Is Pilates for Beginners?
It’s the latest and greatest trend across social media, local studios opening, and even the gyms starting to have equipment available to use. However, how safe is it to do as a beginner? Let me answer a few of the common questions clients who are new to pilates are asking.
What is Pilates?
Pilates is focused on core strengthening to create better stability in the spine and limbs as they move. Rather than stretching and long held poses it challenges your ability to maintain your abdominals in a controlled sequence.
What’s all this talk about classical, contemporary, etc?
These do generally stick to a certain lane of what pilates is over the years as it is a newer around 100 year old routine compared to yoga. Now we have the arguments of what kind of pilates you are doing.
Classical follows the original format of pilates developed by Joseph Pilates! There are particular flows of exercises, one after another, and overtime it is expected that clients know how to do the exercise just by it’s name alone.
Contemporary is a blend of classical pilates and pilates considering the newest research on exercise, the body and movement. Think of it as a software update everything feels the same but also has a few differences. Some teachers teach it more towards a strength training class (progressive overload), while others may teach it more towards a dance class with a flow and sequence and pulses, etc. All similar enough but different based on the teacher and their training(s).
What about all the rest? Well anything that isn’t of the above technically isn’t pilates. Only because those crazy moves you see online aren’t actually what pilates is in it’s true essence (there are actually pilates principles). However we can say that they may be inspired by pilates. It could be their latest machine or greatest celebrity shoutout but teachers don’t call it pilates at that point it generally leans towards an exercise class. Especially because many of those teachers are not certified in pilates but are in group exercises or strength training. This is the only point where certifications point out the biggest difference in your experience.
Is pilates good for beginners?
It 100% is! However, it depends on your level of movement and body awareness. Some classes or teachers do not give modifications and just count you down reps in class one to the next. While others always provide options for all client levels. Then there are others who only give progressions to those they see often enough. It 100% depends on the studio, teacher and their training. Not that you should have to research this as much but for example a 70yo who has never exercised in the traditional sense is not the same beginner as a 20yo who wants to exercise with their friends who are also healthy 20yo’s.
It is always best to ask the studio if they do not provide a detailed description on their website or social media accounts.