FAQ | Pilates
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Pilates is a safe workout that is suitable for everyone, regardless of age, fitness level or physical condition. I have had clients as young as 7 years old, and as old as 87. And please note that my 87 year old only began when she was 84 years old, so you can never say it is too late to start! Please rest assured, I can work around your injuries or health concerns, and can modify exercises and positions according to your needs. If you feel that a private class might be more appropriate for you, please see our Sessions and rates page for more information.
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Please see Pilates: the man and the method.
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Here are some, but the list goes on:
- Improve posture and alignment
- Combined strength with flexibility
- Relieve stress and back pain
- Prevent injury
- Increase muscular tone and endurance
- Toned, long and lean muscles
- Boost core strength and stability
- Develop balance and coordination
- Heighten body awareness
- Improve and enhance athletic performance
Please contact me with any questions you might have, or to book a session.
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Consider this: Pilates was started by a man, Joseph Pilates; and it has been a training vehicle for elite athletes, both men and women for over 50 years. The aim of Pilates is to improve functional fitness; i.e. the ability to have strength, balance and flexibility that allows you to move through your day to day tasks with ease… so it is good for us all, irrespective of sex.
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I would recommend 2-4 classes a week if you want to start to see and feel the effects more quickly. I would recommend having a day off between workouts and also trying to participate in some regular cardiovascular exercise (eg. swimming, running, biking) as well. Most important though is to keep your practice consistent and regular which will allow you to integrate the key principals of Pilates (Alignment, Breathing, Concentration, Centering, Control, Flow) into your daily life. A regular practice will also enable you to establish and maintain the essential mind-body connection.
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Pilates is a great way to stay connected to your changing body with a gentle stretching and strengthening programme, but if you have never done Pilates before, you are not advised to start during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, if you have been practising Pilates regularly, and your pregnancy is without complications, you could consider doing a gentle regular Pilates class during the second trimester. Alternatively contact me to set up private pre-natal Pilates classes tailor-made for you. Although there are many things to consider, the key issue to consider is the importance of not over-exerting pressure on the abdominal muscles which might lead to any separation of the abdominal muscles (diasastis recti).
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Pilates is not a cardio-vascular exercise system, but that said, you will be building and toning your muscles during your workout and these muscles will continue to burn calories even after the class is over. Ideally you will do some form of cardio training (such as running, fast walking, biking) alongside a regular Pilates practice. Add to this a healthy eating programme and you should definitely start to lose weight, or if not on the scales (as muscle is heavier than fat) then notice your clothes start to feel and fit better as you strengthen and tone your body.
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I offer modifications to many exercises and encourage all my clients to work at the own pace. If you need to take a break during class that’s totally OK. You will soon see your fitness levels improve if you can commit to a regular Pilates practice.
As Joseph Pilates famously said : “In 10 sessions you will feel a difference. In 20 sessions you will see a difference. In 30 sessions you will have a whole new body.” *
* Please note that Pilates was talking about doing the exercises regularly when he said this, for example 3 or more times per week! However, you will certainly start to notice positive changes fairly fast if you dedicate yourself to a regular practice 😉
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It is not a matter of one being better than the other – both provide benefits in terms of greater flexibility, enhanced core strength and improved body awareness. The fundamental Pilates workout can be carried out entirely on a mat, at beginner, intermediate or advanced levels, and I use lots of different smaller (and portable) equipment such as Magic Circles, therabands, overballs, swiss balls and foam rollers to provide resistance other than by use of your own body.
In a typical Pilates studio there will also be an array of the Pilates apparatus such as the Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, Ladder Barrell, Small Arc, Spine Corrector, Ped-o-Pull and Toe Corrector (click here to read about Pilates and for images of the machines) These enable you to use a variety of springs and pulleys to provide resistance, can be adapted to your needs and are also excellent for anyone with limited mobility or injuries that limit movement as you can isolate muscle groups and work just a specific area of the body as necessary.
I have two of my own reformers, a Wunda chair, Springboard and Spine Corrector in an intimate studio environment – Please contact me to book your private or duo class now.
I’d like to emphasise that both mat and apparatus classes will be challenging and the variety of exercises available is seemingly endless, keeping the sessions varied and fun whether on the mat or apparatus.
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Pilates is a discipline, like any other, and it is a case of the more you put in, the more you get out. It is different for everybody, but as Pilates is about locating and recruiting the deeper postural muscles it can take time to locate them! This is why I don’t want to rush my clients through the fundamentals and there is quite a lot of repetition at the start. Joseph Pilates famously said “in 10 sessions you’ll feel different, 20 you’ll look different and in 30 you’ll have a whole new body. Whilst I might ask you not to hold me to these specific statistics, it is true that with commitment and focus you will start to feel different pretty quickly – with me it was within weeks of my first class that I started to notice a reduction in neck pain which was pretty motivating as you can imagine…
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Things to consider: private lessons will be tailored to meet your unique needs. They will enable you to meet your own personal health and fitness goals. They are convenient as I will come to your home at a time that suits you personally. They offer access to a wealth of knowledge as you can pick my brains, thus benefiting from the hundreds of hours I spent training as well as the experience I have since gained as a fully qualified teacher which you can’t do in a group class. Lastly…the motivation factor: you will be corrected and encouraged every step of the way so you can go further, faster…who doesn’t find that motivating?!
Alternatively, I now offer One on One private lessons from home in Valbonne which might be of interest if you live locally and are prepared to come to me, and this is a slightly cheaper option as I do not have any travel to consider (please click here for rates). As well as working with mat and small equipment, you will also be able to enjoy working out on the innovative Pilates Springboard which offers many of the benefits of the Pilates machines. Click here for information regarding private classes or to book your session.
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One thing you should know about Pilates is that it is impossible to do a Pilates session while you are thinking about something else. As soon as you do, I will notice! The key principals of Pilates are: Awareness; Breathing, Concentration, Control, Centering, Flow. For you to be able to integrate these principals into your regular practice, you have to be mindful, and thus you will find that you start to feel less anxious and stressed – once you start to feel the connection between your body and your mind, it is addictive…but why? I feel that it is because, as you start to feel more at one with your body; you are able to breathe properly, you concentrate fully on your movement, which then becomes more relaxed and fluid, all of which induce the feel-good factor.
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Strengthening your core postural muscles and improving your posture (through teaching proper alignment and consequently an improved posture) will certainly help ease back pain. Pilates is also excellent for preventing and managing back issues as you learn to recruit your deep core muscles and gently strengthen your back muscles. However, if you have major injuries or issues I would request that you get the all-clear from your doctor first (or ask him/her to contact me directly before we start working together).
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I currently teach group classes both at the Mind & Body Studio in Valbonne village, and also at L’Espace Santé les Lucioles in Sophia Antipolis. Please click here for links to my group classes, and click here for information about my private classes.
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For Pilates you need to feel comfortable, so nothing too tight, or too loose so you can move with ease. Avoid bulky zippers or buttons that might dig into you when lying on your back or front. Classes take place in socks, so no shoes required.
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See the Sessions and rates page for times and costs of my group classes.
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For the group classes, mats are provided, but please note that the mats are quite thin at Groove Studio so if you like extra cushioning, please feel free to bring you own. For private classes I will provide mats and any other materials required for your session.
