Finding a Class or Instructor .....................................................................
You can practice Pilates three ways:
You can take a group class that involves performing specialized calis-
thenics exercises, with or without a mat (refer to Figure 17-1).
You can take private lessons on a series of machines with exotic names
like the Cadillac and the Reformer. The Cadillac, with its array of springs,
straps, poles, and bars, looks like a bed that the Marquis de Sade might
have enjoyed. The Reformer looks like a weight bench souped up with
assorted springs, straps, and pads.
You can pick up a copy of Pilates Workout For Dummies,a workout video
by Michelle Dozois (published by Wiley), that demonstrates Pilates
techniques for beginners but also offers challenging workouts as you
advance.
Also pick up a copy of Pilates For Dummiesby Ellie Herman (published
by Wiley), a step-by-step guide for everything from basic Pilates to
super-advanced exercises.
There are nearly 500 Pilates studios nationwide, and the explosion continues.
Instructors of the official Pilates Method must complete a rigorous training
program that includes more than 600 apprenticeship hours. Other Pilates fac-
tions have created their own certifications, which may or may not be as rigor-
ous. To find a good Pilates instructor, you’re going to have to rely on your
own judgment and recommendations from people you trust.
Pilates is expensive. Private lessons will set you back $40 to $200 a session.
Yes, you read correctly: Some instructors charge $200 for a single session.
That’s because there are many more personal trainers who don’t have a
Pilates specialization than do, and when they get a following, their prices
tend to skyrocket. Mat classes are a relative bargain, running from $12 to $25
per session, but that’s still more than many monthly gym memberships. Some
gyms offer Pilates classes to members at no additional charge and offer pri-
vate instruction at a discount. If you like to master athletic activities quickly,
this may not be the workout for you. Like dance, yoga, and martial arts, learn-
ing Pilates is a long-term process.
If you can afford it, we recommend taking a private session or two on the
machines. It is both an enlightening and humbling experience — enlightening
because you discover that your body can move in ways you never imagined,
and humbling because you discover ways your body should be able to move
but can’t.
Chapter 17: Pilates: Sculpting and Strengthening .....................................................
