Truth, it’s so confusing when you look online trying to decide what Pilates is that even many Pilates professionals get overwhelmed! The success of the Pilates Method has led many people to put the name “Pilates” in their programs hoping to snag some additional attention even if there is no actual Pilates involved. This becomes troublesome when you actually want to find a good Pilates class or studio to join! Here are some guidelines we at Pilates Cure came up with to describe what Pilates is not to help get a bit more familiar with Pilates and what it really is all about:
- Pilates is not stretching. Although, you will stretch. However, the stretch will be done using control while building strength with resistance. Legs in straps on the reformer are a perfect example of this. Exercises like leg circles and leg lifts and lowers have the following benefits like helping to develop control and precision of leg movements, creating stability in your pelvis, strengthening your inner thighs and booty all while stretching the hamstrings. Add that Pilates circle or Pilates ball above your ankles to those leg lifts and lowers to create even more resistance.
- Pilates is not yoga. While both forms of exercise have great health benefits like increasing strength and flexibility, Pilates exercises focus on core stabilization while working on range-of-motion exercises, Pilates exercises can be done on specially designed apparatuses like the reformer, barrel, or chair but can also be done on a mat. Yoga is exclusively executed on a mat. Need a good Pilates mat? We like this one SPRI Hanging Exercise Mat. Pilates Cure values overall health and well-being for our clients, so we encourage any and all types of movement as long as it honors your body.
- Pilates is not as easy as it looks. Why? Because Pilates focuses on control during each movement. If done correctly, these controlled movements create a mind-body connection and fire up your intrinsic muscles that are very often ignored providing you with a complete total body workout. One of the strengths of the Pilates practice is that it can be easy or difficult, depending on the needs of the individual.
Check out this video on our YouTube Channel to get a taste of what an online or on-demand class might be like with Pilates Cure.
You can also find more free content by downloading “The Pilates Cure” app wherever you download your apps.