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.

Great Undergraduate Resource

Ok, this entry is going to be real short. Been very busy with many many roles these few weeks so can't really sit down to blog properly.

Just found a great resource site and I totally fell in love with it. MIT has uploaded all its undergraduate course material online in its site, MIT OpenCourseWare , so that anyone who wants to learn, get to learn from one of the best schools in the world!

There are many great courses relating to physical fitness and science. "Brain & cognitive sciences" is damn cool too. I think it is just timely for me to read about "Infant and childhood cognitive science".

I am so addicted to the site. Too bad, studying the online material won't give me a MIT B.Sc :p

Knowledge is best to be shared! Three cheers to MIT!!

Buying Pilates Mat

Many people thought that Pilates and yoga mats are the same, because they are similar in size and are used for exercises done on the floor. Actually, a Pilates mat needs to be thicker than most yoga mats.

This is simply because there are many standing poses in yoga, mats used for yoga have to let the practitioner feel the floor for balance. This is not so important with a Pilates. In fact, Pilates mats are thicker so that our spine and other bony structures are padded from the floor. Trust me, doing exercises like "Rolling like a ball" or "Open Leg Rocker" without sufficient padding will give u more of painful bruises than a relaxing massage on the back! Also, yoga mats are sticky, designed to prevent slipping, a hazard which is not as likely with Pilates exercises.

So, a good Pilates mat must be:

• At least a half inch thick.
  
• Firm. A mat that is too soft will not support balance and alignment properly. These mats are usually made of dense foam/ closed cell foam or rubber.
• "Non-stretch". I used to enjoy using AIREX mat, but I realise it stretches length-wise when u do weight-bearing exericses on all-fours, such as "Inverted-V" or "Leg Pull". This make it difficult to keep proper positioning of palms and feet thus causing the body to lose alignment. It can be quite annoying having to keep adjusting the palm and feet position while u do the exercises, just because they "slide" away as the mat stretches.
  

So far, personally I find that the mat available for sales at Focus Pilates Studio is quite good and is reasonably priced too. I bought a used mat for myself and a new mat for my student from there. The only down thing about this mat is that it is so firm that it leaves some pressure lines on the forehead after lying face-down for awhile (like after doing "Prone Press-up". But of course the pressure lines are just temporary :)

Drop me a note if you know where else to get good mats for Pilates. I am sure many of the readers and my students will appreciate it.

Updated on 6 Jun: Heard that Option Studio also has pilates mat for sale. let me check it out one of these days and write a review soon!! ha

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!

Pelvic Floor - on incontinence & sexual health

You might have heard of the term "pelvic floor" during one of your pilates classes, do you know what exactly is it?

Pelvic floor is a group of muscles that stretch like a hammock from the tail bone at the back to the pubic bone in front. It supports the bladder, the womb and the bowel. The urethra, the vagina and the rectum pass through them. It's important to build and maintain strength in the pelvic floor, as it play important role in bladder and bowel control, and sexual sensation (for both male and female).

The easiest way to find your pelvic floor muscles is to pretend to stop the flow of urine, you will feel a slight lifting up of the muscles underneath your pelvis. Another way to find your pelvic floor muscles is to suck your thumb. Bizarre but true!

Though problems relating to weak pelvic floor are more common in ladies, the men are not spared. Because beside pregnancy, childbirth (whether delivered naturally or by Caeserian) and menopause (hormones at work again!), pelvic floor can also be weakened by obesity, excessive weight lifting, constipation (that you have to strain to empty your bowel), and even chronic cough (smoker's alert!).

Besides the famous Kegel exercise, pilates can also help strengthen the pelvic floor. Although the term 'pelvic floor' was not used, the concept was part of the original pilates system. If you pull in your powerhouse and engage your deep trasverse abdominus, then your pelvic floor muscles engage. Next time when you do pilates, try to think of these muscles contracting as part of the girdle of strength.

So pilates can help improve your sex life (of course prevent incontinence too)! Yet another great benefit of pilates that you can add on to the list.

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