FAQs

Pilates

Am I the right age to do Pilates?
When can I expect to see results?
Is Pilates just another exercise fad?
Is Pilates for Women only?
Is Pilates the only form of exercise I need take?
Is Pilates the same as Yoga?
Can I still do Pilates when I'm pregnant?
How long do classes last for?
How large are the classes?
How often should I come?
How do I tell whether my Pilates teacher really knows she is doing?

Muscle Injuries

Pilates

Q. Am I the right age to do Pilates?

Pilates is still popular with dancers, gymnasts, athletes and others in their physical prime but it is equally suitable for almost any age.

Indeed, one of the beauties of Pilates is that it can be tailored to suit each person, whatever their age or physical condition.

Many clients are middle-aged or elderly. More than a few start doing Pilates specifically because they have reached 'a certain age', realised that they no longer take any exercise and suddenly thought, 'My goodness, I have to start to do something, or else I'll fall apart'.

Older clients still might have to ask medical advice before taking up Pilates and to start more slowly. Many people, however, do Pilates into their eighties and nineties. A properly tailored Pilates programme is one of the best-known ways to ward off the infirmities of old age.

Your true age, in the end, of course, is as much a function of how we feel rather than the date on your birth certificate. As Joseph Pilates himself put it: 'If, at the age of 30, you are stiff and out of shape, you are old. If, at 60, you are supple and strong, then you are young.'

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Q. When can I expect to see results?

'In ten sessions', suggested Joseph Pilates himself, 'you will feel the difference; in 20 you will see the difference; and in 30 you will have a whole new body'.

Most people do start to feel a difference after 10 sessions, getting the sense, for example, that they are walking taller and moving in a looser, suppler way.

The longer they persist, the more they will tend to see and feel the shape of their body slowly change.

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Q. Is Pilates just another exercise fad?

This may seem a strange question to ask about an exercise method that was invented almost a century ago and has had a devoted following for many long decades.

But the answer is simple: no. And so is the reason: Because it works.

Joseph Pilates always said that his method was 50 years ahead of his time The current growth in popularity of Pilates is simply the fulfilment of his longstanding prediction.

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Q. Is Pilates for Women only?

Far from it. Pilates, after all, was invented by a man, Joseph Pilates, originally for his own benefit - and was only later adapted for women.

Men, what's more, tend to be less flexible than women, and so to need Pilates even more.

Countless celebrity devotees of Pilates, from Hugh Grant to Martin Amis, John Cleese, Ian McKellen, Patrick Swayze, and an ever-growing number of famous footballers, rugby players, cricketers and other professional athletes.

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Q. Is Pilates the only form of exercise I need take?

No, you should also take some form of aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, cycling, tennis or swimming - but preferably done in a way that does not place damaging strain on your body.

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Q. Is Pilates the same as Yoga?

Yes, there are similarities between Pilates and Yoga, partly because Joseph Pilates consciously drew on both Eastern and Western traditions when first developing his method.

However, there are also key differences. Pilates, for example, is more dynamic than Yoga, which places more emphasis on the static holding of certain poses.

Pilates also focuses more on strengthening the deepest layers of abdominal muscles, which form a corset around your torso.

If you have the time, there is no reason why you should not do both and get different benefits from each.

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Q. Can I still do Pilates when I'm pregnant?

You should check with your doctor before doing any kind of exercise during pregnancy. However, Pilates tends to be particularly suitable for pregnant women, since it is a low-impact form of exercise that strengthens the back, stomach and pelvic floor muscles.

In fact, many women first discover Pilates either when they are pregnant or have just given birth.

You may need to do Pilates in a modified or gentler way while pregnant, and to make sure you stop the moment that you feel any discomfort.

A properly tailored Pilates programme, however, can be the ideal way to lessen or avoid the back-pain commonly experienced during late pregnancy and to enable your body to regain its shape rapidly after birth.

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Q. How long do classes last for?

Mat classes last for 60 minutes and private sessions can last from 60 minutes to 90 minutes.

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Q. How large are the classes?

Classes typically contain between 8 and 10 clients exercising at any one time. The absolute maximum would be 12.

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Q. How often should I come?

People do Pilates anywhere from once a week to once a day - but twice a week is common and you will see faster results.

Even if you just take just one class a week, you should try to do at least a few minutes of Pilates - whether at home or work - on a daily basis.

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Q. How do I tell whether my Pilates teacher really knows she is doing?

One way to get some idea is to observe whether your teacher places emphasis on such crucial factors as positioning, concentration and breathing. An even better way is to ask what training they have done.

Wherever you learn Pilates, you should make sure that your teacher is properly qualified, since Pilates taught by someone without the right training can do you more harm than good. Yet, many exercise teachers in gyms and elsewhere now include Pilates exercises in their classes, despite themselves never having had any training at all.

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