GC:FITNESS LUIS RIBEIRO Founder of Club Health www.clubhealth.uk
Your First Pilates Session: The Benefits, What to Expect & What to Bring
We’ve all been there – looking at the clock counting down the minutes to our first Pilates class, stressing about the level of difficulty, the class vibe, the instructor and all the things that could go wrong. At Club Health, we are not fans of guesswork and have an open war on stress which is exactly why we will tell you every single detail about your first pilates session. Shall we?
Benefits: How Can Pilates Help Me? You’ve heard the old saying “any exercise is better than no exercise”? While that is a very nice motivational trick to get you started in any kind of physical activity, it’s much better to know exactly what each school of exercise has to offer. Knowing what you will gain from Pilates will give you the right kind of incentive to pursue it. Not only that, but it will also educate you on where to look for when measuring progress. More often than not, people that get into Pilates will say things like “I feel better” which while it’s true, it’s also general and vague. Knowing exactly what Pilates does to your body and mind will allow you to see it when it happens.
naked eye. The mental impact is as, if not more, important than the physical one. Pilates is complementary to many traditional fitness routines and the mind-body connection can be useful in preventing stress related illnesses like heart disease. It’s great for sharpening your mental faculties, as well as improving our productivity both at work and at home. The emphasis given on breathing techniques and mindful thinking are integral components of reducing stress and anxiety, enhancing concentration, and even improving sleeping habits. Now let’s move on to the actual workout. What will follow is a set of exercises you will go through with our instructor during your first visits. It goes without saying that these are exercises you can perform in the comfort of your own home.
Workout Breathing Supine (lying on your back) Inhale: Breathe in through the nose, expanding the rib cage three-dimensionally. (4 secs)
Physical Benefits • Improves posture and alignment • Longer, leaner muscles • Better posture • Increases flexibility, balance and coordination • Improves muscular balance and strength • Increases muscular endurance and tone • Prevents injury and heightens body awareness • Enhances athletic performance • Relieves back pain
Exhale: Focus first on the gentle engagement of the pelvic floor (sensation of pulling in and up) and transversus engagement. (The deepest layer of abdominal wall – natural corset around waist) as you exhale more deeply, the obliques will be engaged to help press the air out. (6 to 8 secs)
Mental and Other Health Benefits
Exhale: Same as before. (This time, longer exhalation than inhalation)
Much like an iceberg, most of what Pilates does to us happens below the surface and is not visible to the
GAME CHANGERS Issue #37
Inhale: Breathe in through the nose, maintaining engagement, and feel three-dimensional expansion of the rib cage and abdomen. (4 secs)
Do this for 5 to 10 reps.
