So it begins…
Thinking of joining us? Sophie, Administrator and Front of House here at Pure Pilates Ilkley, shares her experience as a Pilates beginner. Follow her journey in our blog and find out what to expect as a newcomer to the method…
When I landed this wonderful job, I was so excited that as part of it I'd get an opportunity to discover Pilates and a new form of exercise.
Before joining the Pure Pilates Ilkley team, I worked as Carer, and previous to that a Dental Nurse (neither known for kindness to backs, posture, or the human body in general). Therefore I wasn't just intrigued by the physical exercise element of Pilates but more so the opportunity to strengthen and stabilise my body, which has definitely been impacted by previous job roles.
I've only recently realised the importance of caring for my poor back, which at once point was potentially at risk of becoming the shape of a coat-hanger.
As a lover of running, hiking, and yoga, I thought I was relatively strong but my very first class with Kirstin was a real eye-opener. I'll be the first to admit that I grossly underestimated the challenge of Pilates, and perhaps (no, definitely) over-estimated my own strength. Not one to turn down a challenge, and a lover of learning, this just makes the whole prospect more exciting.
I can't wait to see how the journey unfolds and the resulting changes that Pilates practice will have upon my body. A month in, here's what I've learned so far:
1. Breathing is key. I possibly made it to age 34 without knowing how to breathe effectively. It turns out that deep, controlled breaths are lovely. When Kirstin says to picture the breath filling you up from the bottom of the belly upwards, it can make you realise just how shallow your breathing is normally. Also, our breathing style affects so much: not just the ability to dig deep in ‘The Hundreds’ exercise in Pilates or a run up a tricky hill, but also for a general feeling of calm, awareness and grounding too.
2. You can't be a ‘Pilates Pro’ immediately. I love learning new things but I'll be really honest. Up until recently, I have ideally wanted to try something once and be at Olympic Gold Medallist standard within the first 20-25 minutes. It turns out, even a bronze medal might be slightly unrealistic at the start. In my first class, I tensed every muscle in my body and grimaced like a weightlifter (my neck especially - in the mirror it truly seemed to grow at least a foot). Kirstin kindly and gently told me to bring my elongated neck in, pop my bulging eyes back into my head and to a) stop trying so hard and b) to enjoy the PROCESS and not worry so much about the destination, or being 'good' at it. Both points have stuck with me. In classes going forward, I'm looking forwards to soaking everything up and enjoy learning from Kirstin and Antoinette. It's important to accept that I'm going to be a beginner for a good while, and that’s exciting. Plus... what's the fun if you're brilliant at something straight away? Its good to have goals and enjoy seeing progress, however small it may be!
3. It's all about that lift. After every class Kirstin has told me to imagine that she's stalking me afterwards, reminding me to stay lifted. I now seem to take the red-haired powerhouse with me everywhere, internally lifting whenever I can. It might be on a run, whilst driving, sat at my computer desk, or walking around the supermarket browsing the cake aisle. I've gained an awareness of my core, posture and an overall 'tune-in' to my whole body. This awareness has brought to light the key areas that I hope to develop and work on. I didn't realise I was so right-side dominant for example, or that my quads did so much work whilst my hamstrings and core just sat happily watching. Not any more! My hamstrings have woken up and my legs have never been so wobbly and worked, especially after that tree exercise on the reformer...
To summarise, in my first month of classes I've learnt that pilates is GREAT. Hard work, but really great. After every class I've felt about a foot taller. My body has felt less tight, and I've genuinely had a real buzz from it. How I wish I'd found it sooner! Joseph Pilates (and your small pants)... thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to learn here with this fantastic team. I cannot thank Kirstin, the girls and all clients enough for making me feel so welcome in my first month. See you all soon in the studio.... to be continued!
Until next time,
Sophie x