It’s an excellent decision to attend your first Pilates class. Why not hit the ground running with expert insider knowledge? These tips can kick-start your experience the right way. 

Get the inside scoop on exercises you can expect to learn, the impact and benefits for your body, as well as the best clothing to wear to enhance your Pilates workout. 

Expect These Moves

The following exercises are among the ones that you might commonly find in the world of Pilates beginners.

The Hundred

The hundred combines breathing with physical movement to facilitate your mind-body connection and improve core strength and stability. 

Roll Up:

The roll up is great for strengthening your core as it works your entire abdominal region to the max, whilst also focusing on articulation and stretching of all the muscles of the spine.’

Rolling Like a Ball:

As the title suggests, this exercise involves you rolling like a ball would. However, the rolling is slow and deliberate, allowing you to focus on your core muscles and spine. The benefit of this exercise is that it improves balance and strength through activation of your deep abdominal muscles, obliques and lower back muscles.

Spine Stretch Forward

Excellent for encouraging proper spinal alignment and improving overall posture and flexibility, this exercise focuses on your spine, hamstrings, and hip flexors.  

Don’t be alarmed if you think that sounds way too hard for me. The exercises are always broken down and rebuilt in order to cater for any level of ability, depending on the class that you choose.

Embrace The Burn 

Like most workouts, Pilates can leave you feeling sore the next day. Exercises you encounter in a Pilates class tend to cause mild to moderate soreness, a great sign that you were indeed working your muscles. 

Pilates may be considered mild next to other high-intensity workouts like weight lifting and CrossFit, but it has its own unique way of pushing your body to new levels of strength and fitness. 

Pilates’ unique strength is that it enables you to isolate and focus on small but essential muscle groups. Expect to find muscles in your body you never knew were there. 

Could I Injure Myself in a Pilates Class?

You may be doing many slow, low-impact exercises, but it is possible to injure yourself if you are in a Pilates class where close attention cannot be paid to form by the teacher. It can be a wise investment to have a couple of 121 sessions prior to joining a class. This will ensure that you have the basic principles well embedded and help you to develop good technique.

As a beginner, your main focus should be to learn the ropes in terms of posture, balance, and becoming mindful of your movements.  

Wearing the Right Clothes Can Enhance Your Workout Experience

Whilst you want to feel comfortable, you might also want to consider wearing clothes that are closer fitting. This clothing will make your movements and muscles easier to see, giving your instructor a clearer picture of what you’re doing and how he can help you.

Ready to Join Your First Pilates Class? 

If you’re a resident of Surrey, residing near Cobham, Hersham, Esher, Weybridge, or Molesey, take the next step by following this link to register for your first-ever Pilates class. 

Discover more about Pilates and Dore Health as you embark on this journey to optimal fitness and health.

Contact Us

Feel free to contact us using the information below:

Email: debbie@dorehealth.co.uk 

Telephone: Debbie – 07949 051778