Let’s clarify some myths about having to be sore to get a good workout, or the ‘No Pain No Gain’ myth.
Pilates is not a gym exercise workout. Pilates is not just about working the abdominals. And just because you don’t feel sore the day after a Pilates session doesn’t mean the workout hasn’t been effective.
So, what is Pilates?
Pilates is an exercise system that sits in the middle of the gym workout and a rehabilitation program. It is an exercise program that works the whole body to rebalance it. This means it will strengthen the weak muscles and stretch / lengthen the tight muscles on your body- so the workout is about what your body needs and this varies for each individual.
The fact that you may not feel sore after a Pilates class does not mean you haven’t worked hard enough. Actually it can mean the opposite as you have targeted weaker muscles which will reach fatigue faster. The weaker the muscle, the harder it is to activate and this needs concentration and focus. Overwise the body goes back to what it knows and the muscle targeted in the exercise is overtaken by the tight, strong muscle of the area. This is what Pilates is about! Working on what your body needs and not making tight muscles tighter.
In pilates we focus on quality, precision and lower number of repetitions rather than quantity. High numbers of repetitions will not activate the weak muscles which need to get stronger in order to rebalance the tighter ones. In a high repetitions scenario, the weak targeted muscle usually reaches fatigue quickly (because it is weak) and compensation kick in. Once compensation is established, it implements a faulty movement pattern which must be undone in order to prevent (or manage) injuries. The longer the faulty pattern has been established and ingrained, the more difficult and the longer it will take to undo.
Fit 2 Ride Pilates, Fitness and Yoga has relocated to a larger premise at the Dural Squash and Fitness. We are a fully equipped studio where we run Studio Pilates classes with a maximum of 4 clients per class. We also offer circuit classes which will target weight management for clients with injuries and conditions.
We have recently added 2 new pieces of equipment to the studio: a magnetic cardio rower which enhances the cardio component of the workout for weight loss and management; and a back inverter table (Teeter model EP 970) which can lengthen and decompress your spine.
If you have injuries and conditions, this does not mean that you cannot exercise. A Pilates exercise program suited to your needs will help manage the conditions and help you continue doing the activities, exercises and sports you love by re-balancing your body.
