How to get Started with Pilates at Home

Woman Rolling up Pilates mat

Between the pandemic and the increasing costs of just about everything, I think we are all looking for ways to do things at home- and for less money. We are also realizing that taking care of our heath and our body are no longer luxuries, they are necessities. I know for me personally, I can handle the stresses of life a lot better when I am moving regularly. There are many benefits of that mind- body connection. In Pilates, you have to focus on so many elements to perform the exercises correctly, so you have to bring your mind and body together. You won’t be able to make your grocery list or worry about that last phone call from your boss or client. It demands all your attention which provides a fantastic escape from your daily life. Which can be a beautiful thing!

If you’ve never done Pilates before, it can be intimidating and humbling. Learning at home provides another advantage there. You don’t have to worry about others in the class and your lack of experience. You can learn at your own pace and timing.

Most people don’t have equipment at home. It’s expensive and I really don’t recommend going out and buying Pilates equipment like a reformer or chair until you have had at least a year of personal instruction in a studio.

So, therefore enter Mat Pilates! Mat Pilates is done on the floor with just a mat. Yoga mat, Pilates mat, whatever, it doesn’t matter. Some of my clients have very sensitive backsides, so they love the extra squishy mats like this one on Amazon. Some small pieces of equipment like the Pilates ring, Pilates ball, Flex Bands or small hand weights can also be used, but are not needed at all to begin.

You don’t need prior experience to learn Pilates but here are a few things that will come in handy.

1- A different mindset. If you are used to the type of exercise that makes you sore for days or one which requires you to break a serious sweat, you might have to adapt to a different mindset. Pilates is effective! I call it STEALTHY. In a very sneaky way, you see and feel the benefits. Just because it might not feel hard, doesn’t mean it isn’t difficult and that it won’t change you.

2- A more internal focus. When we run or lift weights our focus is primarily on the extremities- the arms and legs. When I say internal focus, yes I mean the core, but I also mean the joints that your arms and legs sit it. If you are able to step back and feel the muscles that hold those joints in place, you will learn so much about how your body works and how much stronger it can be when you work it properly.

3- Patience. There is a lot to learn and it can feel overwhelming. In fact, we joke by saying, “The more you understand, the harder it gets!” Which is exactly true! Don’t worry if you aren’t breathing correctly to start off or if you aren’t sure if you are engaged in the right places. You will get better with time. I tell clients that you need to be just enough of a perfectionist that you care enough to learn the right way- but not so much that you get frustrated at yourself.

4- A prepared response. People are going to ask you what you have been doing. Why- because you are going to be sitting and standing up straighter and people actually acknowledge and mirror that in their body language. You will notice when you are slouching and your Pilates intuition will kick in and remedy it. You become so much more aware of your daily postures and those around you will notice too.

Joseph Pilates designed his classic mat sequence years ago and published it in his book, Return to Life Through Contrology. (Fun fact, it was called Contrology by Joe, only after his death was it renamed Pilates.) Since 2013, in the month of March, the Pilates community, world wide, has started March Matness.

This is a great way to learn the basics of mat Pilates. However, I have been teaching for over 20 years and in my experience I believe that the way the exercises are performed in the classic sequence is too difficult for most people. So Katie and I have taken each exercise and broken it down into the different elements and taught modifications. There is a modification for anything!! We can easily make exercise more difficult or less challenging depending on the experience level of our clients.

If you are ready to get started. There are 5 basic principles you should learn first.

Breathing, Ribcage Placement, Pelvic Placement, Shoulder Placement, Neck Placement. ( Videos below).

Then join us for the March Matness Sequence.