already be used to twisting with control). It makes you better at whatever you want to do.
What type of class should I take?
If you’re thinking at this point, “This sounds great, I think I’m ready to try it”, amazing. And now you’ll run into your next information overload. There seems to be about a thousand different “types” of Pilates out there. As you’ve probably already gathered, I highly recommend you start with an instructor or studio that can affirm they teach classical Pilates (they will typically tell you this right up front). This is the actual Pilates that comes from Joe and follows the system - thus giving you all of the benefits of Pilates. But even once you narrow that down, you’ll still find different options. You have in-person and online options. You have group options and one-on-one options. If you choose group there are multiple apparatus to focus on - mat, reformer, tower, all sorts of props, etc. And if Pilates is new to you, how are you supposed to know which one is right for you?
Virtual or In-Person
Ultimately, this is up to you, but here is what I suggest. First, decide if you want to do in-person or virtual. Each have their pros and cons, so this decision is really about what is convenient and accessible for you. If you don’t have a good studio nearby, or your schedule won’t allow the time to travel to the studio, or if you’re just more likely to be consistent from the comfort of your home or wherever you are, then online is a great option for you. If you have a studio nearby, and you like the extra motivation of going somewhere and having someone in the room with you, in-person is great. In-person also has the advantage of giving you access to all the different apparatus (unless you are lucky enough to have something at home!).
Which Apparatus?
There are many different Pilates apparatus. There’s the Mat, Reformer, Cadillac, Tower, Wunda Chair, High Chair, Magic Circle, Spine Corrector, Ladder Barrel, and more. Some of these you may have heard of before, and some might sound completely foreign. Most people seem to be familiar with Mat, Reformer, and maybe Tower before starting Pilates, as these are the most common apparatus for group classes. Often you will see classes advertised as “Mat Pilates” or “Reformer Pilates”. But it’s important to understand that different apparatus aren’t different types of Pilates. Joe made the system to include work on all different apparatus, but all of it is part of working the system. In an ideal world, you would work on every apparatus, even mixing them throughout each session.The same principles and same foundational actions happen on each apparatus, and often the same exercise is done on different apparatus. Each apparatus offers different types of support, resistance, surface area, and movement possibilities. So while working on each apparatus is different, there is definitely not one apparatus that is “better” than any other. If you can work on multiple apparatus, either by having something at home or going to a studio, fantastic. If you can only pick one, or really only want to do one, that works too. Know that the Mat is also one of the apparatus. Mat often gets overlooked as the less exciting version of Pilates (no springs - very boring), but the mat is a full and extremely important part of the system. It is truly the foundation of your Pilates work. In fact if you could only pick one apparatus to work with, I would say it should be Mat.
One-on-one or Group
Once you decide if you want to do virtual or in-person and which apparatus is right or available to you, my next suggestion is to start with private lessons. I get it - group classes are more affordable, and give you the feeling of anonymity so you can just “try it out”. But I promise you, you will get 1000% more out of it in a private setting. If you are new to Pilates, your current position in the system is at the starting line. Yes, even if you have a lot of experience in other forms of fitness, and yes, even if you’ve done “pilates based” workouts. Unless a group class is labeled Intro or Beginner, there is some assumption of experience in the system. So while a good group instructor will explain the exercises well and offer appropriate modifications, which means it is more than likely safe to do, it will probably not give you the foundational skills you need to work the system properly and get the best results for you, because it will not actually start you at the beginning. How much you get out of Pilates really depends on how strong you build your foundation. Committing to private lessons, at least in the beginning, is an investment in yourself and a chance to actually experience Pilates to its full potential, starting with your strong foundation and building each piece as your body is ready for it. A private will focus on your individual strengths and weaknesses. You will learn new exercises as your body becomes ready for them, and your instructor will focus on specific cues and any necessary modifications that are tailored for you. To really maximize your benefit, I would start with private lessons, and then eventually add a group class to your routine. This way you are working on your technique and learning new skills one-on-one, and then practicing and sharpening those skills in the group classes.
