Are you a Beginner to Pilates on the Sunshine Coast? Chances are you have some questions…..

Or maybe you’re just looking for your new studio and wellness haven and want to get to know us a little better first!

Tamara here, Owner and Instructor at ‘tlc pilates’, thank you for considering our boutique studio for your Pilates practice.

Pilates is getting its fair share of time in the spotlight in recent years and the Sunshine Coast has had an explosion of Reformer studios in the last couple of years. Pilates offers a way to exercise that is very different from the gyms and crossfit of this world. 

It’s also a whole lot more than ‘just exercise’ once you’ve practiced for a while, and something I usually hear clients say after about 5 or 6 classes.

Having done Pilates for over 15 years now myself (teaching as well for the last 7) I’ve experienced and seen many different reasons for people to choose this way of exercise over others, but have also become very aware of some of the misconceptions out there.

Now, if I’ve heard these before, chances are some of them are things you’ve been wondering too.

Let’s go through some of the things you might be interested in if you’re looking to find a healthy way to exercise and you’re tired of the gym and other usual workouts;

IT’S JUST LIKE YOGA!

One I hear ALL. THE. TIME.

Even when I tell people we both do Pilates (my husband and I do regular lessons together) or I’m a Pilates Instructor, they still refer to it as Yoga (insert *facepalm* here). 

No need to go into a history lesson of the origins of Pilates here (if you’re interested there’s plenty of detail online, so Google it!) but I can tell you some of the main differences to Yoga (by the way, I love Yoga and I enjoy it regularly enough to be able to list out some of the differences); 

  • Yoga is all floor-based mat work (with props). Pilates has only a component that is done on the mat – the majority of work happens on spring resisted machines such as the Reformer, Wunda Chair and Cadillac. Using the machines is called Studio or Equipment Pilates.
  • Both Yoga & Pilates concentrate on breathing in time with your movement. Both use slightly different breathing techniques so don’t be alarmed when we talk ‘lateral’ breathing and not belly breathing.
  • Yoga tends to be more spiritual (and there’s nothing wrong with that!). Pilates is more about mindful movement and exercises. Although the awareness that Pilates brings about your body and the way it moves, can be considered like a moving meditation to some (including me).
  • When using the equipment, your exercises (or program) are designed for what you need, whether it be for Strength building, avoiding Injury, improving performance rather than everyone doing the same type of movements in unison. 
  • Yoga concentrates on poses strung together into flows where as Pilates generally uses repetitions of the exercise (more like traditional exercise)

IT’S VERY DIFFERENT TO THE GYM OR GROUP FITNESS CLASSES – IN A GOOD WAY!

A gym or large group fitness class can be very intimidating, confronting and not to mention noisy with loads of sweaty people moving around the equipment. 

Then, if you don’t have access to personal training sessions, you also have to be somewhat motivated to know what exercises you should be doing, how many to do, how to use correct technique and then…..actually DO THEM!

Not to mention navigating all the equipment, the settings on them and all the other people wanting to use it as well. Aaargh, stressful just thinking about it hahaha! Now I don’t know about you, but I’m also a little more motivated if there’s an instructor there to watch and encourage me.

On the other hand, a Pilates studio is a quiet, calm, inviting space and, believe it or not, is exercise that can be both relaxing yet energising at the same time.

In this world, where we are constantly connected, over-stimulated and in constant comparison mode I strongly believe we need a place to be able to move our bodies more slowly without judgement or competition, where the only competition is the challenge you give yourself.

Often our community comment on how fast the time goes during a class. You’re so busy concentrating on the moment, movement and your breath that the days worries are left at bay for a while. Exactly the reason why Pilates can help relieve stress and anxiety. The tlc pilates studio also looks very different to ‘gyms’ intentionally, (even to other Pilates studios) so it doesn’t really feel like you’re going to work out. We’ve tried to make our studio space as ‘un-workout’ like type of environment as possible, so you can fully immerse yourself in your movement practise.

IT’S ALL ABOUT MODERATION

There’s always a lot of talk about if Pilates can help lose weight. I’m not a nutritionist so there won’t be any meal plans or diets from my end but we’re happy to refer you to other allied health colleagues if needed. What Pilates can do is empower you to feel so good about how you feel in your body with exercise that you seek out ways to empower yourself to nourish your body from the inside too. Find what it is that makes you feel great!

I don’t believe in telling you you can’t have something as a treat and I definitely won’t make you feel guilty if you have, nor punish you with extra repetitions.

Of course, all in moderation and no one needs a degree to remind you that eating more junk than fresh wholesome food is not a good idea!

PILATES IS NOT THE MIRACLE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR

Don’t get me wrong, Pilates can help to improve a range of injuries, restrictions, performance etc.

It can, and will (!), do those things…….over time. 

I’ve felt it do just that on a number of occasions for myself and I’ve heard it from clients a whole lot more!

A lot of the time our restrictions, imbalances and chronic pain are caused by decades and decades of moving inefficiently and that can’t be undone in a few haphazard visits. Any exercise program is a long term lifestyle commitment and our bodies insurance policy to get us through life with as much ease as possible.

