Where to Find Pilates in Your Area
So you want to try pilates, the latest and hottest trend in mind-body fitness? You are not alone. Dancers, gymnasts and other professional athletes have faithfully observed the principles of Joseph H. Pilate's routines for many years. Now, everyone from Hollywood movie starts to soccer moms is taking part in this popular physical activity. Pilates has been around a long time, even though it's just now hit the mainstream with full force. Joseph H. Pilates was a nurse in Great Britain during the First World War. He tended to wounded soldiers and noted the need for a more effective form of physical therapy.
He developed a series of naturally progressive body movements that emphasized strength, precision and flexibility. Indeed, over the years pilates has been shown to have a number of health benefits. Benefits of regular pilates practice include improved posture, circulation, mood, and stronger joints and muscles. Pilates has been shown to significantly reduce the symptoms of back pain, and it is considered to be a natural stress and anxiety reducer. So how can you get started in pilates? Here are a few suggestions to finding pilates in your area. Fortunately, pilates is now more accessible than ever before.
If you belong to gym or health club, chances are you have easy access to a pilates class. Sometimes pilates exercises are done in conjunction with aerobics programs, so check to see if any of the aerobics classes incorporate pilates. If you don't belong to health club, check to see if there are any pilates studios in your area.
Pilates studios are a good choice because they deal exclusively with pilates. Pilates studio instructors generally tend to have greater experience in teaching a various types of pilates. Wherever you decide to practice pilates, make sure that your instructor has received certification. Ideally, your instructor will have hundreds of hours of training, rather than a "quickie" weekend long training course. Don't be afraid to ask about the instructor's certification process. Although it appears to be a gentle form of exercise, pilates can actually be quite hard on the body, and if it's not done correctly, it can cause serious injury. If you are new to pilates, it's especially important that you practice under the supervision of an experienced pilates instructor.
If you have difficulty locating a convenient pilates course in your area, consider purchasing a pilates video that you can do at home. The Internet is a great place to read reviews on different pilates videos and DVDs and choose the one that fits you best. You should take extra care whenever doing pilates by yourself because you do not have the benefit of having an instructor supervise your moves.
If you are concerned about the price of pilates classes in your areas, consider this solution. Take as many classes as you can afford, then purchase a pilates video that you can do on your own. This gives you the advantage of learning the proper alignment and movement while saving money in the long run. Joseph H. Pilates himself designed the movements so that they could eventually be performed independently of the instructor.