Is Your Pilates Class Right For You?

Recently, I was chatting to *Bill, who had been attending a reformer Pilates class for the past 6 weeks. His wife, who was dealing with back pain, had organised for them to attend a weekly session at a newly opened chain studio near their home. When I asked how he was finding it, he was reluctant to admit he wasn't really enjoying the sessions.   More importantly, Bill wasn't seeing any improvement in his ongoing shoulder issues, which were causing him pain and something he thought Pilates would help him overcome. In his late 50s, his long career as a hairdresser had left him with rotator cuff issues and a history of shoulder bursitis. He wasn't sure if he should keep going, and maybe down the track, he would see an improvement. 

I explained to him that to overcome his specific issues, he needed to go to a Pilates studio or do virtual sessions with an experienced Pilates teacher and have an Initial Assessment. He would then continue with 1-on-1 sessions or small group sessions of 3-4 clients, with each person following their own program designed for their individual needs. This is the only way he could overcome his shoulder pain. When I explained how Joseph Pilates gained a reputation for rehabilitation by helping injured dancers from the New York City Ballet to overcome their injuries so they could get back to performing, he was amazed. He didn't know the Pilates method was created by Joseph Pilates, and was fascinated to learn there was more to Pilates than he was currently experiencing. He had done yoga many years ago and was hoping Pilates would involve more mindful movement. It's a mind-body connection, but this wasn't coming across in his class because loud music was playing during the session. There are so many options out there now when it comes to Pilates, making it hard to pinpoint exactly what is best for your needs.

General Fitness Pilates Classes

These classes can be on a barre, reformer or a mat, and everyone is doing the same thing at the same time. Often held at gyms, mat and barre classes can attract 30 or more participants. Reformer classes tend to be smaller due to each person requiring a machine. The instructors often come from a gym background as opposed to a Pilates background, and nuances such as the mind-body connection, Pilates breathing techniques, and how to connect with the abdominal muscles are often overlooked. These classes are aimed at people who don't have any areas of pain or injury and just want a general workout. Some teachers can modify the exercises for those who need it, but the majority don't. So if you have back pain, for example, you may find your pain increases over time as you may be doing exercises that are unsuitable for your condition. I have had numerous clients over the years come to me after attending a large mat class to overcome pain and have ended up far worse than when they started. If you have any injuries like Bill and his wife, these classes are not for you.

Specialised Pilates Sessions For Overcoming Pain

Bill was grateful for our conversation and the advice I gave him. Otherwise, he would have been left with the impression that his weekly reformer class was all there was to Pilates and would have been very underwhelmed.  Not surprisingly, this makes me sad as Pilates is so much more than a reformer and loud music. If you have specific areas of pain that you want to overcome, you need to find a teacher like me with more than 20 years of experience who specialises in helping people to overcome pain and prevent further injury. After a virtual Initial Assessment, which is a 1-hour, 1-on-1 session, where I assess your posture, look at your current movement patterns and how they are serving you, and discuss your past medical history. I then teach you Pilates breathing techniques and how to connect your abdominal muscles. We then discuss your goals for Pilates, and I go away and design a program of the most effective exercises for you to begin at your next 1-on-1 virtual session. This approach is the best way to overcome pain, not in a general fitness Pilates class, and I've helped hundreds of people to do this over the years.

If you’re ready to overcome—or prevent—chronic pain and begin your Pilates journey, I’d love to support you.   You can email me at [email protected], book an Initial Assessment with me here or  take the free 10 day trial of JS Mind Body Pilates, my online studio.  This library of on-demand videos was designed by me to help you overcome pain and injury, beginning with the very basics of Pilates breathing techniques and how to connect your abdominal muscles. I’d be delighted to help you discover the power of Pilates for yourself and move toward a stronger, more comfortable, pain-free life!

 *Bill is not his real name.