Joseph Pilates believed in an ideal world where anyone could practice his method 30 minutes a day no matter what. Through this practice he was certain the work would bring vitality, joy and zest to their lives. Nowadays it sometimes seems that our popularized Pilates has become exclusive and inevitably tied to wealth and vanity – a far cry from what it truly is.
Physical fitness is the first requisite to happiness. – Joseph Pilates
Pilates as a true practice can be done anywhere and by anyone. Whether you enjoy private sessions or the flow and convenience of classes, Pilates is meant to be practiced continuously and for a lifetime.
We tell our students that a 2-3 time a week practice is ideal for progress and that no matter how you practice just practicing is the key.
How we help you practice and stay on track with your goals:
- Meet with a Teacher For An Introductory Session: We encourage each student to have an individual evaluation to look closely at their short-term and long-term goals as well as their current physical conditioning.
- Working With a Teacher: We highly recommend at least 5-10 private sessions to help students establish firm footing in the Pilates Method so that their practice is strong from the beginning.
- Homework! We give students “Home Practice” homework from day one, even in classes.
- Self Practice:We have multiple ways for students to practice in the studio or at home including:
- Studio Membership: With a studio Self Practice Membership students have unlimited monthly access to the studio to work on their own customized equipment programs. See our Self Practice page.
- Audio Recordings: This brand new offering is a fantastic way to take your Pilates with you!We offer a monthly audio subscription for students who want new programs all the time to keep them motivated and interested.We also offer individually customized audio recordings for more established students (with 20 or more private sessions under their belt) who want to have a program tailored and recorded in MP3 format for home or in-studio practice. Learn more about this on our Self Practice page.
With any combination of these things, students will consistently have the tools at hand to see major improvements in their strength, balance and overall health and fitness.
Pilates as a lifelong practice will not only alleviate pain, dullness or general dis-ease, but be the foundation for prevention as your body changes through the years!
Things you should consider when planning how to practice:
Questions to ask yourself:
1. What are my long term and short term goals?
Consider what you are most committed to for your health and well being. Make sure you share these goals with your teacher in your Introductory Session. Create a program that maximizes your ability to reach your goals!
2. How can I practice 2-3 times or more per week?
Our most successful students practice by doing a combination of privates, classes and self practice (at home and/or in the studio). Find a way to get the individual attention you need by working with a teacher privately (we have lots of options here from Master teachers with highly specialized experience and programming tools, to veteran and experienced teachers, to wonderfully motivated and well-educated student teachers depending on your needs and, let’s face it, your budget).
Here are popular combinations:
New student 5 pack of privates (often an additional 10 private sessions) into trio equipment classes plus home or in-studio self practice.
New student 5 pack of privates (often an additional 10 private sessions) into mat and springboard classes plus home or in-studio self practice
New student 5 pack plus 1-10 pack of privates into in-studio self practice
Our most popular tong term practice combinations:
Flex Memberships to accomodate varied schedule and a multi-layered practice
Monthly Unlimited Class Memberships to accomodate varied schedule and more intense practice
Learn more about our most popular options HERE
3. How can I make getting to my practice the easiest choice every time?
What do you know will likely stand in your way of a regular practice?
Make a list and then plan ahead how you will deal with any of these potential pitfalls.Be proactive and allow yourself to start over! If you let yourself feel bad or ashamed for not meeting your goals you’ll be less likely to come back. There is no shame in starting over. We all do it ALL the time. So can you!
4. Do you have chronic pain, an acute condition, or specific spinal concerns?
If you can answer yes to any of these you will create the strongest and most successful practice by working with a teacher privately, one who has specific skills in the area you need help with.
Look at our Master Teacher page for details on what we offer or email our studio manager Colleen McCarty at Colleen@pilatescollective.com to inquire as to who will be the best suited teacher for you!
Full Fitness
Integrating Pilates into your wellness program
We know that once you’ve tried Pilates you’ll love it and feel better immediately. But we also know that there are other elements to your healthy lifestyle that overlay your Pilates work.
Balance and Core Work + Cardiovascular Exercise + Strength Training =
Full Functional Fitness
We encourage all of our students to participate in all three aspects of full fitness and help guide them toward activities that they are engaged by and motivated to maintain.
See our What We Offer page to explore the cardio vascular elements of the studio.
