Optimal Class Size for Pilates

Karen asked for my personal opinion on optimal class size. I would say, bearing the cost and quality of class, 12 students in a group class would probably be the maximum number of students an instructor can focus on.

For any class bigger than 12 students, (unless your instructor is born with octopus tenacles), it is quite impossible for him/her to give adequate attention to all the students and provide efficient tactile cues to make sure everyone execute exercise in safe and accurate manners.

That's why I don't recommend any one who are serious to learn Pilates and those with any pathology (illness) to attend pilates class in mega gyms. Because Pilates emphasizes precision and it is difficult to learn and perform precise movement if you don't have sufficient guidance from the instructor.

If you don't have access to small group class, make sure "to supplement with an occasional private lesson", as suggested, among other tips for beginners, by About.com.

Pilates on AsiaOne

Joe from Option Studio shared with me this article on AsiaOne. It gives a great concise introduction about Pilates as well as three informative videos. My favourite video is "Armchair Pilates".


Enjoy!

Recommendations for Pilates Starters

I had been really busy in the past few weeks trying to complete my thesis, so shamefully i didn't have time to update P-Latte. :[

April posted some enquiry on my message board but I think I need more space to answer them:

8 Apr 08, 09:50
April: Hi Teresa, I was wondering if u would recommend machines or mat to start? What are the advantages of each?

P-latte: Mat classes tend to be more accessible and affordable than machine classes. But given equal convenience of access to machines and mat, I would recommend to start learning Pilates on machine (either Reformer or Allergro). This is because while exercising on the machine, you can sense your body posture so that you can learn the proper movement with ease. Moreover the springs and straps of the machine can provide some assistance during the exercise, this is good for Pilates newbies as they may not have the sufficient body control & strength to perform the exercises. Nonetheless, I think convenience and access to the classes are more important, as learning Pilates should be a lifestyle and it really need to fit well into your schedule.


7 Apr 08, 18:00
April: Also, which exercise videos do you recommend? and do you know where i can get them from? i have a problem where i think i always use the wrong muscles when exercising thus straining my lower back

P-latte: I seriously do not recommend exercise videos for starters. You will need a good instructor's guidance to perform exercises safely and effectively, especially if you tend to use wrong muscle while exercising. During a class, you can feedback to the instructor if you feel that you are straining your lower back and he/she will point out what went wrong and they will be able to modify the exercise for you to avoid straining. Try to attend classes with small class size (below 12 pax in the class) so that you can get adequate attention from the instructor. Videos are only useful to seasoned Pilates lovers to learn more about the exercises.


7 Apr 08, 17:28
April: Hi there, i would really like to have some recommendations on pilates. Which would you recommend? work in the west but live in the east, so anywhere i can get through the mrt will be great

P-latte: Focus Pilates, Pilates Bodyworks is located few minutes walk from raffles place MRT. VF studio is at Amoy street near Tanjong Pagar MRT. Sky Pilates is near wheelock Place so it is walkable from Orchard MRT :) (updated on 6 May, Options Studio is in walking distance from Dhoby Ghaut MRT) check out their websites and better still, go visit them at the studio to see if you like them! see my post on Choosing a Studio to find out more on what you should pay attention to while visiting the studios. Have fun =)

Choosing a suitable Pilates Studio

A reader has set her mind to learn pilates from professional studio, and asked how to choose a suitable one.

I personally feel that most of the fully-equipped studios have 2 major differences, which is, their studio ambience and their instructors' teaching style.

Ambience, well, mainly depends on the layout of equipments and mat area, the lighting, background music etc., which should make you feel (if not like home), at least, at ease when you step in.

Teaching style is a little trickier, and it depends on 2 things:
1. Instructor's personality - Fun/ serious/ slave driver or soft mommy-style, you get what I mean
2. Schools/ certifications of pilates where the instructors receive their training.

Some schools teach classical pilates, which meant to teach the principle, teaching method and exercise repertoires originally developed by Joseph Pilates himself; on the other hand, other schools teach "evolved" pilates. Evolved pilates add findings from modern sport and movement science research into classical pilates, while removing or modifying some of the exercises that may deemed otherwise too tough (or "Gang-ko" in hokkien) for the general population.

