Pilates for beginners: How to integrate it into your training routine?

One of the important features of the Pilates Method that differentiate it from other physical disciplines is that it can be performed by any type of person with practically no contraindications, whether a healthy sportsperson or someone who has a pathology or has suffered an injury or has to recover from it. In these cases, we have the possibility of introducing modifications within the exercises themselves and the sequences of the series to work on them and improve them without putting at risk any structure that may be affected.

In the first sessions, the qualities and physical characteristics of the person will be highlighted. The teacher will see what we really need to improve, our shortcomings, weaknesses and imbalances and will work on them. 

Thus, the method is built on 6 fundamental principles:

• Energy centre
• Breathing
• Concentration
• Control
• Accuracy
• Fluency

Powerhouse concept“

The main characteristic of the Pilates method is the strengthening of our core (deep musculature of the abdomen, lumbar, pelvis and hips), which functions as an active belt and from which all the forces necessary for correct functioning come from, controlling movement, stabilising areas and joints that tend to suffer injuries due to overexertion or weakness.

 All the exercises will be performed around this energy centre. In this way we will work all the muscle chains that will start from this central area in a symmetrical way on both sides of the body, enhancing its functionality and ergonomics. 

As soon as you start to feel that strength, you will find it much easier to execute actions and movements and you will start to feel a sense of mastering your body and keeping it in balance as you will also be able to analyse your strongest areas, but also your weakest ones.

What do we want to achieve with the method?

Pilates for beginners is a training discipline that makes us recognise, feel and know how to move the structures of which the body is composed in order to make them work in a conscious way. This guarantees us, in each session, to be able to dissociate them in our mind in order to be able to control and dominate them with awareness, and thus lead the exercise towards what we want to focus on and remove tension from what does not need it. 

It allows us, from the work of the deep muscles and in coordination with our breathing, to obtain an exquisite control so that our movements are effective and efficient, without hurting ourselves, realigning and readjusting the muscular chains that will allow us to improve the qualities and bodily functions such as strength, flexibility, coordination or balance, to obtain a good physical and mental state, improving incorrect postures that end up causing discomfort. 

Benefits of Pilates for beginners

We can establish a series of benefits that Pilates for beginners will show from the first work sessions:

• You will improve your body awareness. You will begin to notice how your body works and feel parts of it that you have never felt before.
• It will increase your concentration, in exercise as well as in everyday life.
• Reduces stress. This concentration will allow us to focus on ourselves and to be able to channel the work of the mind in a serene way.
• You will get BEST REST. After your class, the body will release endorphins that generate a state of well-being that induces sleep and makes you sleep better.
• You will get to know your body better. You will start to know what your strengths and weaknesses are and it will be much easier to balance them.
• You will improve your breathing. Many exercises are linked to breathing control so that your lung capacity will increase and your gestures in daily life will not fatigue and you will tense less the muscles that normally contract.
• Adopt healthier postures in your daily life and at work. The global work of all the muscles leads to a lengthening of the spine and thus to a more upright posture, as well as improving balance and coordination.
• You will get walk in a more fluid, efficient and natural way., This is because your body will learn to economise on strength and will be able to be more balanced.

When will I start to feel its effects?

The results of beginning Pilates for beginners are noticeable from the very first session. At the end of the class you will have worked on qualities such as elasticity, strength and you will have become aware of the alignment and posture of your body. From then on, a whole process will begin which, in the medium term and with practice, will allow you to improve on a global level. 

However, it is important to bear in mind that each person is different. Therefore, depending on all the factors that influence each one, the evolution will be different. Thus, it will not only come into play if there is some kind of ailment or injury, but also the general physical conditions, the ability to concentrate, the speed of learning, the discipline and perseverance and the involvement of the person, not only when performing the exercises during the session, but also when putting into practice everything learned during their daily life or in the practice of other sports.  

Tips for getting started

Be ready to work and to make the most of your possibilities.. You need to know that Pilates is not a simple stretching or relaxation method, but a demanding workout both physically and mentally. It requires an exhaustive concentration to know and strengthen your body in a precise, deep and controlled way. 

Be patient and don't be discouraged. In the first classes you will receive many indications and information that your body will have to assimilate in order to be able to integrate it. Little by little you will be able to feel and move certain parts of your body that you had never noticed before and that will allow you to begin to improve, in the short term, ailments that you thought would never go away or prevent them from appearing.

Don't be overwhelmed if you have an injury or pain you are worried about and think you might hurt yourself. The Pilates method has an infinite number of modifications and adaptations so that you can work not only with the guarantee of not hurting yourself, but also of improving your injury.

How often should I practice it?

The truth is that it depends on the circumstances of each person. Of course, if you are a healthy person and have the time, there is nothing wrong with doing it every day. But in general, it is advisable to do 2 sessions a week, especially if you are a beginner. 

Keep in mind that it is important to maintain a certain routine in order to make it easier for both mind and body to remember the exercises and integrate the teachings. For this reason, it is most beneficial if there is not too much time between sessions in order to consolidate learning more quickly. However, if you can only come once a week, the most important thing is to be consistent and try to integrate the re-education of the body that is taught through the exercises, in any movement that we do in our daily life. 

If you include Pilates in your workout routine, you will say goodbye to a sedentary lifestyle, have more toned muscles and feel healthier and more positive.

Complement to other training

The method helps us to work analytically and much more deeply on the correct functioning of these structures that must be prepared to receive the demands required by the technique corresponding to any physical or sporting activity, giving it the sense of movement necessary to reach our maximum capacity and performance.  

You will start to become aware of how your lungs and rib cage work and you will be able to apply this to your daily life and other physical activities, making you less fatigued. Your body will learn to relax areas that are normally under tension.

Pilates for beginners is not only a way of training but a very effective resource for your body to learn to move correctly, distributing and dosing the load that we demand of it every day and preventing the appearance of injuries. In addition, your body will be prepared for greater performance in any sport or physical activity you do.