Paging anyone who does Pilates

[altachic]

I am bored with my workout and want to do Pilates along with my usual workout now.

I am looking to do this from home so I'm looking into buying some sort of DVD.

Anyone have recommendations, suggestions so I don't waste my money on a lame video. I want to burn, tone and strengthen my core for skiing.

Arty50? Anyone?

[Cirquerider]

Oh man, this is bad...I though Pilates was Italian food .

[Lynx]

check out the Winsor pilates. my roomate has them on VHS if you want to borrow them before buying any DVDs. I think they are awesome i just don't do them often enough.

[Arty50]

Use the search function damnit!

Actually I don't have any experience with Pilates videos. The class I go to is really cheap, around $9 for an hour and a half session. Plus, our instructor, Dorothy, just cannot be replaced. She's incredible. I take a private lesson every now and then too. Those are a little more spendy of course, but well worth it.

Anyway, not everyone is lucky enough to have cheap classes near them. So here's my advice for what to look for.

Try and get a video or series of videos that mix things up a bit. Our mat classes are never the same. We're always doing something different and a lot of thought is given towards things like the order of the exercises and even the time of day. In the case of the latter, your body performs and reacts very differently in the morning versus the evening. Plus you can only cover so much in each session. Core strengthening doesn't just involve the use of your abs and lower back. Think about everything that is connected to that area: abs, lower back, shoulders, hamstrings, quads, hips, etc. It all works together, so you need to use all of it together.

Also, our class is perhaps more spiritual than others. From what I hear, other classes in town are just about doing the exercises. We actually get into channeling energy and such, which you find in yoga classes. I realize that sounds kooky to a lot of people, but it's really important stuff. It's amazing how much it helps your practice, and it's great for your overall well being too.

I really can't say enough about how much these classes have helped me. I've been living with lower back pain since grammar school. I was in great shape when I played football, but my back was trashed a lot of the time. For the first time in over 15 years, my lower back doesn't hurt anymore. It's awesome.

As for my skiing, I'm super friggen stoked. I used to get tossed around a lot in crud, mank, and heavy corn. Now I'm just super stable. I skied with almost no wax on July 4th, and never once got tossed fore and aft. I couldn't believe it.

It's really cool, I can move in ways that I never could before. I've always been a flexible person, but I've never had much strenght to back that up. I'm just feel so much more capable athletically. You feel strong and balanced without noticing it really. It's not like that powerful feeling you get after you go to the gym. It's much more subtle, and it's also a lot better.

My body has also changed drastically. I've trimmed up drastically, my posture is really good for the first time in I don't know how long, and people are noticing. Speaking of which, it's really good for extra cirriculars also.

One more thing. The easier it gets, the harder it gets. Which is why I love it. As you notice yourself being able to get deeper into the poses, you'll also notice that things get harder. It's cool. You'll be in a pose deeper than before or perhaps finally get that feeling like you got it, and then you'll realize that you can go a little further and get that great quiver again. This is what is so amazing. You're never really done. Just when you think that your body is feeling so solid and put together, you realize that you can take it even further. Frankly, I'm really stoked on this. I'm so much more lithe and stable then I have ever been, yet I realize that there's so much more improvement that can be made. And I'm really excited to see what happens to me as I move towards that.

Some tips:
- If something hurts or you're pushing too hard, feel free to scale it back. You definitely want to push yourself, but it should never be painful. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is your body. I've been at this since February. While I've made great improvements, I still feel there's so much more I haven't tapped into.
- Try to only breathe through your nose. This isn't always the case, but it's very important. You'll get to a point where you have to control your breath very carefully. For instance, filling only your upper lungs and not breathing with your stomach.
- Don't clench and don't hold your breath. Breathing is a hugely important part of this and everything exercise related. I finally realize that now. If you clench up, you'll fall apart quickly. If you keep breathing while your body is quivering madly, you can stick with a pose a lot longer and thus get more work done.
- Have fun doing this. Don't squish up your face when you're really pushing things. In fact, try to relax your face and smile instead. It's amazing how much this helps to release the tension in your body and allows you to hold and even deepen the pose. This isn't just about strengthening your core, it's about making it lithe and responsive too.
- Think globally. By that I mean it's not like doing curls at the gym. Yes, certain poses are designed to target certain body parts. But you have to use a whole group of muscles in the process. So be aware of everything that's going on with your body, not just the feeling in one spot.
- Finally, don't listen to me. It's like a ski lesson. Sometimes you just need to work on one thing that moment. If you think of 10 things, you might lose sight of your end goal. Eventually it all comes together though. Know what I mean?

[altachic]

perfect Arty...thanks!

I have some good leads to some great DVD's.

I wish I could find the one I used to have around, was a good one.

[SPREAD EAGLE]

If you get a group of ladies with a lotta tight fitting lycra going...invite me and I'll convert to pilates!