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What is Pilates? And WHY YOU SHOULD BE DOING PILATES

  • Author: Lesley Logan
  • June 18, 2023
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surprising benefits of Pilates. why you should be doing pilates online pilates classes

How much Pilates changed my life

Hi, I’m Lesley Logan and I want to tell you how much Pilates changed my life. It made me taller, and stronger, it improved my flexibility in ways that balanced my strength and made sure I had zero injuries as a runner. And at the end of this video, you might just thank me because Pilates could change your life too.

Welcome to OnlinePilatesClasses.com™, the most supportive Pilates-loving community across the globe. Enjoy new weekly classes from our amazing teachers. Download the OnlinePlilatesClasses.com™ app today.

Benefits that you can have when you start Pilates

Hey there, Lesley Logan, here, founder of OnlinePilatesClasses.com™. And let me just tell you, I went to my first Pilates class back in 2005. And I thought no way is it what all the hype is about. Well, I was wrong. In fact, it was so much more than what the hype was about. And I left feeling taller and stronger after one class. But then after this many years of doing Pilates, what I’ve seen is incredible. It is backed by science. And I have seen it happen not just in my practice, but in all the people who’ve come through OnlinePilatesClasses.com™. And so I’m gonna go into all the benefits that you can have when you start Pilates.

So let’s talk about those physical benefits. First, cognitive function, that’s gonna be incredibly awesome for you. Then, we also are going to have improved posture. Why? Because we have a stronger core and your core is not just the muscles in the front, it’s the muscle on your shoulders, your front, your back, and your hips. A reduction of injuries. But also, if you have an injury, Pilates can be a rehabilitative practice for you. You’ll have a reduction in back pain, and reduced menstrual pain. You also will see that you’re going to have much more flexibility, and a balance of your imbalances, which means you’re going to see improvement in the sports that you do, the other workouts that you do. For more information about the truth about Pilates, make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel, because we’re gonna have a video for that.

Let’s talk about those mental benefits. So first of all, a reduction of anxiety and decrease in stress, you’re also going to have this mental focus boost, you’ll have a mood boost, you’re gonna have increased motivation. And it’s very intellectually challenging. If you’re wanting to feel these benefits right now make sure you check out our full-length workouts here on the channel.

How Pilates is a movement for life

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Alright, so let’s talk about how Pilates is a movement for life. At OPC, we believe Pilates helps you do life better. And it does this because it’s never Pilates versus. So, it’s not like you have to supplement Pilates for something you already love. In fact, it’s a Pilates AND. So if you’re a runner, notice how Pilates will actually improve your speed but also decrease your strain on your muscles, your joints and injuries. Right? If you’re a weight trainer, a yogi, if there’s already a fitness modality you love, Pilates is actually just going to improve what you’re doing there. Why? Because it balances your imbalances. Right, it actually takes those muscles that you overwork, and it works with the ones that you underwork. And then you actually have this nice overall balance in your entire body. Pilates is also a way that helps you really connect your mind to your body. Oftentimes, we’re walking around thinking our thoughts or feeling our pains in our body. But we actually get to put the two together in a workout. Because when you’re doing Pilates, you actually cannot think about anything else that’s going on in your life. You can only focus on what’s moving where, where am I feeling this.

A community that helps you prioritize yourself first

But to get all of these things we’ve talked about today, you really need to have a community, you need to have some help and support that helps you prioritize yourself first. Let’s be honest, it can be really hard to do that with everything going on in your life. And what we pride ourselves in over at OPC is our community because our community helps you show up even when you don’t want to. It reminds you why you are there. And we help our community out by supporting you with new classes every single week as members. We take the old ones away, which means we help hold you accountable to showing up and taking that class as many times as you can. We also believe that finishing is optional. So if you only have 15 minutes, take 15 minutes of the class we have, and then celebrate what you did do.

