Pilates

[joyfulgirl]

Anybody else here do pilates? I've been taking a class twice a week for 8 weeks and discovered today in The Gap dressing room that I've lost a whole pants size. Weight loss wasn't the goal with pilates since my weight is fine but I've toned and tightened and now have a hard flat tummy. I'm getting kind of obsessed with it. They say that after 30 lessons your body is transformed and I'm starting to believe it. It just totally rocks. It doesn't hurt that my teacher is a former Mr. Israel and is kind of hot.

 

[Laura M]

I was interested in doing this after my dance classes.

I have been to 2 and they last for 8 more weeks. Ever since I started uni I walk so much im always walking and my leg muscles have gotten really well deceloped. I have nearly lost a stone!!!!!!!!!!! And I think the dance classes are helping too even though they are more just to keep fit

But after the dance classes there a pilate class

I was in a shop in town today trying on tops I can now fit into tops 2 sizes smaller than I was wearing back in March and a pair of jeans I couldnt fit into for 2 years now fit me and they are baggy!

and the thing is im eating like a beast now I even eat chocolate and stuff during the week - maybe i eat too much chocolate though

 

[dsmith2904]

I totally love doing pilates. Right now I am doing the Mari Windsor tapes but for a while I was doing ballet and pilates at the same time and it was so fantastic how well they complemented each other. My strength, flexibility and balance were fantastic. Totally great stuff and killer for your abs!!

 

[AvsGirl41]

I thought this said pirates.

I want to try Pilates though and get toned. I already lost 12 pounds, I want some tone.

 

[EPandAmerica]

There is a pilates studio where I live but I haven't called to check it out. I thought it would be too expensive since it is a new thing here.
I've heard that you'll get long lean muscles instead of bulk and that would be good for me since I'm short.

How long are the classes? And is it jarring to your joints?

 

[TiaraGurl]

I have been meaning to try it but have not as of yet. I love yoga so I have been doing that.

 

[~LadyLemon~]

I totally love doing pilates. Right now I am doing the Mari Windsor tapes but for a while I was doing ballet and pilates at the same time and it was so fantastic how well they complemented each other. My strength, flexibility and balance were fantastic. Totally great stuff and killer for your abs!!

I've been looking at the Winsor Pilates tapes. The deal I have comes in a set of three. Is this what you use?

 

[meegannie]

I tried it, but I can't bend.

 

[dsmith2904]

I've been looking at the Winsor Pilates tapes. The deal I have comes in a set of three. Is this what you use?

Yep. Because I had already taken Pilates the first tape is pretty useless, but the 20-minute workout is fantastic!!

EPandAmerica -- Pilates mat classes shouldn't be too rough on your joints. All of the exercises can be modified depending on your weak areas, talk to the teacher before hand about any concerns or problems you have and they will show you how to modify any of the positions or exercises so you still get the benefits without hurting yourself.

 

[verte76]

I've done pilates, but since I developed arthritis I prefer swimming because it's gentler. I have succeeded in losing 20 pounds in the last year. It's fantastic.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Just back from Monday morning pilates. I love it so much. It never gets boring (or hasn't yet anyway) and I feel it is such a complete workout doing some very simple moves. It's generally not hard on joints at all but there are some moves on the Reformer that require wrist strength and sometimes that bothers me a little bit but it's no big deal and anything that bothers you you can skip. I honestly feel I have gotten more benefit from 8 weeks of pilates than I have from years of weight training and aerobics at the gym. It seems that at the gym I always end up with some kind of mild injury no matter how careful I am whereas with pilates I just keep getting stronger and feeling better and more energized. I'm not athletic at all and pilates is the first thing I've really been good at and have seen and felt my body being transformed in a way I didn't think was possible. I have slight scoliosis and lower back stuff as well as computer-related shoulder/neck stress that is all being addressed at such a deep level that it feels like my body is really being re-aligned. My sisters swear I am even getting taller as my spine gets stretched and my posture is much improved.

Basically I just can't say enough about it.

verte> isn't it great to do something you enjoy and then months later realize you've lost weight doing it!

 

[HeartlandGirl]

That's awesome, joyful. I've been doing yoga for a few years and love it the way you seem to love Pilates.

And it may sound strange, but I've gained weight by doing yoga. I was a few pounds underweight for a few years, especially during graduate school. Yoga has helped my body get to a healthy place, though, even if I've had to buy some bigger clothes. My arms are muscular, my face is fuller, and my stress levels are way down--these are all good things.

It feels great to treat your body right, doesn't it?

 

[oliveu2cm]

Wow that's excellent everyone! I am joining Curves today actually (I moved a few months ago and have been needing to get a new gym). I'm looking forward to exercising again. I don't know if they have Pilates classes but I'll look out for it. I'd just buy the tapes but I don't think I'd motivate myself enough- I'd rather go to a class. Thanks for the information on Pilates though!

 

[dsmith2904]

Wow that's excellent everyone! I am joining Curves today actually (I moved a few months ago and have been needing to get a new gym). I'm looking forward to exercising again. I don't know if they have Pilates classes but I'll look out for it. I'd just buy the tapes but I don't think I'd motivate myself enough- I'd rather go to a class. Thanks for the information on Pilates though!

