Exercise Equipment FAQs

Gina Jackson asked:


You spend all that time and money with your Pilates teacher weekly, right? Whether privately, in a semi-private or in a group mat class. You love how you feel when you leave the studio or class, right? You believe in the work and see what it has done to your body, then why not take the principles of the workout with you onto the gym floor the next time you go there?

Who said Pilates could only be done on the floor on a mat? What stops you from using your powerhouse every time you sit at a piece of equipment? what prevents you from “lifting in and up” every time you use the Lat Pulldown or Cables for Tricep Presses? Why can’t you breathe through the “back ribs” when you inhale and melt over that stability ball or when you are doing Lateral Shoulder Raises anyway?

Nothing stops you. Nothing but the mindset that one activity belongs in one place and the other in another.

As a Pilates Instructor and a Personal Fitness Trainer/Instructor, I am conscious of queuing and coaching all my clients – whether they know Pilates or not – men and women alike – to use and engage their core structure, their powerhouse, the abdominals before making any movement with a piece of equipment, dumbbell weight, resistance band, etc.

Yes the specific exercises of the Pilates method are distinctive. Yes, the names of the Pilates exercises, whether found on the mat or any of the studio apparatus are distinct and memorable and yes, they move the body through a set of fluid, flowing motions while resisting against a stable position.

In the case of Pilates, we refer to this stable position as the “powerhouse,” defined as the imaginary box drawn between your right and left shoulder and right and left hip points.

It is this stable position, from deep inside the abdominal core, that all the exercises inside the gym must and should also be emanate. Generally, I find that newcomers to the gym, as well as many old “hardheads” approach the equipment just to move thru pushing or pulling the weights without giving any conscious attention to abdominal engagement, stability, balance or even use of their breath to facilitate the movement of the body or the weights.

By employing the classic principles of Pilates control – of the movement of the exercise, the muscle involved within the exercise and transitions to the next exercise. concentration – bringing full attention, focus and commitment to the exercise; eliminating the extraneous details and chatter, thus maximizing the value achieved with each rep and movement. centering – bringing a centered focus to the core powerhouse as well as one’s body in space. precision – focused attention to the precise placement, alignment and movement of the body. breath – use of the breath to facilitate and/or challenge the movement of the body.

Fit Yummy Mummy!

Nicki Noftz asked:


In my attempt to help clarify Pilates, I introduced the concept of various types of Pilates. The first article in the series, “Which Pilates is Right for You?” I discussed the three groups of Pilates: rehab/physical therapy, sports fitness, and wellness. This was followed by an article describing the rehab/physical therapy approach. It is important to understand how the sports fitness approach compares to determine which fits your personal style. A sports fitness approach may use cues or exercises that focus on more athletic movements. Students may become discouraged from Pilates because they try a type that does not suit their needs; however, Pilates can benefit everyone. This article focuses on the sports fitness approach.

As mentioned in the previous article, the sports fitness approach is seen through the health club lens and focuses on the physical aspects of Pilates. Although some teachers using this perspective may utilize techniques from the rehab/physical therapy and/or wellness approach, the approach is rooted through the health club lens. Most health clubs offer Pilates classes and have added equipment classes. Personal trainers are starting to add Pilates as an add-on to their list of specialties. Even the company SPIN Fitness realizes the importance of the Pilates movement with the acquisition of Peak Pilates, a well known Pilates equipment manufacturer and training program.

This approach can be extremely beneficial for several reasons.

- Introduces Pilates to the fitness population on a large scale
- Introduce the notion of the body-mind-spirit technique
- Relate to individuals through the common fitness terminology
- Improve overall movement patterns
- The cost may be covered by a gym membership or is less expensive than at a typical Pilates studio
- Stresses core work
- The class may work at a faster pace offering a cardio aspect

There can be drawbacks to this approach.

- Exercises are altered or modified to fit the health club view
- Equipment is changed to be more similar to other gym equipment and easily stored
- Sometimes the focus may be on the isolation of muscles or extra exertion
- Class sizes may be large with little hands on corrections
- Creates an assumption that Pilates is mainly about the physical aspects

The main educational program for sports fitness Pilates training is Power Pilates and The Physical Mind Institute; however, other programs have some roots in this area such as Balanced Body and Peak creating a Pilates equipment line geared toward the health clubs. The key to finding the right fit for you is to understand your Pilates instructor’s training background. Finding a teacher that fits your personality is the key to your Pilates success.

Fit Yummy Mummy!