Does anyone attend Pilates classes?

**MammaMia** · 24-02-2006 20:05

I was thinking about doing this but wasn't sure....

be interested in anyone's experience - worth it, not worth it?

Signed
Oh to have the Body I dreamed of having in my youth!

**Ana Gram** · 24-02-2006 20:19

I do it at home when I wake up early enough. My brother started doing after spinal surgery a few years ago and he is now training to be a pilates instructor.
Absolutely worth trying!

**MammaMia** · 24-02-2006 20:30

Thanks!

I am assuming that it is good for muscle strengthening and just feeling good about yourself physically.

Yoga doesn't really do it for me - can't get past the chanting idea (whether it be accurate or not) that looms in my mind whenever I think of it.

Now to see if I am coordinated enough to do the moves.

**melfunction** · 24-02-2006 20:39

Originally Posted by chellegoth

I do it at home when I wake up early enough. My brother started doing after spinal surgery a few years ago and he is now training to be a pilates instructor.
Absolutely worth trying!

So it is worth doing for a back injury then????? I have wanted to try it, but am scared of popping my discs again....

**Ana Gram** · 24-02-2006 20:47

It would be better to do it with a real life instructor to make sure you are doing everything right rather than from the tv. It is all about building core strength which is great for your back.

**melfunction** · 24-02-2006 20:49

Might give it a try. Thanks

**Rhys'Mum** · 25-02-2006 20:58

I must confess I hate doing pilates, I really struggle with relaxing and I feel like I either can't seem to do it right or its not doing anything. BUT, I can certainly attest that it works and it saved me buckets in osteopath bills.

I have chronic inflammatory arthritis which includes inflammation of muscles and tendons as well as joint pain (yay!!!, lucky huh). By some miracle I actually went into remission while pregnant so was able to actually see its progression as it came back - over the course of a couple of months. Then signed up for a mums and bubs pilates class, which was actually just a fun thing to do with bub and a friend I thought. The instructor focused a lot on areas that are problems for new mums, across chest and shoulders, lower back etc and did a bit with the little people. By that time I was starting to get quite a bit of pain and had resumed visits with osteo for some relief (really difficult with new bub who couldn't stay 45mins without attention). But, found I didn't need to go after a couple of weeks at pilates. Course finished just before Christmas and hasn't restarted - guess who's been needing to see the oesto again...

Its worth a try, I'd suggest do it with an instructor (at least initially) because it is sometimes tricky to get it right. And just because it may feel like it isn't doing anything doesn't mean its not - give it a few weeks and you may even start to feel it.

**sarah81** · 25-02-2006 23:17

I started Pilates a few weeks ago and I am loving it

I did ballet for most of my pre-baby life so I have found it easy to pick up. Do a course/class first rather than a video becase technique is very important.

The work of the abdominals and core is great and I love the streching. Great for not building bulky muscles. I am combining it with walking for a bit for cardio. The course I a doing is a mat course only no machine thingys. We use bands, balls and a few other things though.

I think is is different to yoga, which I despise doing

**Peaceangels** · 26-02-2006 11:12

I did a Pilates course at the end of last year (10 weeks) and found it really helped my back (I have scoliosis).

I have done yoga for about 7yrs, but I found Pilates to be very different. It really worked muscles and parts of my body I never knew existed, plus the breathing (along with the exercise) is completely opposite to yoga, so it took me a while to pick that up.

Some of the exercises were extremely hard, but I felt great after it.

**Mumma_al** · 28-02-2006 19:47

Originally Posted by MammaMia

I was thinking about doing this but wasn't sure....

be interested in anyone's experience - worth it, not worth it?

Signed
Oh to have the Body I dreamed of having in my youth!

Im a personal trainers. I try and get all my female clients to do pilates
I LOVE IT !!! it gives the fastest results out of any type of work out. I also think that the type of muscle tone it gives make womens bodies look great. Give it ago. But make sure you do it for atleast 2 weeks. and then you will see results. Best part about pilates you can do it on your lounge room floor when bub's asleep