I would say it is best to keep an open mind and try out the studio that is most convenient for you. If it doesn't have the "X-factors" to make you feel right, try another one, and soon you will find the studio environment and instructor that suit you best!

Tom Cruise Get In Shape by Pilates

Some people, especially many men I have met, were not sure if Pilates is challenging or interesting enough for them. Apparently Pilates appears too "static" to them and they doubt if Pilates can help them achieve their fitness goals.

Well many celebrities have chosen Pilates as their main choice of workout, really because it gives the results that they want. See how Tom Cruise finds Pilates:

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National Ledger - Tom Cruise Gets Buff for Katie Holmes
According to a report from Star Magazine the megastar keeps his body in action-hero shape with a grueling 90 minutes of Pilates every single day. "This is a really tough workout, and it isn’t for the squeamish, but Tom likes to really challenge himself,” a friend tells Star. "Tom says he feels younger and stronger with Pilates," the friend adds. “It gives him more stamina.

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So, are you ready to try Pilates now? :)

Where to Learn Pilates, IN MACAU

My friend from Macau was inspired to learn Pilates, but she wonders if she can find a decent Pilates place in Macau.

I did a quick search and found Macau Pilates Practitioners Association on its government website.

I was quite impressed because there isn't any Pilates Association set up in Singapore yet.

However, there is no other useful information about Pilates in Macau on Google. :(

I will check with my Pilates friends for more information. At the mean time, can anyone out there help me and my Macau friend??

Where to Learn Pilates, IN SINGAPORE

In my entry, "Where to learn Pilates", I have given a brief on various types of facilities/venues where you can learn Pilates. Follow the hyperlinks below to find out where to locate some of them in Singapore:

Pilates Studios	Core Fitness Physiotherapy and Pilates (Orchard - Forum Galleria) Focus Pilates(Raffles Place & Orchard)
	Pilates Bodyworks(Raffles Place; Buona Vista)
	Sky Pilates(Orchard)
	Classic Pilates(Closed wef 1-aug-09, taken over by Options Studio, tks Karen for the info)
	Pilates Central (Tanjong Pagar)
	Jace Physio Pilates (Orchard Wisma Atria)
	PowerMoves(Bishan, Dempsy)
	Ivana Daniell Studio (Camden)
	iPilates(Orchard) Pilates Fitness (Telok Blangah)
	Options Studio(Bukit Timah, Dhoby Ghaut)
	Pilates-The-Studio
	The Pilates Inc.(Marine Parade)
	The Moving Body(Robinson Quay, Bt Timah)
	Elements Pilates(Orchard Tanglin)
	The Pilates Flow (Bt Timah) Breathe Pilates (Novena) Pilates Body Pilots (North Buona Vista)
Health Clubs/ Fitness Centers	Singapore Sports Council (Public Sports & Recreation Centres)
	People's Association (Community Centres)
	California Fitness Center
	Planet Fitness
	Fitness First
	True Yoga
	Amore
	Sky Fitness
	Creative Body
	The Body Clinic
	Hotel Clubs
	Country Clubs
Hospitals/ Chiropractic/ Physiotherapist	Singapore General Hospital
	Changi General Hospital
Dance Schools	Jitterbugs
	Tanglin Arts Studio for Dance
	Singapore Dance Theatre
Home Studios	Pilates By The Bay (Previously known as The Pilates Touch at East Coast)
	The Pilates Studio (Seletar)
	Uplift Pilates (Jelita )
	46 Degree Pilates Spunky Pilates (Bukit Timah)
Freelance Instructors	If you want to engage freelance instructor to teach at your workplace/condo/home, contact me for more details. I will try to provide instructor choices, besides myself, through my network of instructor friends :-p)

The above listing serves only as a limited reference for your convenience and it does not intend to endorse/recommend any of them. I have tried some of them so you can contact me to find out my personal views on them.

And if you know of any other facilities/venues to learn Pilates in Singapore (which I might have missed out), please share the contacts/ leads by dropping me a comment.