What a session should look like
If you’re like me and you want to know exactly how something is going to go before you decide to do it, I’ve got you. While this will look slightly different depending on if you are doing private lessons vs. group classes and virtual vs. in-person, here’s your basic rundown of how a session will go:
First, what should you wear? Pretty much anything you are comfortable in and can move well in. I’ve seen everything from cute matching workout sets to literal pajamas, and it makes no difference to me. The only thing I would caution is baggy shorts, since you will be doing quite a bit of work lying down with your legs in the air - so just consider that position when choosing your outfit. Pilates is usually done barefoot, or sometimes in grippy or sticky socks. If you are at home, wear what you like. Check with your studio if you are going in person; sometimes they will require you to have socks.
What do you need to bring? If you are going to a studio, usually nothing. Some studios will require you to bring your own mat, but most classical studios will have everything you need. If you are working out at home, you will need your own mat - but you can also probably get away with doing it on a rug/carpet, or even a towel in a pinch. Anything to slightly cushion the spine so it’s not uncomfortable on the hard floor. You can talk to your instructor about any additional props that you may have that they want you to use, which could include things like a theraband, light weights, a Magic Circle, or a foam roller. But usually when you start the mat will be enough.
Ok you’re ready to move, now what? While I can’t actually describe every exercise you will do (there are over 500 exercises in the system so we would be here for awhile), here are some basics you can expect. Your instructor will mostly talk you through the exercises, describing in detail what position you should start in and how to move from there. Classical instructors typically don’t demonstrate very much, as they are more focused on observing you and cueing you appropriately. This might seem challenging and a little uncomfortable at first, but I promise you will get used to it, get better at it, and ultimately it will make your understanding of the exercises much deeper as you will be learning them from inside out, rather than just copying shapes. You will do exercises in a variety of positions: laying on your back, laying on your front, laying on your side, seated, kneeling, standing…pretty much every position the body can be in to feel the challenge of gravity against movement and how that changes depending on the position of the body. As you work your way to taller positions or positions with a smaller surface area to balance on, the challenge increases. If you are working with any sort of apparatus, the challenge is similar, just slightly more complex as you change your relationship not just with gravity but with the apparatus itself as you work in different positions. If you are working with apparatus your instructor will also talk you through how to set it up for each exercise, including how many springs, how to position your body on it, how to do the exercise, and any pertinent safety information. Know that true Pilates is not about high repetition movements - there are few exercises that go beyond 10 reps. So don’t worry that it will be physically too challenging for you to do it. Don’t get me wrong, it will be challenging. But I like to say that we always try to find the line of “challenging but doable”. Remember, the goal of Pilates is to gain skills, not push the body to failure.
Can I do it if...
I almost don’t even need you to finish the sentence to say “yes!”. We can accommodate almost any physical limitation or lack of experience. Because Pilates works the body on such a foundational level, puts an emphasis on control, includes many non weight bearing exercises, and has the ability to modify or leave out certain exercises or positions based on individual needs, Pilates has the ability to be not just a safe workout for almost everyone, but effective for most people as well. As with all workouts, it is important that you have a doctor’s clearance to do exercise before participating in Pilates. If you have specific concerns, it’s a good idea to talk with your instructor before beginning to find out if that particular type of class will work for you. This is also why I recommend starting with one-on-one training. Your instructor will tailor the session to your individual needs, leaving out exercises that aren’t serving you yet and modifying exercises to enable you to achieve the purpose of the exercise. They will be able to communicate with you throughout the session to make sure you are understanding what to do and make sure you are feeling good.
Ready to try it?
If you’re still on the fence, I encourage you to just go for it! I know it can be uncomfortable to try new things, and just like anything else it may take a few sessions for you to get the hang of it. You might be challenged to move your body in a way that’s new for you, or listen more intently than you’re used to, or think about your body in a whole different way. A good instructor will be there to help guide you through it and figure it out. Don’t worry about looking silly or not being good at it right away - we’ve seen it all already and we love to see it. And honestly being bad at something is part of the beauty of learning something new!
Interested in training with me, or have more questions? Reach out! I’d love to hear from you.