I think Curves only has machines, no classes. The basic idea is to circuit training, you move through a series of machines and get a complete workout in like 30 minutes.

 

[joyfulgirl]

That's awesome, joyful. I've been doing yoga for a few years and love it the way you seem to love Pilates.

And it may sound strange, but I've gained weight by doing yoga. I was a few pounds underweight for a few years, especially during graduate school. Yoga has helped my body get to a healthy place, though, even if I've had to buy some bigger clothes. My arms are muscular, my face is fuller, and my stress levels are way down--these are all good things.

It feels great to treat your body right, doesn't it?

That's great HG!

I think I will eventually gain weight with pilates, too, as muscle mass increases. Pilates is similar to Ayangar yoga, I'm told. Many of the mat exercises are the same. I love the combination of mat exercises and the Pilates Reformer machine. If I had $3500 laying around I'd buy the Reformer for my home. I just LOVE that machine. Can a person be in love with a machine??

 

[HeartlandGirl]

I think I've seen that machine advertised or pictured in Yoga Journal. If you had the money, that would be a sweet addition to your home furnishings!

 

[~LadyLemon~]

Thanks for all the glowing reviews. I've been curious about Pilates for quite some time, but you all gave me the push to try it. I ordered the package deal from Winsor Pilates. Here's hoping it will help with my poundage gained in college!!

 

[verte76]

verte> isn't it great to do something you enjoy and then months later realize you've lost weight doing it!

Yes! Also, when I got my arthritis diagnosis I started practicing t'ai chi again. That's a really gentle way to move your joints and relieve stress. Stress contributes *big time* to arthritis so it's important to do something about it.

 

[DrTeeth]

I started doing cardio-fitness two months ago because my family has a history of heartdiseases and I was in terrible shape. After 8 weeks I gained 5 pounds while I always used to struggle to keep a healthy weight, my fat perecentage hasn't changed so that's a lot of muscle. My last test said my overall condition has increased by 36% I feel good!

 

[joyfulgirl]

Yes! Also, when I got my arthritis diagnosis I started practicing t'ai chi again. That's a really gentle way to move your joints and relieve stress. Stress contributes *big time* to arthritis so it's important to do something about it.

I have a little bit of arthritis, too (runs in the family) especially in my wrists, but I have found that so far I am able to control it through diet--for example, avoiding fatty foods and nightshade vegetables. One time I ate a lot of potato soup and the next day my wrist was swollen and sore. I made some fresh carrot juice (in a vegetable juicer) and the swelling went down almost immediately. I guess it depends on what kind of arthritis you have, though.

DrTeeth > yay for you!

 

[joyfulgirl]

For anyone who doesn't know what pilates is all about, or have never seen a Reformer, here are some cool pics. I am still a beginner but I have done all of these (albeit not always well! They are not as hard as they look, though, and they feel amazing):

 

[Lemon Meringue]

I thought pilates used those fitness balls. Is all the other equipment needed?

 

[dsmith2904]

I thought pilates used those fitness balls. Is all the other equipment needed?

There's a bunch of different kinds of pilates. Some classes use the machines, like in those pictures, the type that's on the Windsor tapes in mat work, which sometimes uses the physio-balls but most of the time uses no equipment at all.

 

[verte76]

When I took pilates classes the only equipment we used was a mat. That thing looks pretty cool if you have the $$.

 

[U2zoogirl]

I hate doing exercise... I don't know why

 

[Rattle]

I love Pilates too. I have done yoga in the past but I have to say, I prefer Pilates. I also play semi-competative co-ed volleyball...any other volleyball players out there?

 

[joyfulgirl]

I thought pilates used those fitness balls. Is all the other equipment needed?

As dsmith said, there's a whole bunch of different kinds of pilates classes and equipment. My class is split between mat and machine exercises, using balls, foam logs, 'magic circle,' etc to warm up and then moving on to the Reformer.

I don't want to underestimate the value of the mat exercises because they are really good; I practice them at home and when I travel and have gotten many a kink out of my back doing them on my own. The simplest movement done correctly can make all the difference. But I find that the machines take it all to another level and are just incredible. I credit the Reformer with the fast changes I'm seeing in my body. I did the exercise in that last picture on Friday and Monday--just 5 repetitions of the arm pullies while holding the position--and man it just about killed me in the best way.

I, too, prefer Pilates to yoga. I couldn't stick with yoga even though I was good at it. I think I need machines in a workout and the Pilates machines are IT.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I love Pilates too. I have done yoga in the past but I have to say, I prefer Pilates. I also play semi-competative co-ed volleyball...any other volleyball players out there?

Pilates is the closest thing to athletics that has ever existed in my life. I'm no good at competitive sports.

 

[joyfulgirl]

I know I should let this thread die but this morning my teacher played Zooropa during class. All by himself with no input from me. Not necessarily thread boostworthy information, but I'm bored waiting for a snowstorm to begin and I think you'll all sleep better tonight with this information. Thank youl.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

I think I could really get motivated to work out if I knew I could listen to Zooropa. Great song! And you didn't even have to suggest it!