I will update this list every now and then and you may want to bookmark this page. Click the Bookmark button below and revisit this page. (Last updated on 17 April 2012)

Where to learn Pilates

Your personal preferences and lifestyle might determine what environment works best for you:

Pilates Studios	these businesses focus solely on Pilates, thus they can tailor your Pilates sessions to your special fitness or rehabilitation needs. A fully equipped and staffed studio can offer a larger range of appointment and class times, and many types of sessions, including private, small groups, and slightly larger classes (but not too large!) Typically on a pay-by-session or –class basis, not by membership
Health Clubs or Fitness Centers	offer Pilates along with many other fitness activities, such as yoga and aerobics. Usually membership is required. Typically only Pilates mat classes are offered because they rarely have equipment. These mat classes can be quite large and very mixed in level, which may not address your needs. Some clubs and centers consider Pilates to be an extra and charge an added fee, so ask for details.
Hospitals/ physiotherapy/ Chiropractic Clinics	Focus on rehabilitation or clinical Pilates, versus fitness. Usually offer only private one-on-one instruction, and only limited instructors and time slots available.
Dance Schools	Some offer private instruction or group classes
Home Studios	Some individual instructor set up shop in their home. Usually shops are intimate, personal, quiet, and can be informal (you might have to walk through the kitchen and share a bathroom with the family)
Freelance Instructors	Some instructors do not teach at fixed location, they teach mat classes at client’s premises, such as condominiums, offices or parks. Some of them can be contacted through Pilates studios where they get their certification from.

I have tried most of the options and realised the quality of instruction varies. Personally I like Pilates studios the most as the low instructor:student ratio is very conducive for learning. Most importantly you have to, basing on your very own preference and lifestyle, consider things like location, cost, available supporting staff, class structure and other services, of all your possible options.

Before you commit, try asking if you can observe some sessions and check out the following:

1. Do you like the atmosphere? Is it warm and inviting, also conducive for mental concentration?
2. Do the clients look like they're having good time?
3. Is the teacher focused on instruction, or is she answering the phone, eating and chatting away?
4. How's the condition of the equipments and overall cleanliness of the place?

Read on for "Where you can learn Pilates in SINGAPORE"

Learning Pilates: by yourself or from instructor?

There are great variety of books, DVDs and even online videos that show you how to perform Pilates exercise at home. So can I teach myself with these learning aids or do I need to learn from professionals?

My take is that, it is always good to start learning Pilates, especially the foundation & fundamentals, from certified instructor in a professional environment. This is because a teacher’s trained and watchful eye can ensure that you develop only good habits as you learn the Pilates method of body conditioning. Also, learning in a professional environment is a stimulating and educational experience. You learn by observing other people working out – seeing and hearing the teachers and other students in the process of learning and practicing Pilates.

As you progress, you can depend less on your instructor and practice more on your own. Learning aids mentioned above are good supplements to your guided lessons. They remind you of what your instructor told you so that you can practice at home. However no learning aids will beat the guidance of an experienced instructor.

No matter how advanced our Pilates training and experience might be, you’ll always find that an instructor’s guidance is valuable. Your Pilates workouts will change your body; and your instructor will make sure your Pilates exercises continue to benefit your development.

Reasons Why You Should Try Pilates Today!

Whenever I talk to my friends, somehow or rather I would lead them into health and fitness topics (including Pilates, of course).

For example, last evening I was had a little gathering with 2 other pharma sales rep colleagues over Starbucks coffee, YW complained about her skin condition and she was thinking of resuming her acne medication.

"But that drug is going to dry u up from inside out, then your constipation will get worse, and then in turn it make your skin look bad! it's just a viscious cycle!" the other rep, WW, commented.

YW has previously mentioned to me about her lower back pain. A quick glance at her it was easy to spot the prominent problem - poor posture. Her back muscles (the rhomboids and lats especially) are weak and her shoulders are rounded. Her lower abdominals protrude out and her lower back aches. I "prescribed" her a few simple postural exericses to be practised daily.

