Starting or Advancing a Pilates Practice during a Pandemic

As we all know, during this pandemic we are more sedentary and less active. This makes it more challenging to keeps our bodies healthy. For those of us with pain, injuries, and those who want to age well -- this can be a real challenge.

Don’t worry Pilates can help! With limited access to studios this post will focus on how you can get the most of a home practice.

You may not know this, but Joseph Pilates developed an approach he called Contrology. (It was only after his death that the name was changed to Pilates.) He originally developed these movements to assist people who were in hospital beds -- recover. The springs he used helped people recover strength and flexibility faster. Mat Pilates was developed later and was intended to be done after training with the machines. In fact, using the machines helps to develop the abdominal strength needed to do the exercises in mat Pilates.

This is important if you are starting a home practice. If you look for a random on-line video with mat Pilates and attempt it, it will probably be too challenging.

The good news is that there are safe ways to do mat Pilates by modifying and/or using props. And there are classes specifically for beginners or those who want a gentle class which offer instruction on how to safely do Pilates on a mat, standing, and sitting in a chair.

There are many benefits of using Pilates to strengthen and stretch your body. You will increase your body awareness, and this will help you prevent injuries, maintain balance, and increase mobility. In addition, Pilates can also help you recover from injuries, chronic tension, and pain.

There are some inexpensive props that you can get for your home practice (and classes which incorporate props) that will help you advance your Pilates practice while staying safe and healthy. In Part 2 we’ll share more information on some “must have” home props including a TheraBand, magic ring, and miracle balls -- which live up to their name.