3 things you think stop you from doing Pilates at home, and what to do about them
(plus a free class, and an amazingly good offer for May only!)
Joseph Pilates expected that his students would practice his method daily, saying that ‘Contrology’ (as Pilates was originally named) is designed to give you suppleness, natural grace, and skill that will be unmistakably reflected in the way you walk, in the way you play, and in the way you work. In other words, he saw it as a way of life.
Something I hear often in the studio is clients saying they don’t practice Pilates at home and 3 main reasons are usually given as to why clients feel practice at home isn’t attainable...
Lack of time
This is a big one. We are busier than ever and multi-tasking is the norm for many of us, so finding time each day to practice Pilates can feel challenging. The first thing I want to say about this is that you don’t need to find an hour every day. Just 10 minutes per day is enough to get down onto the floor and to move. By adding a few movements into your day it will start to build a habit and habits begin to create routines which then become hard to break. You can improve your strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination by building this habit into your day.
We have recently created a ‘BONUS’ class collection in our Pilates At Home membership, which all feature small, bite-sized specialist workouts to help you build in a little more Pilates to your day.
2. Not doing the moves right
‘Without you there I’m worried I’m not doing it right’.
If you are new to Pilates or are recovering from an injury, I always recommend coming for one-to-one Pilates first, this will help you learn the basics and get to know your alignment and how to modify certain exercises for your injury. However, if you’re injury free and have learned the basics, then I’d encourage you to do some exercises from class at home.
There are usually one or two exercises that we remember from class, these may just be the ones that we just love the feel of so start with these, and as you familiarise yourself with more and more exercises the more you’ll remember them outside of the studio.
If your back feels achey maybe it’s a pelvic clock or a cat/cow that you know helps you to feel better so these might become part of your self-care toolbox. Knowing we can take our health and well-being into our own hands outside of the Pilates studio is extremely empowering.
3. Lack of Motivation
There is definitely something highly motivating about attending a group Pilates class, seeing the same people each week, being around like-minded people, and being accountable to that commitment that you paid for the classes. However, when we get home we’re only accountable to ourselves so it can be harder to schedule that time for ourselves.
NEWSFLASH: Self-care isn’t selfish
One of my mentors, Claire Sparrow can be heard literally shouting the phrase ‘self-care isn’t selfish’ from the rooftops in Leeds!! We think that taking time for ourselves isn’t allowed or important or that somehow we should be doing something else, but what if we reframe this? What if adding in just 10 minutes of practice on the days you don’t attend a class at the studio made you feel better, it helped you to sleep more soundly, to wake up feeling less stiff and achey, or you felt stronger, or could run for longer, or even got rid of your back pain altogether, how motivating would that then be to keep up that new habit? For motivation, ask yourself this - how bad do you want to feel good?
Your challenge for May
May is the month when the global Pilates community celebrates International Pilates Day, so this May I challenge you to add just 10 minutes of Pilates twice a week. Try these exercises: Pelvic clocks, bridging, and book openings.
Pilates Book Openings
Great for mobilising your thoracic spine, challenging your pelvic stability, encouraging deeper breathing by opening the chest and aiding any digestive issues you might have.
Pilates bridge
Especially great for increasing strength, stability and function of the hips, back, glutes, and core.
Pilates pelvic clock
Helps achieve flexibility and strength in the lower back, pelvic floor, and core to prevent pain and injury.
I hope you feel the benefit of adding these to your weekly routine.
Lauren x
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Try a class at home for free and get access to an exclusive membership offer!
If you know you’d benefit from guided practice at home to build more Pilates into your daily habits, try a free premium Pilates class with Lauren and get access to this very special LHP membership offer only available for International Pilates Month! 30% off for your first month, or 20% off your first year membership - unlock the free video class for full details.
At Lauren Hilton Pilates, we’re passionate about supporting clients with Pilates every day, we truly believe that Pilates is a transformative movement practice that once in your life, you’ll never want to live without! You can start Pilates at any age, and any stage – it is never too late to start.
Find out more about our Pilates At Home membership here, or you can sign up here:
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