I started to wonder if her backache and constipation are linked. Among many other factors, chronic constipation is usually associated with colon health problems, insufficient dietary fiber and roughage, a sedentary lifestyle, dehydration and nerve injury. And if YW has a problem over her lumbar area (ie. lower back pain), wouldn't the lumbar problem in turn affect her bowel moments?

After the gathering I practiced an hour's pilates at home (frankly due to frantic workload, I did not have time to practice pilates on myself for almost 3 months!!). Within half an hour after all the stomach massage from pilates, my intestines started to churn badly and I rushed to the toilet for an emergency defecation!!! I definitely have to share this experience with YW to prompt her to start Pilates asap!

Besides clearing the bowel of waste, let me highlight here ten other reasons why you should try pilates today:

1. Improved posture
Your spine supports the weight of your body and allows your body to move with ease and comfort. That's the theory anyway. But in practice, hours spent sitting in front of a computer screen or slumped in front of a TV means that the spine's natural S shape is lost, resulting in back pain and rounded shoulders. Pilates helps to re-align the spine and with that comes better posture.

2. Relief from back pain
As mentioned above, a great deal of lower back pain comes from poor posture and our daily mistreatment of our spines. By re-aligning your spine and imprioving your posture, lower back pain can often be eliminated entirely.

3. A good night's sleep
Ask anyone to name three things essential for life and you will be told, water, air and food. Few people will mention sleep and yet it too is essential to life. Pilates can help stretch muscles, releasing tension and pain, and it can also help trigger natural sleep responses.

4. Increase your strength and stamina without adding muscle bulk
Pilates helps increase both your strength and stamina without adding unwanted bulk because it focuses on developing your "core" muscles - muscles found in your abdominal and pelvic regions as well as in your back. By toning and stretching these muscles, and by correcting your posture, your nantural strength and stamina will improve in leaps and bounds.

5. Pilates can help prevent osteoporosis
By promoting good posture and balance, Pilates not only can strengthen the muscles, it can also actively strengthen bones, thus preventing osteoporosis, a condition where bones, especially those of the spine, wrist and hips, becoming thin and weak and susceptible to fractures.

6. A great way to relax and beat stress
Pilates is a gentle form of exercise that literally re-introduces you to your own body. And the better you understand your body and how it works, the easier it will be for you to release tension, relax and beats the stresses and strains of modern life.

7. Help with a prevention of incontinence
A common cause of incontinence in women is pregancy, where the pelvic floor mucles can be weakened, but as we get older (men and women alike) muscles in the pelvic area can weaken too. Pilates will help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, thereby curing what can be a very distressing problem for sufferers.

8. Improve your balance and co-ordination
Pilates helps improve your balance and co-ordination by realigning your spine and strengthening your "core" muscles. And better balance and co-ordination means fewer injuries - hence pilates growing popularity among professional sports people - from dancers to rugby players.

9. Helps aid recovery after injury - and prevent injury recurring
Because of its low impact nature, pilates is widely recognised as being beneficial to people who are recovering from certain types of injury including whiplash and a wide range of sporting injuries. Indeed, many of the injuries that sports people are afflicted with can be avoided - and pilates can play a big part in ensuring correct body movement and core body strength leads to fewer such injuries.

10. No pain plenty gain!
In most gyms you will hear the mantra "no pain, no gain", but you won't hear it repeated in a pilates studio. Pilates is a gentle non-aerobic form of exercise that will tone and strengthen your muscles and transform poor posture without stressing the joints or the heart.

Practicing on your own?

Most fans of pilates say they stick with the program because it's diverse and interesting. Joseph Pilates designed his program for variety - people do fewer repetitions of a number of exercises rather than lots of repetitions of only a few. He also intended his exercises to be something people could do on their own once they've had proper instruction, cutting down the need to remain dependent on a trainer.

After learning the proper technique from your certified instructor, you can actually practise the exercises on your own. You just need to get ready the following:

Space - You will need empty floor space that allows u to lie straight, and your legs and arms can move freely on the floor without any hindrance. Though outdoor space in a garden or park can give you fresh air and scenary, a room with door may be more conducive as it be less prone to interruption or distraction.

