Practicing Pilates can look very different from one person to the next. I mean, look at this picture of me practically upside down on some medieval “torture” device. “Is this really what you would come to expect from every client who walks through your door?”
Honestly, my answer is no.
Pilates is a movement science, similar to physical therapy and yoga. It can be as simple as a person with their mat or as involved as what you see here. The point is, Pilates is good for every single body. It is the practice of learning to stabilize certain areas of your body while mobilizing others. Each exercise has a focus area, but it also encompasses your entire musculoskeletal system at the same time. With each exercise, you are given cues and images of how the movement will look, and it is then up to you to organize your brain and body to execute. It’s certainly not easy, but with practice and some patience, you will see a transformation in your body you may have never expected possible.
My best recommendation is to begin with a certified Pilates instructor and work privately with them for 3-6 sessions before making your next plan. Learn the terminology, work through the positioning, get comfortable with the equipment, the instructor and the studio. It’s likely the first few sessions may feel a little slow or even overwhelming. Both are completely normal. But by the end of your introductory period, it’s also very likely you will feel a little longer, stronger and more connected to your body!
Good Luck!
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