loopyloulaura

To help with wellbeing and to give us some colleague team building, our school has signed up for Pilates.

I was a bit unsure about joining as my only experience of Pilates was via an app on my phone which left me with backache so I gave up within a week.

Now 5 weeks in with our qualified instructor and I am LOVING it!

Yes, my muscles ache but I want more 🙂 Even though it is once a week I think I am a little more toned and working muscles I never knew I had.

I have never been to any type of exercise class before and the first couple of weeks were online so I could try it out without embarrassment! Our instructor is very knowledgeable and helps to differentiate exercises so that we can make them as easy or hard as we’d like. She also offers tips and advice so that we can get the most out of each exercise.

Each session begins with mobilising our joints to warm up so that we can move more freely. We then proceed to a range of exercises which focus on balance, mobility and strength, increasing in intensity over the hour. The end of the session comprises of gentle stretches.

The real revelation for me is in the use of equipment. A small ball is used for focus and to put us off balance so our muscles work hard to stabilise and support us. Resistance bands make the exercises more intense. I found that the ball in the small of my back to support me really helped and hope to try again with the app.

As a team building experience, Pilates is also great as we giggle at our own efforts and then chat in the staffroom about our core strength (or lack of it!) 🙂

Have you ever tried Pilates?