Photo by Pam Crawford
Let’s talk at-home mat Pilates.
After taking a break from working out, I wanted to find a way to ease back into it. I also wanted to try working out at home.
Previously, I was against working out from home due to the lack of variety in equipment. I enjoyed working out at the Rec before class, but it slowly became too far of a walk. It took away time from my workout. Eventually, I decided working out at home would allow me to manage my time better and to freshen up before heading out.
I decided at the beginning of March I would try to do Pilates for the first time.
I heard Pilates was quite challenging, despite being low impact. At this point, I had not been to a Pilates class in person. I did not own any Pilates equipment either. Because of this, I searched online for beginner-level Pilates, with no equipment other than a mat.
The routine I found started with breathing exercises, which were very relaxing and invigorating for the exercises to follow. I also enjoyed how the instructor emphasized stretching throughout the video as a lack of stretching can cause muscle ache and pain.
Once we began the exercises, I found it difficult to keep track of my breathing. It was hard to understand the exercise when you’re supposed to be breathing in and out at every move you make. Now, I have gotten used to it though. It just requires repetition and practice.
Another thing I found confusing was the language used to describe how the body should be positioned. I watched two different instructors. They both emphasized making a “rib to hip” connection. This is still a little confusing to me.
They mention the navel frequently too, telling us to draw the navel inward rather than telling us to engage our core. The language used in Pilates requires familiarity and recognition, which you can pick up on after practicing a few times.
Overall, I have been doing beginners’ mat Pilates three times a week for around a month now, and I still find it a fun and interesting way to move your body.
Currently, I am trying to “level up” from the beginners’ to moderate level, but I am taking it slow. I enjoy how low-impact mat Pilates is while still leaving you with that burn—the kind you get from working out at the gym with machines.
I will definitely continue to do it in the foreseeable future. However, I do want to get back to strength training eventually.
I would recommend doing beginner mat Pilates at home to anyone looking for a new, low-impact way to work out their whole body.
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