There are myriad Pilates classes and teachers out there. The reason for that is VERY convoluted and requires a blog of its own (if not a novel). The short short version is that someone was holding on to the name Pilates and not letting anyone else use it, even when the person requesting its use had a clear right to do so. After a lawsuit Pilates was hitherto known as a modality of fitness as opposed to a proprietary method. This had good and bad ramifications: good in that Pilates finally achieved the global notoriety and decimation that had eluded the originator in his lifetime. Bad in that anyone can call anything Pilates whether it has anything to do with legit Pilates or not. So the Pilates class you take at a gym or club may or may not have one single move from the official Pilates repertoire. The teacher of that class may or may not have ever received a certification to teach Pilates. So let’s just assume you have signed up for a Pilates mat class in a studio dedicated to Pilates. That way you know the exercises you perform will more than likely be part of the Pilates cannon.

So what should you expect from an actual Pilates mat class? First off the teacher will NOT be exercising (they really should do that on their OWN time). The teacher may demonstrate a movement or two if it seems like the queueing used isn’t hitting home with a class. But the teacher should not be working out in front of you through the duration of the class (and I am NOT knocking that kind of class it’s just not how you properly teach Pilates). You will be laying flat on a mat listening to your teacher and following instructions focusing deeply on your body and muscles and movement. There will most likely not be any music playing in order to assist your ability to focus inward on your body. If there is music it will be quiet and unobtrusive – there will be no bumpin beats in this class! You will be taught the Pilates breathing technique and this will transition into preliminary movements or what we like to call Pilates Fundamentals. These seem like deceptively easy moves, they are not. The teacher will make sure that you are using all the correct muscles to do the movements (hint: if it’s too easy you’re doing it wrong!). You will get adjustments to help train your brain to understand what aligned feels like. You will find out a LOT about your body. You will leave looking (and feeling) taller and thinner due to proper postural alignment and abdominal engagement. You will feel all of your muscles refreshed and ready for your day.

Pilates is not meant to be a discipline that leaves you feeling completely depleted and wrecked. It is meant to invigorate, strengthen and lengthen your body. Joseph Pilates said “in 10 sessions you’ll feel the difference, in 20 you’ll see the difference, and in 30 you’ll have a new body.” It is no exaggeration that this is a life and body changing discipline that is sustainable because you’re not hammering on your joints nor are you killing a few large muscle groups and completely ignoring others. Oh and by the way, continual Pilates practice with a teacher will build muscle in proper alignment (BELIEVE me it is impossible to do Pilates AND nail down your own alignment, I’ve tried). This in turn will make it easier for your body to stay aligned and working properly. Consequently you will require less energy for movement and experience less pain altogether. I’d like to thank the Roc City Roller Derby for allowing me to come in and teach them. They are amazing athletes and wonderful students.

In my next blog I’ll address how women have become torsos.