Frequently Asked Questions
Home FAQ's
Pilates is usually practiced in socks or bare feet. If you wear non-baggy clothing, it’s much easier for your posture and alignment to be observed and modified, which will help you achieve your Pilates goals. Please carry a bottle of water, a big towel to be placed on the Mat along with you.
If you have injury or restricted movement, the Pilates can be pursued post consultation, so that programs can be customised to rehabilitate the injury.
Pilates can be done by any age group. The programmes can be customised, designed and modified as per the requirement of the individual. It has different levels which, very gradually but steadily progresses to challenge the participant at various levels. It is never too late to do Pilates and reap the benefits of this method.
Actually there is no Yoga versus Pilates. Both are complete in their own respective ways and both have amazing benefits. The difference between them is more philosophical than physical.
Yoga involves mind, body and spirit. It has more of static poses or asanas which explores you through breathing, physical feelings and emotions. It helps your flexibility to grow, equally strengthening the muscle groups creating mental and physical balance.
Pilates is about moving and is more dynamic in its approach. It concentrates on strengthening the powerhouse, toning, correct movement, flexibility and mobility through the joints. It focuses more towards physical well being than spiritual but ultimately it does enhance both spiritual and physical aspects.
It is a personal choice that an individual makes depending upon one's personality and targets. If you are getting strength training from somewhere and your goal is to stretch, relax and have some quiet time plus spiritual and holistic growth then Yoga would be a good choice.
Either of the choice is good because you are anyways enhancing your body’s health by choosing either Yoga or Pilates.
I can swear by Pilates because it has changed my life both physically and spiritually and today I lead a very fulfilling life which I owe it to Joseph Pilates for discovering such a wonderful complete exercising method.
Pilates Method, has a unique system of stretching and strengthening one’s body. It was developed by Joseph Pilates over 90 years from now.
Joseph Pilates himself was a very sickly child. He was suffering from Rickets+Asthama and Rheumatic fever. Thus very determined to strengthen his frail body, he came up with this method initially known as “The Art of Contrology“ in which his main focus was to master and have control on the mind and body in unison.
Sometimes spending time in Gym or in front of an exercise video may not be successful in achieving one’s goal. But one can maximise the result by doing the Mat Work which teaches that the body weight is the finest and the only tool necessary for achieving physical fitness and goal.
This method works on some principles which make the exercises very safe, yet challenging, interesting and wanting to do more. It incorporates principals as concentration, breath, control, precision and flowing movements which results in balanced and functional training.
Pilates focuses the mind and body working together, takes care of every existing muscle in your body, teaches the biomechanics of how the joints and muscles work together to create better quality movement and works with own body weight. This, thus gives a long, toned look just like the graceful body of a dancer which many of us dream to have. It is a unique method which also rehabilitates and addresses certain limitations, opens the doors to a healthy mind and healthy body making one free of stress. It also improves circulation, endurance and makes the body functionally strong making it easier to deal with day to day activities and also makes one feel great and look great!!!!..
Pilates also can be done on some machines especially the Reformer which is a very unique machine. It works with springs and when conjoined with Mat creates a power in our mind to control the body and stretches the body through full length.
One can relive dreams of having:-
There is no such thing as one being better than the other. The exercises performed on Mat can equally be challenging and interesting as they are on the Machines. Great results can be achieved while working out on the Mat through the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced level but some limitations and problems at times can be addressed better on Machines. Small equipments are used during the Mat workouts which can make the exercises very intense and also variety can be provided to keep the curiosity going.
2-3 times in a week would be good. Taking a day off in between can include cardiovascular exercises like dancing, golfing, swimming, running and walking etc., which will help you to keep the calories in check also would help to keep the mind body connection. This in turn would help you to reach optimum fitness levels.
Doing too much too soon would only lead to fatigue and aiming for unrealistic goals.
Pilates Instructors are highly trained professionals who have invested hundreds of hours in studying the techniques, learning large no. of exercises both on the Mat and the Pilates equipments. They learn the science and philosophy behind all the exercises and their movements, spend considerable hours observing and mastering the proper techniques to teach and perform correctly. They have to go through the theory and practical exams which are quite tough. To become a Pilates teacher it involves immense passion, lots of efforts, expensive training programs than the regular fitness training courses which have to be regularly upgraded with the latest developments to give the best to the clients. To customise the program after assessing the clients involves focused efforts in order to give optimum Pilates program. All this requires a specialised training. Everything, put in totality explains the high premium attached to Pilates.
