What’s the deal with Pilates?
So, you’re considering giving Pilates a go. You’ve heard it’s great for your core (which must be good, right?) and all the trendy types are doing it. So should you rock up to the class that’s at your local gym, do you go to a health clinic or do you find the purists at the specialty Pilates studio? In truth, each option might lead to vastly different exercises so the most important variable in making this decision is you.
The difference between your local gym and a health professional that’s running a Pilates group is the know-how that is behind the decisions about what exercise is best. In a large group setting, like most gym classes tend to be, you’re unlikely to get special attention. And even though your gym-led Pilates will be led by someone who might know Pilates exercises quite well, there’s a good chance that if you’re seeking a therapeutic benefit that a class held by a health professional is the best way to go.
Another consideration is the bonus of using apparatus. The Reformer, Tower, Cadillac or Barrel are amongst the most common contraptions you’ll see in either a health professional’s clinic or in Pilates Studio, and these nifty bits of equipment have evolved over time from the work of the method’s founder, Joseph Pilates, who was originally interested in exercise for improving the performance of dancers. Using springs and platforms these varying devices can provide you with a way to safely challenge the way your body deals with movement, giving great opportunity to improve your strength and the confidence you have with movement.
So what’s the right choice for you? If you want a fun, different type of exercise, the gym might not be a bad choice for you. If you want the opportunities provided by the use of apparatus, a Pilates studio might be a better fit. But if you want to challenge your body in new ways that provide you with a whole other level of strength and you want to do it in a way that’s safe and effective, a Pilates-trained exercise physiologist makes a whole lot of sense. You’ll get the care of a health professional who can understand all the factors that affect your strengths and weaknesses and the exercise expertise of someone with post-graduate university training – the kind that enables them to treat and train elite athletes, applying the science of strength and flexibility to help create lasting and meaningful results.