There was a Pilates for Beginners Part I, so you knew there had to be a Part 2, right?!
In my Pilates for Beginners Workout we went over some of the basic Pilates principles and exercises to give you a great foundation and allow you to do Pilates safely and effectively. In Part 2, we build on those principles and add on to the exercises, taking you into slightly more complex and intermediate moves.
While there are certain principles and movements that make Pilates unique, I don’t believe in hard and fast rules or making you memorize a specific order of exercises. I believe each person and body is unique, and workouts should be tailored for your body, your goals and your enjoyment. I want everyone who works out with me to have fun while getting long-lasting results.
That being said, Pilates is the most effective when someone understands the concepts that make it different. So many people come to me saying Pilates is boring or easy or doesn’t work. I think this occurs because an instructor never took the time to really make sure that person was doing the exercises correctly. Anyone can do a leg lift, so what makes the Pilates leg series so different?
When done with the common principles as the focus (like keeping the core engaged and maintaining proper back position), Pilates is very challenging – and very effective! I kick my own butt almost every time I do a Pilates workout. It will change your body. It will burn calories and tone muscles. It will fire up your core and abdominal muscles. It will help heal injuries and asymmetries in the body. It just takes some instruction on the front end to really get the biggest bang out of the exercises.
That is where these videos for Beginner Pilates Exercises come in.
If you are completely new to Pilates, I definitely recommend doing Part 1 first and coming back to add Part 2 when you are ready. If you have been doing Pilates a while and simply want a refresher, you can do Part 1 and Part 2 interchangeably and when they suit your needs!
Remember to always check with a doctor before making any fitness changes, and please stop if you experience pain.
Enjoy the workout and let me know how it goes!
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It’s so important for people to understand the fundamentals to get the most from their Pilates workout. Incorrect form is not solely because of the instructor, though. In a group exercise setting, there’s only so much the instructor can do. If a person won’t make the corrections to their form even with explanation and cueing (verbal and hands on), it’s time to move on. I’ve also had people in my classes who have been doing Pilates online, believing they are doing the moves correctly and they really aren’t, making it hard for them to make adjustments!