Pilates is an increasingly
popular, low-impact form of exercise, incorporating specific movement to
improve strength, mobility and proprioception ( AKA "body balance"). In
the 1920s, a clever man by the name of Joseph Pilates created these exercises that are now taught by instructors all over the world.
Starting a new exercise regime can be daunting, particularly if you're not sure what to expect!
HOT TIPS: To ensure that you're prepared to begin Pilates, I want you to ask yourself these ESSENTIAL 4 questions. These will make you feel instantly more confident and excited to start!
That is, what are your goals? Short term? Long term? Start by thinking about where you would like to be in a year, then break it down into where you would like to be in six months, three months and one month.
This
will determine what you will GAIN from Pilates. Do you have trouble completing more than one squat and want to increase leg strength? Do you have previous back pain and want to prevent it from coming back? Or Is Pilates going to compliment your training for that triathlon? Or perhaps you want to be able to plank for 2 minutes or
improve your push-ups? Whatever your goal, try and make it ‘SMART’. SMART goals
are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and within a Timeframe (see my SMART goals blog post for more information on this). For example, “I would like to
complete 20 consecutive toe push-ups in 10 weeks.”
Pilates can be a FANTASTIC rehabilitation tool, as well as amazing general resistance (strengthening) exercise. However, take care if you're recently injured, have current pain or are rehabilitating (I'm including pre- and post-natal women here).
Listening to your body is paramount and the presence of pain or dysfunction (for example, abdominal separation/poor pelvic floor muscle activation after pregnancy or a recent lack of an ACL in your knee) need to be considered. Checking in with your qualified health professional for clearance is important before commencing any exercise program, especially if you fit the above. This is where my 1:1's come in handy before starting my online workouts. We can happily collaborate and come up with a plan just for YOU, to make you feel safe and supported. Find more information by clicking here ->
Physio Pilates 1:1The frequency of exercise will affect your results and consistency is key. BUT, how often you exercise for a certain outcome depends on you goals...
If you want real strength results, 3-4 times per week is ideal. Giving your body a chance to heal (and build new muscle tissue) is important, so you don’t need to strengthen everyday, especially if the session is heavy. For those new to exercise, perhaps twice a week for the first few weeks will help your body become accustomed to strength exercise.
However, if mobility is your aim (for example, your mid-back or hip), practicing everyday is recommended and will make a huge difference.
It’s important to find your ‘baseline’, as this determines how far you can push in your first few sessions. This will then help to progress you towards your goals. If you start with exercises that are too difficult, you risk injury. In the same respect, if you do some exercises that you haven’t done before or in a long time, you’ll probably be a bit sore for the next couple of days! 24-72 hours after this type of exercise is the peak (see my blog post about Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (‘DOMS’) for more information)!
HOW TO FIND YOUR BASELINE:
- The number of squats/push-ups/lunges/roll-ups etc that you can do in a row before fatigue
- How far you can walk/run without rest
- How many stairs you can climb before becoming puffed
Now that you have answered these essential 4 questions, I have a bonus question for you...
Because it's time to pull on your activewear, grab your water bottle and hit the mat!
