Pilates for special body types - HONEST TRUTHS.

(Personal opinions from a certified instructor!)

Apart from being a ✨pilates princess✨ because its trendy, true pilates is actually not about instagrammable hanging photos, working up a sweat, or even just putting on a cute outfit for class.

Nothing against that truly, but sometimes I find the trend has diluted the actual essence and purpose of pilates. And the popping up of studios with the word “pilates” while teaching nothing close to pilates (just using the same equipment to work out) really does the reputation of pilates no favours.

Pilates is about mobility, mind-body awareness, and occasionally really helpful for postural changes and special body types.

Personally, I got into pilates because at the age of 16, I underwent spinal fusion surgery, fixing around 50% of my spine together. This caused a lot of strain on the spinal sections above and below the fusion and a lot of exercises catered to the mass body type wasn’t working out for me.

Anyway! If you’re in the small majority of people that:

- Have spinal fusion

- Scoliosis

- Long-term injury

- Special body types

Here’s what I think you should do if you’re interested in pilates - from my own personal opinion as a STOTT certified instructor.

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✨Group or Private?

If it’s within your budget, I would recommend that you START with private classes instead of group. Why? It helps you understand the essence of the main exercises, learn how to modify for your own body type, and check which are limitations to respect and which are boundaries your body can push.

Why group classes may not be good is because some exercises may really be harmful for your body if you force yourself past physical limitations. On top of that you may not be getting the true value and worth for your money as the main postural improvements and sculpting of muscles might not work as well for your body type.

There’s a lot I can say about this but feel free to DM me to ask!

✨Find a CERTIFIED instructor.

No shade to any studio in specific but being in the industry for these few years, the demand for instructors are high, but the criteria has been falling.

Without saying too much, let me put it this way: there are many instructors that take courses, but few of them are actually certified.

Why does a certification matter?

Certified pilates instructor as they are trained in functional anatomy, have to study for rigourous exams that actually TEST that knowledge and put it to use. We learn how to do postural analysis that allows is to program classes for specific muscles and have a good understanding of the body.

That’s one of many reasons.

✨What studios?

You must always do your research! i see soooo many reviews rating studios based on their aesthetics, their facilities, and other things. I would say those really are…secondary.

Research on the instructors they have, the equipment they provide, and the qualifications!

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Alright that’s all I have to share for this time!

Feel free to ask any questions you may have related to pilates! I may address it in another post 🥰