Pilates for larger women

I began teaching Pilates to larger women 2 years ago. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Pilates and what kind of work out it is, the focus is a combination of exercises for the mind and soul, as well as the body. It is typically known as the “ultimate core workout.” The focus is training the powerhouse, better known as the abdominals.

Pilates is not what I consider a cardio workout. It is more of a toning and strengthening workout because the workout focuses on elongating and toning. However, the heart can be challenged depending on what exercise is done. While Pilates is not a traditional workout like low impact or weight training, the workout is surely beneficial. With proper training, doing Pilates 2-3 times a week with a certified and qualified trainer, I truly believe a good Pilate’s workout can tone, strengthen, and define the human body as well as alleviate stress and pain. Pilate’s classes can be taken by women of any age, shape or size, and the results are really incredible! The members at my ShapelyGirl Fitness Center are living proof it can be done. They work hard and are committed.

I began teaching Pilates about two years ago after I became certified in mat Pilates. Although, I have been teaching fitness classes for over 20 years and am an Exercise Physiologist I still needed to train with a master Pilates instructor. I trained for about six months with my good friend and masters Pilates instructor Bernadette Giorgi, who taught me many different techniques and alignments. With my experience as an exercise physiologist and Bernadette’s 30 yrs experience with Pilates training, I created the ShapelyGirl Pilates Class using the Magic Circle, which is a toning and strength training piece of equipment that helps sculpt and shape the body.

If you are new to adding any fitness regime to your life I would suggest to take it easy. Going too fast too soon is not suggested. Ease into any workout...Pilates is no different. This workout may not look challenging but believe me it is. I was actually sore for the first couple of days as I was using muscles that I hadn’t used in a long time. As far as complications are concerned, any neck, back or shoulders problems should be addressed with the instructor and the exercises can be modified.

While training to teach Pilates, I noticed that the overall consensus was that the average participant was a small-framed woman, and that plus-sized women were left in the dust. However, my goal was to change that attitude because I’ve always believed that “fitness comes in many sizes”. You don’t need to be a size 2 to be fit or healthy! With my class, women of all sizes can enjoy the benefits that Pilates brings, which includes flexibility and movement. Because the Magic Circle technique is used on the floor, women can focus on toning without worrying about what others think or how advanced they need to be.

Even though I teach many different kinds of classes weekly, I have seen more toning and muscle definition from teaching Pilates the past 2 months. My members are always telling me how much better they feel and look from Pilates. Not only that, I have added meditation at the end of all of my classes as a way for the girls to unwind and get positive energy into all aspects of their lives.