Pilates meets you where you are

At OPC, we make sure that Pilates meets you where you are, no matter what level you’re at, we actually can help you replace any exercises that you’re not able to do yet with ones that you can do. And we also have classes on the Reformer, the Wunda chair, the Tower or Cadillac. So make sure you check out How OPC works here. So feel free to enjoy our full-length workouts here on the YouTube channel. But for our OPC members, you get new classes every single week. And you can share your questions your a-ha moments, the connections you made in our members-only group, and you can get feedback on your form. And every single month, when we offer the live workout, you could join us and hang out with us and we can connect all together there.

If you think that OPC and our amazing community can support your practice, well, we hope you join us. If you have any questions make sure you join my YouTube Live every Sunday at 9am Pacific Time. It’s one hour after we drop new videos for you each week here on this YouTube channel. So make sure you subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss anything from us.

I’m so excited to meet you Pilates has changed my life and I can’t wait for it to change yours too. I’m here for you. I answer all of my comments. You can leave them below and I’ll see you on the next one.

By Lesley Logan

Lesley Logan, a 2nd generation certified Pilates teacher, breathwork, habits and mindset coach, is the founder of OnlinePilatesClasses.com, the first free online catalogue of Pilates exercise tutorials, where you can also find weekly Pilates classes and workshops. Teaching Pilates since 2008, she has run multiple studios, has trained hundreds of people to become teachers themselves and has taught thousands of students around the world. When not teaching from her studio in Las Vegas, Lesley she’s hosting her podcast Be It Till You See it or traveling the world leading Pilates retreats. Connect with Lesley on Instagram @lesley.logan or through the contact page on this site.

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Enjoying Lesley's teaching style? Willing to travel? Explore the world while maintaining your practice by joining Lesley on a Pilates retreat.

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SSSSNAKE & TWIST

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

On the reformer, there’s an exercise called Snake, and another exercise called Snake & Twist. We’ll build our connections throughout our practice to those 2 exercises. You’ll see how many exercises in your practice are already preparing you for those exercises, or maybe what’s missing that you need.

On the mat, we’ll build up to the Side Bend exercise, and add some variations that are like the Snake exercise on the reformer, or the Snake & Twist exercise on the reformer.

See you in class,
Christine

MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, foam roller for one exercise variation, so if you don’t have a foam roller, no worries. Repeat the Side Bend exercise, or any variation, or any exercise we’ve already practiced and a mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.


STRETCH THE BODY'S TENDON

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

An exercise many are ready for but gets a little scary to do is the Tendon Stretch on the Reformer. Mat lovers I got you!! Its your Open Leg Rocker, Double Straight leg stretch and something special I've got for you!!!

No matter which class you take we are going to explore how we stretch from our heels to the crown of our head, our body's tendon! We'll also cover where to look in exercises

No props needed.

See you in class,
xx-LL

IT FEELS GOOD

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

My teacher Jay will often say to me or others who study with him "I can feel how good that feels." Meaning, even though he's in a chair, on zoom and for the most part not doing some of the exercises we are doing anymore the way we are doing the exercises looks like it feels freaking awesome. And so this week I want us to focus less on perfection and more on are we enjoying our practice so much that someone else would want to join us. AKA its our q3 check in!

Grab your pen and paper so that after class you can write down what feels good. And what isn't (yet) and then share it with me in our group so we can be inspired to create classes to support your practice where it is.

Props needed on the Mat and Reformer are personal preference.

See ya in class,
xx-LL

MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.


SSSSNAKE & TWIST

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

On the reformer, there’s an exercise called Snake, and another exercise called Snake & Twist. We’ll build our connections throughout our practice to those 2 exercises. You’ll see how many exercises in your practice are already preparing you for those exercises, or maybe what’s missing that you need.

On the mat, we’ll build up to the Side Bend exercise, and add some variations that are like the Snake exercise on the reformer, or the Snake & Twist exercise on the reformer.

Mat Prop: Foam roller for one exercise variation, so if you don’t have a foam roller, no worries. Repeat the Side Bend exercise, or any variation, or any exercise we’ve already practiced.
Reformer: no props

See you in class,
Christine

STRETCH THE BODY'S TENDON

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

An exercise many are ready for but gets a little scary to do is the Tendon Stretch on the Reformer. Mat lovers I got you!! Its your Open Leg Rocker, Double Straight leg stretch and something special I've got for you!!!

