EXPLAINER: Exploring different options for Pilates
Pilates is trending on social media and people are raving about it. They are saying it transformed their body and is their new favorite way to get a workout in. It can also be a nice addition to what they are already doing to focus on flexibility and mobility goals. There are different types of Pilates you can do depending on your goals and what you have access to. Everyone swears by it and it can be accessible through the internet for at-home workouts…. But what IS Pilates?
Pilates was invented by and named after Joseph Pilates, who was prone to certain illnesses as a child and was determined to become healthier. Joseph Pilates grew up to be a gymnast, diver, skier, circus performer, boxer, and self-defense instructor. During the First World War, he lived and worked in England in a hospital with patients who were unable to walk. He would attach springs to hospital beds to help support patients’ limbs. This led to the making of his famous machine the “Cadillac”, now more commonly referred to as the “Reformer”. In the 1920’s Joseph Pilates and his wife moved to New York where they opened a body conditioning gym. Pilates became popular within the dance community as this made it easier to work on form and recover from injuries. Joseph Pilates based his work on three principles: Breath, whole-body health, and whole-body commitment. Pilates combines strength, flexibility and mobility.
You can learn more in-depth about the history and differences between mat work and using the Reformer here.
UHCL offers a variety of group classes at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. One of the classes offered is Mat Pilates. This form of Pilates is done only on a mat and just uses your body for the workout. There is an instructor for the class so you can ask questions or talk to the instructor for tips or help on modifying certain workouts or moves to your level. However, the class is for all skill levels. While the instructor does offer ways to make moves more advanced or lessen intensity if needed, the lingo used and the way the class is taught does not cater well to someone with absolutely zero prior knowledge of yoga poses or Pilates movements.
You can also find free beginner Pilates workouts on YouTube or if you are more experienced you can find videos for a more advanced level. This is a great way to practice Pilates if you work from home or it is not in your budget. This is also more accessible to people who don’t come to campus often or at all. The only difference between this and the other two options is there is no instructor present to critique your form or answer any questions you may have.
A Pilates gym that has locations in the Houston area and uses the reformer is Club Pilates. They offer a free 30-minute introductory class to show you the basics of what a class would be like using the reformer machine. They offer three tiers of membership that determine the number of classes you can take per month. They also offer student, military and first responder discounts. This option allows you to try the intro class for free to see if you like the machine and what it is like to have an instructor who will correct your form and modify the exercise to your mobility level if needed. If you have an injury this is a good way to ease back into exercising or staying active because moves can be modified. Memberships for this gym can be expensive, even with one of the discounts, depending on where you sign up and what the rates are in that area. Additionally, this company uses a wait list system. So, you can sign up for the classes in advance but if it fills up, you may or may not get into the class you want. This can be tedious because you have to log into your account and manually sign up for the classes you want before they fill up in order to get the days, times, and types of classes you prefer. This can be an issue if you do not have a set work or school schedule, which limits how far in the future you can book.
Pilates is very beginner friendly and any of these methods can be modified to your skill level. If you have multiple fitness goals that include strength, flexibility, mobility and do not know where to start, Pilates could be the way to go. When attending a Pilates class, the moves are always slightly different, challenging and keep you engaged.
You can get an idea of what some of these movements look like and how they can be modified here.
There are many options to choose from when deciding how and where you want to work out. If you are debating on starting your Pilates journey, do your research thoroughly to determine what fits your needs, goals, schedule and budget best.
