So after writing about the benefit of Pilates in July, I finally decided to fit a class into my schedule. Because I had done an hour-long spin class the day before and planned on doing a long run the day after, it was the perfect low-impact workout.
I got there about 15 minutes early, grabbed a thick blue mat right outside the room and found my spot (in the back corner of course). Then, I followed all the flexible looking people to two bins in the opposite corner of the room to grab a longer, thinner black yoga mat. As I followed each move they made, I realized the black mat goes on top of the blue mat – the blue is for padding. After setting up my space, I looked around and noticed I was the only one still wearing my shoes and socks. With a little hesitation, I freed my feet and waited patiently for class to get started.
It seemed that over 50 people were there. Like most classes I’ve attended, there was a mix of experts and newbies. Amy, the instructor, came in, plugged in her iPod and got class started. Here it goes. Forty-five minutes of intense stretching and core work.
We started with some extreme ab exercises, and within minutes, I was feeling it. Amy spent a few seconds telling us how to do the move then we would get to work. So that I could completely focus on my breathing and the move, Amy would count down the reps for the class. The moves varied in time, however most moves were about a minute or less. This helped me push through the workout – if I could feel my muscles burning from one move, I only had to get through it for a short bit!
We were taught how to breathe in Pilates. You simply breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. It’s a little difficult to explain how to breathe out, but if I could put it in words, I would say it’s like saying “shhh.” At the beginning of each class, this will be explained (much better than I can explain it).
Overall, the class was refreshing. Although I looked like I was struggling on a few moves, I’m excited to go back at least once a week so I can get more and more flexible. Stretching and core work is so important – it gives you good posture, helps prevent injuries and makes you look long and lean. Read more of its benefits here.
To see when Pilates and other group fitness classes are going on, click here.
