5 reasons why pilates is beginner friendly
Studio Owner Emma Henderson considers Pilates to be the most beginner friendly form of movement
Pilates is not new. In fact, it’s been around for a century. Everyone - from your favourite influencer to your local physiotherapist - agrees that Pilates is a great idea. So why has another year passed and you still haven’t taken up that introductory offer at your local studio? You walk past it every day and make a mental note to make a booking, but never do. Why is this?
There could be a multitude of reasons (cough, excuses) but if the real reason is that you are intimidated, you really needn’t be.
Having taken up almost every type of exercise at some point in my twenties (weights, HIIT, yoga, running, spinning to name a few), I can say with my hand on my heart that Pilates is the most beginner friendly form of movement. Here is five reasons why:
Pilates is a low impact form of movement. There is no running or jumping, and even a fast paced Pilates class will still be on the slow side in comparison to, say, a spinning or HIIT class. Therefore you can take a Pilates class without having to worry about whether you will have to stop because you are “too puffed.” Furthermore, even if you are puffing loudly, loud inhalation and exhalation is encouraged in Pilates so you will simply come across like you know what you are doing.
Additionally, the low impact nature of Pilates means that it is suitable for anyone, including those who are recovering from childbirth or injury.
Most Pilates exercises are done lying down on our back, or side, or on hands and knees. Movements are small. In fact, the key focus of Pilates is very much on engaging the inner muscles of the core. It follows that it is very unlikely that anyone in the class, except for you, will know whether you are working hard. For example, two students could be doing the clam on their side, with one student engaging their core and glute muscles with 90% effort and the other engaging them with 20% effort, and you would not be able to tell simply by looking at them. This means that it is very unlikely that anyone in class will know that you are a beginner.
Any good Pilates teacher should offer variations and modifications for an exercise during class. You are free to choose your own level of intensity. At Breathe Studio, we use weights and bands to increase intensity, which are completely optional. And rest assured, no one in class is going to pay the slightest bit of attention to whether you have your ankle weights on. They are WAY too focussed on the burning sensation in their glutes.
You do not need any equipment to do Pilates. Therefore, if you are still too intimidated to come to a studio, you can easily do Pilates classes online from the comfort of your own home. We have a platform of Pilates videos on our website which you can subscribe to.
