Here’s some top tips for working out at home with Pilates ;
A class will introduce you to the Pilates principles and help you to understand & use them to gain the most out of your body and the exercises, give you regressions (easier levels) & progressions (harder levels), provide correction & feedback in how you are executing the exercises and give you confidence in practising the exercises in class and at home, progressing safely.
An ideal mix is to attend class & then practise at home – think you get the best of both worlds then.
2. Practice the exercises from your face to face class at home.
3.Prepare where you are going to exercise, ensuring it’s warm, comfortable and you can stretch & move all around your space.
4. If you enjoy listening to music whilst exercising have some on, but make sure you can concentrate and ‘hear’ your breathing.
5. Wear clothing that is comfy & loose, but also lets you check your body’s alignment.
6. Non slip socks or barefoot is the way forward. If you’re exercising outdoors, wear flexible, thin soled shoes.
7. At all times remember and use Alignment, Breathing & Centering (in short the A B C’s )
8. Work at your own level and pace, don’t move on until you are ready.
9. Think quality over quantity of repetitions of an exercise that you are doing. If your muscles are tiring and your technique is suffering, stop and rest.
10. Be clear about the exercise you are doing, know it’s main focus, the area targeted or the movement skill required.
11. Don’t speed up the exercises. Instead, slow the exercises down to challenge yourself and gain maximum benefit.
12. Enjoy yourself & the feeling after of working out with Pilates – enjoy that all over ‘stretched’ feeling.
Claire x
