Session 6

When I took mat classes previously I used to think that they were a “lite” version of Pilates and if you really want to have a true Pilates experience you need to practice on the Pilates equipment. Now that I have been practicing both types of workouts for a couple of weeks now, I understand that they are intended to compliment each other. Many of the exercises I do on the reformer; Cadillac, etc are also done during the mat classes. Instead of using the springs for resistance you use your own body. Both types of workouts are equally intense.

Session 5

I really like the atmosphere at Body Mind Balance. There is one large room that has the majority of the equipment and plenty of floor space for mat work. The large windows on three sides of the room let in a lot of natural light and the beautiful hardwood floors and exposed brick add to the studio’s charm. When I am in the studio for my Tuesday and Thursday evening sessions it is typically pretty quiet, with only a few other people doing private sessions as well. It is nice to have that quiet time and focus on my practice and relax after a long day of work. On Saturdays mornings there is a different atmosphere when I attend mat class. There are usually 6-8 of us participating in a mat class, a group using the Gyrotonic equipment and sometimes a session or two of personal training going on as well. There seems to be more energy in the studio on Saturday mornings and it is a great way to start the day.

There is so much value in practicing Pilates at a studio. I was recently speaking with someone about my blog and she mentioned that she wants to start doing Pilates too. She is going to buy a DVD. I am sure there are a lot of great Pilates DVDs available, but nothing makes up for having someone in person coach you through your workout. When there is an instructor working with you, they can insure that you are doing the exercise properly. Sometimes just a small tweak to the placement of your foot or hip can make a difference. The instructor will also encourage you to take your exercise a bit further and personalize the workout to meet your needs.

Not only are the verbal cues from the instructor important, but it also helps to see other students practicing as well. Tonight I saw a more advanced student doing the crisscross while balanced on the chair. I thought to myself, “I want to be at that level, I want to be able to do that!” Watching other students gives helps me set new goals for myself

Session 4

Today was just one of those days…it was cold and gloomy out and I had a lot going on at work. Almost as soon as I arrived to the office I could feel the stress and tension building in my back and shoulders. By the time lunch rolled around I felt like my shoulders were up to my ears and I was tired. Despite the urge to just go home and veg on the sofa, I knew if I went to Pilates I would feel much better. I have noticed since I started practicing that my shoulders are not nearly as tight and I am not feeling nearly as stressed. Don’t get me wrong I still have a long way to go, but I definitely see an improvement. One of the important parts of the practice is keeping your shoulders down and back as you move through the positions. I think Kelly had to remind me to keep them down, much more tonight. Another key element is articulating your spine through the different positions. As you work through a roll-up/roll-down, for example, each vertebra should come in contact with the mat. I think it is these elements that have helped loosen the tension and also eliminated some of the back pain I had been feeling after sitting at my desk for eight hours a day.

The other thing I like about Pilates is it really forces me to focus my attention to the workout. In my earlier entry I talked about how I think focus is key to a successful session...I had to leave my to do list at work and just focus on my body and make sure I was pulling in my abdominal muscles, moving my shoulders, back and down, and articulating my spine. It really makes me more aware of my body and how it operates when I engage my muscles.

Session 3

For today’s session of Pilates, I participated in a group mat class. It was a small group, only six of us. This was a good size because I think it allowed our instructor, Holly, to watch all of us and give us individual attention as needed. One of the first things I noticed about the group this morning is that I was one of the youngest participants. I would venture a guess that a few of ladies were 50+. I mention this because it is a reminder that this program is all ages and abilities.

In Pilates mat work, I still did a lot of the same exercises that I have done on the reformer and cadillac the difference is I don’t have the springs to use as resistance, just my own body. For today’s session we also used the toning ring, which helped me engage my muscles.

I think when you do any kind of group fitness activity is easy to get caught up in the notion of, “am I keeping up with everyone else.” Holly reminded us to listen to our bodies, if we are not keeping our pelvis down or hips stable, etc. then our movements might be “too big.” Holly referenced one of Joseph Pilates philosophies when she said, “Sometimes the smallest movements or a few slow controlled movements can be more effective than many repetitions of sloppy ones.”

After three sessions I feel like I have already noticed some changes in my body. Sometimes my job requires me to sit at my computer for most of the day. I think that puts a real strain on my back and often times I find that my lower back is aching by the end of the day. On Friday and suddenly I realized that my back was not aching and it hadn’t been for a couple of days. My body also tends to feel very stiff and sore when I first get out of bed in the morning. This morning, to my delight, I noticed that I felt much better, and I know this with only improve with more sessions.

A few days ago a friend of mine told me about her experience with a personal trainer at a gym. The trainer berated and chastised my friend and told her she would probably fail if she did not hire him and use his program. All he cared about was making money and not helping my friend achieve her goals. This really struck me because right before my friend and I talked I had been thinking about how grateful I am for the encouragement I have received from Kelly during our sessions and from Julie as I write this blog. On this journey to be a healthier individual it is not just my physical being that I want to improve, but my mental being as well. Knowing I have people who want to see me succeed as much as I do is makes me feel like I can accomplish anything.

Session 2

After a busy couple of days at work I was excited for my next Pilates session. While I felt a little sore after the first session, it was the good kind of soreness where you know you worked hard, but you didn’t over do it.

Kelly guided me through the same routine with a few modifications based on my work during our first session. We will most likely be doing this for the next couple of weeks while I work on engaging my core and other muscles, breathing and moving through the different positions simultaneously.

Right from the beginning of our session, when I first sit down on the reformer, Kelly reminds me to move with control. I could easily let momentum take over, but when I actually focus on my movements, I become more aware of the work my muscles do. I already feel like this is one idea that I have taken into my everyday life. Instead of just plopping myself down in my desk chair or haphazardly toss a book or paper on my desk, I am now making a conscious effort to sit down and set the item down with control. It is my intent that this will become second nature.

Since my first session I have talked to a couple of people that have practiced Pilates. The consensus is they felt better overall, not just physically but also mentally. I know have had just two sessions, but I already feel like I am “walking taller” because I am working toward being a healthier person physically and mentally.

Session 1

What better way to start a sunny Sunday and a new week than to begin my Pilates Journey? Today, I officially began taking Pilates classes at the studio, BodyMind Balance on Dana Ave. I must admit I was feeling mixed emotions today, very excited and yet a little nervous. Once I arrived at the studio, I did not have much time to dwell on my nerves. After filling out some paperwork and discussion about schedule and goals, we started right into the workout.

My instructor’s name is Kelly. She is a mom, like me and can relate to joys and challenges of raising toddlers and the changes your body go through after having children. Kelly is an apprentice instructor and working toward becoming a certified instructor. Her apprenticeship requires her to have 600 hours for certification.

During my sessions at BMB, I will use several different pieces of equipment: high chair, Cadillac, the reformer and mat work. I have learned that Joseph Pilates developed all of these pieces of equipment to people connect and understand how to move from their powerhouse. The exercises I do will focus on balance, strength, and flexibility.

There was a lot to take in from this morning’s session. At times it felt awkward as I was learning how to use the different equipment and learn an exercise and move through the repetitions all while keeping my core muscles engaged and breathing. During our session we sometime repeat the exercises on the different equipment. I know as I continue to practice, this will become easier and I will gain more control of my movements, increase strength. I feel like today I worked muscles that probably had not been worked in quite some time. And while I left the studio with my arms and legs feeling a bit like Jello, I was also feeling energized and looking forward to my next session.

My biggest take-away from this first session is the importance of focusing my mind. I think how well I focus during a session will correlate to how successful I feel during a session.

***this picture was taken before I started my first session.