I feel like a beginner! When should I Intensify my Pilates Practice?
The beauty of Pilates is that you’re using your body, but also your mind. With professional trainers such as those at Flex, you’re breathing with intent and being reminded to ensure correct alignment and posture throughout.
And when you’re moving ‘the right way’ safely, intensifying comes pretty quickly and naturally.
“There is a way a beginner can learn from the ground up – and fast,” says Heather Thomas, Founder of Flex Studio. “Consciously and consistently working on your Pilates practice creates a natural flow, which then leads to cardio benefits.
“By pushing yourself to learn the sequence of movements and committing it to memory, you’re able to turn the practice into a moving meditation in which you can lose yourself in the body without thinking of choreography.”
This allows you to go deeper into your practice and learn more about ‘moving well’ rather than simply ‘doing exercise.’
This is a well-known concept among professional Pilates instructors and those who have practiced for some time.
Joseph Pilates didn’t call it ‘Contrology’ for nothing. As licensed physical therapist and assistant professor at California University of Pennsylvania, Christine Romani-Ruby says, a Pilates class should include a system of building blocks.
“Each Pilates exercise should be introduced and built from a basic to an intermediate level. At the basic level, review and reinforce alignment and breathing cues; those who lose control can maintain the basic move while other students progress. If you follow this system for every Pilates exercise in every class, you will ensure a safe and effective environment.”
As reported by fitness membership group IDEA (https://www.ideafit.com/) based in the US, Romani-Ruby stresses that repetition is a key to success and that it is not the quantity, but the quality, of movement that will help students reach their goals.
Flex HK trainer Gilson Melo qualifies: “I make sure my clients know their bodies, that they don’t hurt themselves. It’s about working the right way, challenging the body without injury. It’s the safest exercise out there.”
Heather adds that the trios or quartet intensives at Flex are the best way for beginners to really understand why they’re doing something, and how it benefits their day-to-day lives, particularly for those new to regular exercise or with desk jobs.
In the same way it applies to learning a language or sport, the best approach is total, everyday immersion. There’s a reason why, say, surf camps and ski weeks exist. Why should it be any different for Pilates?
“It will ease your desk aches and pains faster or put them off longer,” Heather reaffirms.
Many an office-based Pilates disciple swears by the posture, fitness and body awareness it brings to their desk-oriented work. Sitting all day exacerbates those good old spine degeneration and scoliosis issues, which are certainly not helped if your core and back muscles don’t support your bones.
If you’re not currently experiencing these symptoms, don’t wait for a doctor to diagnose you! The cliche applies: preventive medicine is the best kind there is.
“The icing on top of the Pilates elevation cake is the physical change that happens to the body – cosmetically, and it terms of strength and flexibility,” Heather remind us. “Abs will go into shape, bums will lift and arms and back will see more muscle definition – quickly – by doing intensives. Just add oil, literally and figuratively!”
Interested in a Pilates Intensive? Enquire now info@flexstudiosg.com