No matter which class you take we are going to explore how we stretch from our heels to the crown of our head, our body's tendon! We'll also cover where to look in exercises

See ya in class,
xx-LL

MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.


WRISTS, HANDS, FINGERS, NOW WHAT?

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

It’s so interesting how what we do with our fingers can make an exercise feel different! In this week’s workouts, we’ll play with the placement of our wrists hands and fingers to feel how the placement changes the connections we get to our upper back and ultimately or center.

Props: Pole

See you in class,
Megan

BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE, BEETLEJUICE

Online Mat, Reformer, Tower/Cadillac & Wunda Chair Pilates Class Descriptions:

“It’s showtime!”

We’ll do 3 reps of each exercise and then banish it from the rest of the workout…UNLESS one of your teachers shouts out “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice” - if this happens, they might bring back one of the exercises you’ve already done!!! Let’s hope it’s one you love and not one you were hoping would stay banished!

No props needed.

See ya in class,
xx-LL

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL

ONLINE MAT, REFORMER, TOWER/CADILLAC & WUNDA CHAIR PILATES CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

Rolling Exercises are all over our Pilates practice! And from different positions! Sometimes we’re lying on our backs, standing or sitting. No matter what position we’re in, or what equipment we’re using, being able to roll through some or all of the spine helps us with flexibility, balance, and posture.

Props needed:
Mat: squishy ball or bolster and dowel
Reformer: pole, ball and grip pad
Tower: none
Chair: none

See ya in class,
xx-LL

SUCH A TEASE

ONLINE MAT & REFORMER PILATES CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

Teaser is probably one of the most photographed exercises in Pilates. Which makes people think it's a "peak pose." But, it's anything but! It's simply another layer to your Pilates practice. This week we will acknowledge how each exercise contributes to your ability to do Teaser (someday) and then how Teaser teaches you where to get curious in your practice.

On the Mat we will use light weights for one round of Teaser as they can be helpful for those still adding into their practice.
No props on the Reformer.

See you in class,

xx~LL

MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, light weights and a Mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a Reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

FALL BETTER

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

My goal in teaching Pilates is to help you fall better! And, also so you can use a bathroom anywhere in the world. The truth is you're gonna trip. You are going to miss a step. But, we can train our body to respond to these instances and skip the fall altogether. Or, if we do fall land better!

No props needed.

See ya in class,
xx-LL

MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.


1, 2, BUCKLE MY SHOE

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

Do you remember this nursery rhyme?

Well, by the time we do
buckle shoes - HIPS & REACHING
shut doors - ROTATIONS, PUSH & PULL
pick up sticks - STRENGTH & STRETCH,
lay ‘em straight - ALIGNMENT
… then start all over again - HA! We’re doing Pilates!
And that’ll be our focus as we apply this kids’ rhyme to our Mat and Reformer classes.

Please have a resistance loop. (A tied Theraband or leggings work great, too)

Extra points if you sing along!

See you in class,
Tami

UP, UP, & AWAY

ONLINE MAT, REFORMER, CADILLAC & WUNDA CHAIR PILATES CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

We are all going to feel like Super Humans after this month!!

Whenever I’m in a hard exercise (for me) where I’m holding myself up with my arms and reaching my legs away I picture myself with super human strength!!! I can do ANYTHING! It makes me smile and helps me stay STRONG.

This month our exercise is Up Stretch and when you think about it - reaching your legs away and staying strong over the carriage may feel a lot like flying!

We’ll be focusing on stabilizing our strong cores while staying equally balanced in our arms and legs. We are giving you some amazing building blocks by merging strength and stretch in all directions. You are going to get a little bit of everything that you can use to connect to your Up Stretch (and even your Roll Up and Knee Stretches Off).

Chair: Please have a foam roller and a balance pad available. We are going to challenge your balance safely.

xx-LL