Pilates

Pilates is a type of exercise that helps with flexibility, breathwork, and strength. The basis of the movements are to engage the core stabilizer muscles and create change in the body through slow and sustained movements. Those movements are exercises that have been developed over the years with its roots founded in classic pilates by the creator Joseph Pilates. 

Reformer pilates is using a machine with springs that create tension to move. This machine helps to support the body while doing a series of exercises created to help achieve overall fitness.   

Pilates is easily accessible to so many people because the foundation of the movements are low impact so most exercises will be done supported while seated or lying down. Pilates is an excellent starting point to move your body if injuries are a concern or you'd like to focus on specific areas to the body for rehabilitation, sport performance or overall body awareness.

• Learning to create and maintain core stability, which leads to a better improvement in back pain and it's dysfunction.
• boost mobility 
• exercises elongate muscles, which lend itself to muscles appearing leaner. Sculpting of muscles reinforces the natural curvature in your body, creating and establishing a relationship with your body that helps to gain strength, stamina and cardiovascular endurance 
• takes the spine in multiple ranges of motions safely (especially when rehabbing injuries)
• low impact means better support for knees and shoulders.

• surgical intervention - needs to be signed off from your doctor or surgeon (whoever is looking after you). Must be signed off that exercising can be resumed.
• acute sprains or strains - any injury to the body 7 days before the session is a no go. Rest, relaxation and re evaluate after that week. 
• expectant mothers are okay to join as long as your doctor has okayed it 
• post partum - again, as long as your doctor has signed off that you can resume some activities. Pilates is great option to get moving slowly and safely. 

As with anything else, in order to achieve results and improve we must dedicate ourselves. Pilates is a practice like doing yoga or going to the gym 4 days a week -consistently scheduling of time to practice is key. A package is the most beneficial because we can schedule your private one on one appointments in advance. This helps create consistency  as we effectively challenge a little more each time and you begin to deepen your skill and see changes in your body.

In your first session you can expect a thorough intake, full body assessment and posture analysis. We talk about the goals you would like to achieve and how best I can help navigate you through them.

Expect this first appointment to be 90 min. in length. We will talk about the safety of the machine and then go into understanding some basic foundational elements that must be practiced while doing pilates in order to ensure safety to your body when we begin to load the muscles. Then with the remaining time we will finish with a workout. 

Subsequent sessions will follow a similar routine - warm up and then workout. . 

• Wear comfortable workout clothing. 
• Long hair will be tied up and back, if you have bangs you can wear a headband just to keep bangs out of the eyes.
• You do not need shoes but socks must be worn! Preferably with stickies on the bottom of them. There are specific socks for yoga, barre or pilates. Can be found at most yoga, pilates studios or on Amazon. Socks can also be purchased at Raise The Bar as well in a pinch.   
• Bring your water bottle.
• Please bring a yoga mat if you have one. 
• If you tend to sweat, bring a towel to wipe your face and arms
• A sense of fun and excitement to play. 

Pilates is about moving your body in ways that you didn't think you could. You can do it!