Pilates is not a cardiovascular workout and burning calories is not the main focus. It is a method which helps to sculpt, tone and streamline your long lean muscles. The scale may not go down but still you will feel leaner, better and feel good factor will be experienced.
However, when Pilates is combined with cardiovascular exercises like running, dancing, swimming, walking and a good balanced diet, it is an excellent and a complete workout giving amazing results to you.
Lower Back Pain can have many reasons to it. Some of them are: » Sedentary Life Style
Pilates focuses on the pelvic floor muscles to work with deep layers of abdominals, hips and back to develop the core strength. Whether it is a back injury or back pain,often, it is because of poor posture or inefficient movement patterns and lack of awareness in the body. Pilates addresses all of these in an efficient way, thus resulting relief from back pain.
This method works with the natural and correct alignment of the body, maintaining the natural curve of the back. Working in the correct alignment using the right musclesduring the movements can help individuals reach beyond mental and physical holdings which a back pain can create. It can change the mind-set of an individual towards a positive shift.
Before beginning with Pilates the client should consult the doctor and get the go ahead for exercising, ruling out any kind of obstetric or health condition which might limit the physical activity.
Pilates method is ideal during Pregnancy because it has a delicate approach. It is not aggressive in nature like the other workouts. It works on the stabilisation of the spine, strengthening the core postural muscles along with the pelvic floor muscles, teaches deep breathing, thus not taking away any nutrition from the child in the womb. In fact,it concentrates to supply more blood and nutrition to the child.
This method helps to lengthen the spine thus providing more space for the baby.
Pilates has less of dynamic and aggressive movements. It helps to improve balance which gets affected by the growing belly and the weight and also because of the change in the hormonal levels. Here the movements are controlled and can be customised to suit the requirements of the client.
The exercises can be modified in numerous ways which is not possible in other forms of exercises. It keeps the body temperature low, helps to increase metabolism and improves digestion. It can reduce back pain, swelling, constipation, improve posture and in totality will give a feel good factor during pregnancy.
Thus doing Pilates can take you through a happy pregnancy, and can help you bounce back faster to a healthy start.
Before beginning with Pilates the client should consult the doctor and get the go ahead for exercising, ruling out any kind of obstetric or health condition which might limit the physical activity.
Pilates method is ideal during Pregnancy because it has a delicate approach. It is not aggressive in nature like the other workouts. It works on the stabilisation of the spine, strengthening the core postural muscles along with the pelvic floor muscles, teaches deep breathing, thus not taking away any nutrition from the child in the womb. In fact,it concentrates to supply more blood and nutrition to the child.
This method helps to lengthen the spine thus providing more space for the baby.
Pilates has less of dynamic and aggressive movements. It helps to improve balance which gets affected by the growing belly and the weight and also because of the change in the hormonal levels. Here the movements are controlled and can be customised to suit the requirements of the client.
The exercises can be modified in numerous ways which is not possible in other forms of exercises. It keeps the body temperature low, helps to increase metabolism and improves digestion. It can reduce back pain, swelling, constipation, improve posture and in totality will give a feel good factor during pregnancy.
Thus doing Pilates can take you through a happy pregnancy, and can help you bounce back faster to a healthy start.
When you feel low, anxious or depressed the last thing you want to do is exercise, but this should be the first solution which one should try.
Pilates is very beneficial for those suffering from depression as the approach of Pilates is very gentle, safe and takes the body through a full Range of Motion. All the exercises here are taken through right movement patterns keeping safety as the utmost priority in mind. This form of exercise also lays great emphasis on breathing.
Here we work on the very deep layers of the muscles which are closest to the bones. Therefore, when these muscles get strong they give good stability to the joints. When the body goes through the movements in various planes it results in releasing tension and stress in the muscles thus bringing a relaxed feeling. One gets a sense of accomplishment after doing Pilates.
Many a times people who do not respond to medicines show great improvement after they have done Pilates for a while. Joseph Pilates created this form of exercise which works the body from Inside to the Outside. It works on the deepest layers of the body thus reaching flexibility, balance, good core strength leading to a happy mind.