When I started Pilates way back in ’99, I had no idea what Pilates was.
It was actually a fluke that I even took my first Pilates class! I had no expectations because I’d never even heard of it (like most people at the time), but there are a few things I've discovered since I started my first Pilates class. Some of them were hard-won discoveries, but all of them were worth finding out about.
Here's a few tips on how to get the most from your Pilates practice!
Keep an eye on yourself, not the person on the mat next to you
In any class, it’s hard not to compare yourself to others. You might judge yourself for not pushing how hard they are, or seemingly how much more they know. You might judge yourself against how great they look, or how effortless it seems for them when all you’re doing is struggling. But there’s something you might not realize about Pilates.
Just because it looks good, doesn’t mean they’re doing it right. It’s true. The “prettiest” Pilates can be a result of hypermobile joints, compensation, and/or strain! So, that amazing woman on the mat next to you? Yep, she could just be ‘cheating’ while you’re beating yourself up for not looking that good during class. You can appreciate other people you see, but there’s no ‘should-ing’ on yourself allowed! Instead, appreciate yourself and how much you progress. You’ll see how strong and fluid you become and THAT is worth more than how pretty anything looks! YOUR body is yours, and you may not see it, but everyone has their strengths and weaknesses! Do a little often, instead of a lot sometimes When I started Pilates, all I could fit in to my schedule was going to class once a week. Back then, there were no on-demand classes or virtual options. It was all just what was available locally, whenever a class was held. It was also back in the time of DVDs! The first DVD I got was an hour long. I loved Pilates so damn much I did that video at least 3x a week. And then I got a few more. And I did them all, a few times a week. I loved it! Until life changed. I had babies and didn’t have all that time anymore, so it threw off my personal practice. And then I missed it terribly, because I could only get that full hour in maybe once a week. And then I beat myself up for not doing it more often! So I started figuring “something is better than nothing”, and just hit my mat with my own short routine that I could do, and change up, a whole lot more often. It gave me back that Pilates feeling (and let me ditch the guilt)! A little bit of Pilates IN your body is a whole lot better than just wishing you felt better. Everything counts.
Pretty isn’t actually the goal Say it again with me! Just because it looks great, doesn’t mean you’re doing it right. The “prettiest” Pilates can be a result of hypermobile joints, compensation, and strain, among other things. People put too much pressure in places, count on the wrong parts for support (especially their neck and hip flexors) and strain past their flexibility level in the hopes that it’ll look good.
I’m guilty of some of that. I spent the first couple of years of my Pilates practice trying to make things look perfect.
- Cue the terrible self-talk when it didn’t always happen, because I’m human and so is my body -
Honestly, to this day, back extension is not my strong suit.
The Hip Twist feels like a struggle every. single. time. because of my leg to torso ratio.
Snake and Twist on the Reformer? Ugh.
And maybe they’ll never be as ‘pretty’ as someone else’s, but when I finally ditched the desire to make my practice LOOK perfect, and just started trying to make it the strongest I could do that day…
Well, I think that’s when everything got “prettier” for me. Maybe not on the outside, but I feel a whole lot better about my entire practice from the inside! You can too!
It's freeing to know that it doesn't matter how good it looks. It matters how good it feels.
Sore isn’t the goal SO many of my clients bring up the sore thing. “Why wasn’t I sore after class? Did I not do it right?”
Here’s the thing:
Sometimes you are really sore from Pilates class. You connected with muscles you don’t normally. Maybe you came from a place of connection where usually you compensate. Maybe you pushed too hard on a day your body wasn’t up for quite so much. Sometimes you’re not sore. Maybe you were using all the right muscles but you have been for a while. Maybe you did your practice at just the right balance for what you needed. The great news? IT DOESN’T MATTER. Because as long as you feel the work during class, you’ll always feel empowerment, connection, and mobility from your practice. And THAT should be your goal. Because THAT’S the feedback we’re looking for, NOT the sore muscles. Your back is just as important as your front Back extension is not my forte. Glute connection has always been challenging. Getting into my upper back connection without pinching…ugh. So, when left to my own devices, I tended to enjoy the ‘front’ exercises more than the ‘back’ ones. Hello, Single Straight Leg Stretch, Rollover, Seal… I DID the back exercises, but not as enthusiastically as the front, so I got away from the support and participation of the back muscles more than I should have. Weak back muscles (from your calves all the way to your neck!) make front muscles work harder…and not in a good way. Weak back muscles leave your pelvic floor weak. Weak glute muscles make your lower back do work it shouldn’t (which a lot of the time is why your back hurts and your hamstrings are super tight). Weak back muscles create imbalance EVERYWHERE. So, you can’t just do the exercises you LIKE. Because the ones you don’t like are the ones you need the most. Which is also why you need to work with someone, instead of on your own all the time. A great Pilates teacher will help you work the parts that don't work enough! And maybe you LIKE the back exercises. Maybe you’re very mobile through your back and make everything look pretty. I know there are still some exercises you don’t like. And it’s important you still do them! Kinda like life. It can’t be all play and no work. It’s balance like that. Let Pilates make you happier I become a better person when I do Pilates.
It’s not just me. It’s my favourite thing to see when people start their practice!
When you do your Pilates practice, it makes you feel good. And because you feel good, you're happier in your interactions with your partner, your family, and your friends, not to mention countless strangers you come into contact with throughout the day. Positive interactions mean you’re sharing the love with everyone, and they can pass it along from you, because they feel good when they talk to you.
Positivity breeds positivity! It’s easier to share a smile when you feel good. It’s easier to help others when your back’s not killing you. It’s easier to want to connect with people when you feel like things are good in your life, and you’re making a positive difference in your mobility, energy, and enthusiasm! Now go & get on your mat! It's worth it!
Xo, Kimberly
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