I’ve suffered from bad posture and related chronic headaches/neck/shoulder/back pain from sitting at my desk for many many years. The work I had to do to reverse didn’t happen overnight and it’s still always going to be a work in progress. I’d hate to think what my life would look like now though had I not worked at correcting that then and still be working on it today.

On the flipside, when using Pilates for general Strength and Fitness Training, the benefits are visible after about 6 sessions. The creator of Pilates had a saying, and it rings pretty accurately actually, “In 10 sessions you’ll feel the difference, in 20 sessions you’ll see the difference, and in 30 sessions you’ll have a whole new body”.

Pilates works best when you are practicing at least 2 times a week in the presence of an Instructor (3 times in a perfect world) alongside some other cardio/movement such as walking, running, cycling etc. This is the level when you’ll notice the benefits. Of course, if you can only visit your Instructor once a week then that’s fine, just be more conscientious with your homework in between and keep yourself accountable.

If you’re wondering if I practice what I preach – I sure do, I visit 2 other studios a week for my own personal training and then daily Mat sessions at home alongside daily running/walking . I love how Pilates makes me and my body feel and how it helps make everything else (movement wise) feel easier!

But sometimes Pilates may not be able to help….Yup, if you’re wanting a diagnosis/treatment of a medical issue you’re experiencing then it’s time to see the experts. We won’t be able to prevent you from having to see your doctor, physiotherapist, chiropractor if that’s what you really need but we will be able to help you find safe exercises for you to do with their guidance and clearance!

WHAT’S WITH THESE PACKAGES? WHY DO I NEED TO COMMIT LIKE THAT?

Yup, it’s pretty standard in the Pilates world to be purchasing 10 packs of classes in advance. It’s also pretty standard for them to have an expiry date and a 24-hour cancellation policy. And there’s really no sugar-coating why it’s done – COMMITMENT and ACCOUNTABILITY!  Plain and simple. 

Life is hectic, we all get that, everyone is in the same boat, even me, but this is about committing the time to look after yourself, giving your self-care time the priority it deserves to help you do life better in general.

It also relates to my above point. To see results and improvement you MUST have consistency in your classes. Without it, this will be just another thing you’ve tried to improve your health and fitness. Consider it like joining a sports team or learning a musical instrument, buying a term keeps you accountable and let’s face it, if it comes down to having to pay for something whether we go or not, that’s usually a pretty good incentive for making us get there! 

On a related note, some people ask why Pilates studios all charge differently. It’s a pretty simple one actually, the more people in a class, generally the less the cost is per person. At my studio, I only offer 1-1 and semi-private training and as such my pricing will always be different from the large group Reformer studios who rely on fitting as many people in class as they can. 

IT’S MORE THAN A REFORMER

Big Reformer Studios are very popular right now, in fact, even I love to attend a Reformer Class when I can….but…I’m aware of my body, its limitations and the attention I have to place on engaging the correct muscles and how to correct myself as I’ve been practicing Pilates myself for many years. It simply worries me that there are too many people (many of whom may be new to Pilates and/or fitness) in these classes to be really able to get the best result for their bodies needs. It saddens me a little that people think that is all there is to Pilates. There are so many other awesome pieces of equipment in a Pilates Studio to use and enjoy! 

The other equipment such as the Cadillac Tower, Spine Corrector and the Wunda Chair are some of the other fun pieces of equipment you’ll try in one of our Studio classes. And don’t worry, if fitness is your goal then there are plenty of ways to get your heart rate up and challenge yourself!

PILATES IS JUST FOR THE INJURED OR ELDERLY

This is definitely not the case at all!

Pilates is great for these populations for sure but they are not the only ones it appeals to…..

It’s also for those who want to find a way to exercise that they like and find fun and interesting. Something they look forward to, that’s not a chore.

It’s for those that want to work on the performance in some of their other sports and work on getting the most biomechanical efficiency as possible.

It also really is a great way to have an hour to yourself, forget about everything waiting for you at home or work, and just concentrate on building your bodies Strength & Mobility. In these hectic times, we could all do with working on our Mental Health as well as keeping our bodies well and moving through life with ease.

Hopefully, I’ve answered some of the things you may have been wondering about getting started with Pilates. You can also check out our FAQ page for some other common questions you may have.

Pilates has been my passion for a long time now and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about if Pilates is right for you.

Pilates can help with;

✅ Posture

✅ Flexibility

✅ Stress Management

✅ Lung Capacity

✅ Spine stabilisation

✅ Circulation

✅ Coordination & Balance

✅ Joint & Spinal Injury Rehabilitation

✅ Shoulder, Neck & Upper Back Relaxation

✅ Muscle strength (esp Core Muscles)

Whether you are looking for a gentle, safe way to move or challenging way to increase strength & flexibility, ‘tlc pilates’ has the class options for you.

Make Pilates your new ‘happy hour’ and tlc pilates your new ‘local’.

Head back to our New Clients Page and get started today! I can’t wait to see you in the studio.

Yours in Movement

Tamara🌴

Owner/Instructor @ tlc pilates studio