» Revitalise: In Control
Zara Baker experiences controlled movement and perfect posture with Pilates at Revitalise
My interest in Pilates stemmed from researching the difference between Pilates and yoga as forms of exercise. While they appear quite similar, neither is superior; the classes have different aspects and aims. At an introductory session to Pilates at Revitalise in Hove, Clare Brown ran through the basics, setting the group up for what a six-week course would entail.
The group was varied, made up of men and women, both younger and older. Clare runs these taster sessions as she knows that not everyone would want to sign up for a course they know little about. The good news? Pilates really is for everyone. A lot of the people in the taster class were recovering from an injury or suffered with back pain. Others were there for general fitness and wellbeing. What drew me to Pilates is the focus on the body’s core through alignment, toning and strengthening.
The taster session began by finding the neutral spine and neutral pelvic position when lying on my back with knees bent at a 90 degree angle. I had to lay my body naturally with my back against the floor – you may find you need to raise your head slightly on a block. Once I’d found ‘neutral’, I focussed on my breathing and core activation. You can try this at home on your own to grasp the concept: place one hand on your chest and one hand on your tummy. Gently breathe through the nose and see which hand moves. You want the hand on your tummy to move as you inhale; your chest should stay relaxed. Clare likened it to imagining your tummy as a balloon and, as you inhale, the balloon fills with air. As you exhale through softly pursed lips, you add the pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles activation. This was likened to fastening up an internal zip. It is the activation of these muscles during movement that keeps the body in neutral. As Clare explained, these muscles should be supporting us naturally, but all too often through over use and poor posture, external muscles such as the lower back and gluteus take over, creating imbalance. Pilates aims to restore these muscular imbalances which in turn improves posture and function.
Clare moved about the group watching our breathing and control of the pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscle. One reaction to connecting with the pelvic floor is to clench the buttocks, rather than keeping the hips relaxed. Once a good core connection is achieved, it’s applied to all Pilates stretches and poses and soon becomes second nature. What’s more, the core connection can be practised any place and any time, including sitting at your desk.
Clare taught us that Pilates is not about how far you go with each movement or how quickly you do it – it’s about going as far as you can maintaining a neutral position. This makes it far more controlled. For example, from the neutral position lying on our back, we raised our arms toward the ceiling and then gently extended back towards our heads. Our arms were not extended so far that our rib cages and shoulder blades rose; they were taken to a comfortable point, where a neutral spine could be maintained.
The taster session is a wonderful introduction to Pilates. Some may choose to stay on a beginners’ course – if they are recovering from an injury, for example. Alternatively, you can progress onto improver, intermediate and advanced courses and experience more complex Pilates exercises for fitness and toning in addition to wellbeing. Revitalise also offer specific Pilates classes for pregnancy.
The next set of six-week Pilates courses start the week beginning 21 June. Classes are limited to a maximum of eight. Free Pilates taster classes take place Tuesday 1 June and Tuesday 8 June at 8pm, and Thursday 3 June and Thursday 10 June at 6pm. Book your space by calling 01273 738389. Revitalise are also offering a discount on 1:1 sessions costing just £30 instead of £40 (quote ref Wave). Revitalise, 86 Church Road, Hove, 01273 738389, www.revitalise-u.co.uk
