What You Need to Know Before Taking Pilates Classes

Once we get used to something or get into a routine, it stops feeling exciting, and things can get stale quickly. This also happens with exercise, and trainers say you should try to vary your exercise plus their intensity to keep things interesting. Taking Pilates classes can be just the thing you are looking for and can be great regardless of whether you want to take the classes at home or want to go for group sessions. Before taking classes, however, you need to know what Pilates is and what to expect.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is very similar to yoga in that it is a low-impact exercise meant to strengthen your muscles while helping with your flexibility and posture alignment. Workouts will typically last about 45 minutes, and you will have an instructor to take you through a session.

While many Pilates moves target your core, these exercises also target other body parts. When focusing on your core, Pilates moves will help you work out your pelvis, hips, back, inner and outer thighs and your abdominal muscles.

Other moves will engage your arms, legs, and glutes. The areas targeted will depend on your instructor, the session and what you want to get out of Pilates, especially when you sign up for private Pilates sessions.

There are Different Types of Classes

As hinted above, there are different types of Pilates classes, and you will need to assess your needs to see which one would work best for you. For example, new mums can register for private Pilates in Bristol, while some people may prefer private classes to work on specific issues.

They can range from finding your balance and improving your flexibility to dealing with back pain and particular injuries. There are also classes for pregnant mums, but you have to be certified by a doctor to take those. For postnatal Pilates in Bristol, you need to talk to the instructor so they can assess your suitability.

Each type of class and session will focus on something different, and you can learn more about what they entail on the provided link.

Your Muscles Might Burn and Be Sore the Next Day

Many people assume that just because Pilates is a low-impact exercise they do not have to think about muscle soreness. 

This is not true because many of the body weight routines you go through in one session can be very intense and cause the muscles to burn on the day. Some exercises that involve micromovements can be particularly taxing on specific muscle groups.

The good thing is that you can recover just like you would after doing regular exercises by resting, hydrating, massaging and taking electrolytes. The soreness will last about a day or two but should be gone as you complete more sessions.

Pilates is a different form of exercise that is often overlooked by many people. While its effects are a lot less visible than those of other types of exercises, it is still a potent form of exercise that produces great results.