Pilates At Home - The Good and The Bad

These days individuals are used to getting things "Free" . They don't want to pay for information and assume that if it's "Free" it's got to be good.

But when it comes to Pilates, getting "Free" physical exercises may not always be the best approach. I'll explain:

Whenever you do Pilates Exercises there are two things you must always consider.

Are they suitable

Pilates exercises are good because they are designed to work specific muscles in a safe and effective way. The only way you are really going to know if you are performing a Pilates move right is to be observed by a registered instructor in a class. If you attempt to do Pilates at home, on your own, from a book or a DVD how, in Heaven's name are you going to know if you're "doing it right"?

Even if you are lucky enough to have all round mirrors (and and most people don't), as soon as you turn your head to check you're in the right position, you will be out of alignment. Many of the teaching points for a Pilates exercise are subtle, and sometimes even for an experienced instructor they can be difficult to spot in a customer.

Pilates is very "hands on". In other words, your instructor (as well as giving you verbal cues to help you get into the right position), may come over to you and carefully move you around, so that you can feel the emphasis of that particular exercise in the right group of muscles. Therefore, a novice attempting to teach themselves will get none of this required feedback.

I'm not saying for a moment that no -cost downloadable Pilates exercises - or those learnt from a book or DVD for that matter, aren't worthwhile. Frankly, any exercise that you do will benefit you.

And if you do Pilates At Home, you will get an idea of what Pilates is all about and whether you would like going to a class. You will be able to practice at home what you have discovered in class - and you will be reminded of all the teaching points before you do the exercise.

People are odd; if they book and pay to come to a private class they tend to turn up on time, be far more consistent about attending on a regular basis and therefore, get most benefit from Pilates.

However, in my experience, if the classes (same studio, same teacher!) come as part of a membership package at a gymnasium, consistent attendance takes a nosedive! Because they are getting the class for nothing (sort of), they often don't bother to turn up on a regular basis (It was raining: I was tired: I thought I'd go to LatinoGrooveAerobics instead; etc) and when they do turn up, a lot of them are just going through the motions - because they haven't been coming often enough for it to make any difference whatsoever.

The problem with "free" is that people tend to appreciate things in direct proportion to how much money they've paid out. And to get anywhere with Pilates, you have got to do it on a regular basis.

Whether they come free or not, Pilates exercises are immeasurably valuable. Just do them.

Can you imagine living life with a body that is free of aches and pains - a body that is straight and strong and will do what you ask of it?

Pilates if practiced regulary promises all these benefits and more. It has for myself and my clients so why not give it a go all you've got to lose is the pain.