What is Pilates?

Pilates is a form of exercise,  or method of body conditioning developed by Joseph Hubertus Pilates, which emphasizes the balanced development of the body through  core strength flexibility, and  body awareness thus making our movements  flow and more graceful. Mr Pilates originally called his method Contrology, using your mind to control your muscles. As trainers we often tell our clients to put their mind in their muscle,  be present, be aware.

 How soon can I expect to  see results?  

Joseph Pilates said  ’In ten sessions you will feel the difference; in 20 you will see the difference; and in 30 you will have a whole new body’.

You will definitely feel different after 10 sessions, but the more dedicated and consistent you are in the practice you will see and feel changes in your body.

I get this question from men all the time :

Q. Is Pilates mainly for women? In one word  No. Pilates, was invented by a man,  in the beginning  for his own benefit – and then later adapted for women.

We can all be a little more flexible.

Q. What do I wear to Pilates?

In order to move freely we recommend wearing form-fitting exercise attire such as yoga pants, tights, or fitness shorts with an exercise top (short or long sleeve) or tank. This allows us to more easily see the body for alignment and technique. Socks are also recommended to cover your feet. For your convenience we have a changing room available.

 Does muscle turn to fat when you stop working out?

Muscle and fat are two different types of tissue, so muscle cannot change into fat.  When you stop exercising, you can put on fat, and when you do not use your muscle, it starts to atrophy.  It may not be as lean and visible, but the lean mass is still there.  Once you start working out again, you will build muscle fibers  and in turn shrink fat.

Q. I can’t afford a gym membership or to buy a treadmill or any other big fitness equipment. What would you suggest to buy to make myself a home gym?

All you are need are a few basics:

1.  Swiss Ball

2. Dumbbells starting from 2lbs-10 or 15lbs.  You can always add more later.

3. Resistance Bands

4. Jump rope

5. Medicine balls, these come in various weights.

6.  Mat

7. Versa Discs

8. Bosu

9. Step Bench

10. Various exercise DVD’s, depending on your likes/goals.