My Pilates Experience
I typically enjoy weight lifting as my main form of exercise. Today I went through a pilates workout with an awesome pilates instructor, Martina Kolb Sabau. It was fun, challenging, and also a rude awakening where I learned that there are many areas where I am weak, as well as lacking mobility. My legs were shaking most of the time during the session, and some positions were hard for me to get into due to my lack of mobility. I felt like it really pushed me, as well help discover things that I need to improve on.
Pilates is an exercise system created by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s. It is a form of low-impact exercise that aims to strengthen muscles while improving postural alignment and flexibility. Pilates moves tend to target the core, however the exercises work other areas of your body as well. You can do pilates with or without equipment . Pilates moves involve slow, precise movements and breath control. It strengthens and stabilizes your core so that you can move efficiently while improving your posture, flexibility, and mobility. A typical Pilates workout is 45 minutes to an hour long.
Pilates offers plenty of benefits to your body, no matter your fitness background. You’ll improve your posture, focus on bodily alignment, and get a great core workout.
Pilates can be performed on a mat or a machine.
Mat pilates: Mat pilates is a pilates training practice that can be done on a mat, meaning, no reformer is used. In this class, you hold movements like planks, side planks, and core exercises to build your muscles and core strength. Much of the equipment that you find in a reformer class can also be used in a pilates mat workout.
Pilates equipment: The reformer is a piece of equipment commonly used in pilates. It is a sliding platform with springs to add resistance, along with a foot bar and pulley system. Other common pieces of equipment are the Wunda, the Cadillac, the spine corrector, the high chair, and the Magic Circle.
Whether you're on the mat or machine, you can will have the same benefits. A 2016 study found that eight weeks of pilates classes improved abdominal endurance, flexibility, and balance. It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional athlete or completely new to exercising, pilates will help improve your physical fitness and can exercises can be tailored to your skill level.
If you’re interested in trying a new type of exercise or joining a class, I would highly recommend trying out pilates. If you’re in the North Shore suburban area, check out Cue Pilates which is where Martina works.
Martina Kolb Sabau
2902 MacArthur Blvd (located inside Fitness Hero)
Northbrook, IL 60062
Email: kolbme@gmail.com
Phone: 224-381-2922
Written by Daniel Le, DPT