Mirror - For you to peep at yourself to check if you are doing the exercises correctly.

Mat - A firm exercise mat or thick large towel. It is important to use one that give you enough cushioning to prevent brusing your joints and bones while u exercise on the floor, but yet it should be firm enough that will not change shape/ thickness or your exercise posture may be affected.

Comfortable Clothing - I strongly suggest to avoid clothing that have bulky buttons or zips. Also try to avoid wearing loose or over-size clothing as they might get in the way while u exercise, or it would be difficult to check your own posture. No shoes are required as it is best to practice Pilates barefoot or wearing socks.

Towel - A long towel (about 1 by 3 feet) is ideal. It will come in handy for stretching and it can be rolled up and placed beneath your neck / knees/ lower back, etc.

Time - Begin by setting time two times a week to practice Pilates and make a point to stick to it. Plan for 30 minutes at first and slowly increase the duration to an hour. You can practice at any time of the day, but always wait for an hour after eating a meal.

Patience & Persistance - Remember 'Rome is not built in one day'. If you can't perform the exercises perfectly for the first time, just stay focused and aim at improving it on the next time.

Optionals - Wall space can be a good feedback/ assist tool to help u in the Pilates exercise, ask your instructor to teach you few exercises on the wall, or look out for demo on future blog entrys here. Other props like a tennis ball (or any sphere of the that size) can be excellent tools to help check your posture or massage a tight muscle.

Starting Pilates?

The great thing about pilates is that just about everyone of any age - from couch potatoes to fitness buffs - can do it.

The best way to get started with pilates is to join a class and learn the basics from a qualified pilates teacher who can lead you through from the basics to more advanced exercise. These classes may be held either in studios equipped with specialist exercise equipment or in studios in community centres and commercial gyms where mat work often takes precedence.There are also many DVDs and books available for you to practise pilates at home. However it is really recommended to take them as adjunct to the teaching of a qualified pilates instructor.

The fact that pilates is hot and classes are springing up everywhere does have a downside, though: inadequate instruction. As with any form of exercise, it is possible to injure yourself if you have a health condition or don't know exactly how to do the moves. Some gyms send their personal trainers to weekend-long courses and then claim they're qualified to teach pilates (they're not!), and this can lead to injury. So look for an instructor who is certified by a group that has a rigorous training program. These instructors have completed several hundred hours of training just in pilates and know the different ways to modify the exercises so new students don't get hurt.

When you first begin Pilates you may feel that it moves very slowly and that there is too much detail to think about. But wait!! As soon as you learn the basic techniques, the level of difficulty in the class will increase and you will find that eventually the exercises will flow from one to another, with no break, which will really challenge you when you consider you will eventually perform 38 exercises, with no stopping, in a 1-hour class!! But the emphasis is on performing the exercises correctly rather than the speed and the heart rate, so be patient and this will come!

Stay focused. Pilates is designed to combine your breathing rhythm with your body movements. Qualified instructors teach ways to keep your breathing working in conjunction with the exercises. You will also be taught to concentrate on your muscles and what you are doing. The goal of pilates is to unite your mind and body, which relieves stress and anxiety.

Be comfortable. Wear comfortable clothes (as you would for yoga - shorts or tights and a T-shirt or tank top are good choices), and keep in mind that pilates is usually done without shoes. If you start feeling uncomfortable, strained, or experience pain, you should stop.

Let it flow. When you perform your exercises, avoid quick, jerky movements. Every movement should be slow, but still strong and flexible. Joseph Pilates worked with dancers and designed his movements to flow like a dance.

Don't leave out the heart. The nice thing about pilates is you don't have to break a sweat if you don't want to - but you can also work the exercises quickly (bearing in mind fluidity, of course!) to get your heart rate going. Or, because pilates is primarily about strength and flexibility, pair your pilates workout with a form of aerobic exercise like swimming or brisk walking.

Do remember, before you begin any type of exercise program, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor, especially if you have a health problem

"Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness." - Joseph H. Pilates