The doctors recommended I start doing pilates to strengthen my bones. Does anyone else do this?

I haven't gone yet, but will be going with a friend soon. Would also love to hear if others go. Am curious of how it would be for my FM muscles.

I actually have my own machine--the Pilates Premier XP. I love it! I got it about 2 years ago. It's a good workout--but you don't sweat, just work on the muscles in a gentle way. I find it helps my posture, and keeps me toned. The workout I do takes about 20 minutes. I have a cardio-board, also, that I use if I can--meaning if I feel up to it.

I haven't been yet either, but I've found a class that I'm going to join after I have my baby. Everybody says it's a great way to get your stomach muscles back in shape after having a baby. I hope so! I'm ready to have a waist again!

I have started Pilates and I LOVE it. Since I haven't had the energy to exercise in a long time, I have really shied away from stuff like aerobics(sp?). Brain fog and sore joints don't go along with the super fast pace in those classes. Pilates is non-impact so I don't hurt during, just feel the 'burn' after. The studio I go to is small with a max of 10 for a mat class. The instructor is able to help everyone with form so you don't get lost or hurt. In just 5 weeks, I can feel a difference in my ability.

I even found a wheat-free buddy in class. Small world!!

I hope you can find a studio you like.

I tried this last year about this time. I am not coordinated enough to breath and make your muscles move the way they want you to. I spent more time laughing at myself then getting a workout. Although, laughing is good for you too!!!

Good luck! I hope you get an instructor that can help you figure out how to do it all at the same time. Everyone else that I have talked with loves it. I just don't get it. I'll stick with walking. One foot in front of the other!!

I do and love it! That and Ta chi and yoga as well. If you have comast, in the on demand section they offer many workouts for Pilates. You can do them every day and never do the same routine in the month.

I've did pilates in college. I got a balance ball a couple of months ago. Now I'm doing pilates on the balls & I'm having a great time!

Wow thanks guys!! This made me pretty psyched to try it. I'm definately a tad bit concerned about the coordination thing but I think if I stick with it I'll get into a groove where I wouldn't be the biggest spaz in the room. Although the idea of doing it at home is very appealing, I know myself better than that. I am far to lazy. I'd be more motivated going to a class.

I love pilates -- I used to do a mat class and had a few sessions on the reformer -- now I do a lot of the exercises at home on the balance ball. It's made all the other physical stuff I do "make sense" -- having a strong core makes hiking 20 miles a day with a 32 pound backpack feel like a total breeze, I can do all those flow-through moves in Ashtanga yoga class that I always thought only 2 hour/day dedicated yoginis could do. I never have backaches anymore and my posture is great!

I have no coordination either. If it is a good instructor, they will go slow enough for you to get the hang of it before upping the pace. I am WAY out of shape and enjoying this immensly.

Off to the Reformer now!!

I do yoga, which is similar in some ways. I quite enjoy it, and anything that's weight bearing is good for the body.

Pilates is absolutely the BEST non-aerobic workout!

If you're worried about looking like a klutz, pick up a DVD and try it at home first. You can get them for $10 to $15 at Target or someplace.

Classes are nice though, if you have a decent instructor who's willing to help you get the breathing down. I think that's the toughest part.

I do yoga, going on my 3rd year now, and I absolutely love it. I would like to incorporate pilates in maybe 1 or 2 times a week for variety.

I have been a lifetime exerciser, running, walking, swimming, and weights at one time or another, but nothing has transformed my body and my life the way yoga has. Weight lifting made me bulky and never really toned me up, and running, walking, and swimming never really gave me any results (except for bad knees, a sunburn, and swimmer's ear and green hair!). I think my health issues had something to do with that, severe allergies-> hormone imbalances->blood sugar issues to name a few, that made it difficult to build muscle and burn fat. I was so skeptical that something like yoga or pilates could be so powerful, I would hear everyone talking about it, or read an article or see something on tv, and it was just really hard to believe. But I tried it and found it to be true and I am thrilled to have found something that works for me. There's something about the mind/body connection that is amazing, I feel an inner strength as well as a physical strength, and my muscles are toning from the inside out.

My mom, in her early 60s, tried yoga but found it difficult to do some of the basic poses with her knee and wrist injuries so she does pilates instead. She really enjoys it, she started out slowly and is going at her own pace. Her instructors have been great, really paying attention to the fact that she is a beginner and that she has injuries and needs modifications.

I started Pilates about 3 weeks ago (twice a week) I love it. It is a very good workout and still can't hang with the rest of the class but I keep going at my own pace.

I also have done pilates and yoga - I love them both! It does take time to get the breathing and moving coordination down, but even I (a huge klutz) have managed it!! The nice thing about both of these is that they are designed for people to go at their own pace and physical ability level. I also own my own exercise ball and I would say you can't beat the ab workout you can get on one of those!!

I would say it's very important to have an instructor that keeps talking you through the movement/breathing thing throughout the whole class (at least as first), my sister in law and I tried a class with an instructor who mentioned it only once at the beginning of the class and that was it, she was lost since she had never done it before and ended up never going back


Good luck!

I'm doing yoga teacher training (the first of many!) next week! :-)

I wish I could do pilates. My mother and I have never laughed so hard in our lives. I decided I would try to do it watching my mothers pilates tape. Well, I have a fixed scoliosis. I have no movement from my neck down to my hips cause I have pins holding me up straight. It was quite funny!!

Ouch!

I do the floor workout, love it also started using a glider about 4 years ago, great non- impact workout, then 4 days a week weight training

When I did pilates for the first time I signed up with a private trainer for five session to get the hang of the breathing and reformer. After that going into the classes was a breeze... well except for the exercise part! ha! It was great fun... but I had to quit after about a month because my back couldn't take it any longer. I have an old injury that kept becoming agitated by it. I think if I had had better core strength at the time I would've been better off and it would've actually helped.

I've been in Pilates for 6 weeks now and I love it! My gluteous maximus (butt) is firmer, my back muscles are less tender and problematic and it is easy to do. I am stronger than I have ever been! My class is one on one.
Wendy

OMG...I LOVE Pilates...I totally recomend Winsor Pilates! There are other pilates videos and DVD's out there (and I've tried them) but I think Winsor Pilates does a really good job. I do the 20 minute work out every day and its perfect! Check out www.winsorpilates.com, I have the Basic 3 DVD Workout set, including the Accelerated body sculpting. Yeah...I really like it and its worth the money if you use it faithfully...good luck!

ok im the newbie on this one, i want to start yoga or pilates, whats the big differance...im not sure which one to do??

there's quite a difference, and I haven't done pilates, so couldn't give a discription of the difference justice. I'd recommend yoga, but I just completed a week long teacher-training course that involved three hours of practice a day and three hours of discussion a day, and that was a very preliminary teacher training course, so I'm a bit biased. ;-)

Wendy--
I am looking at one on one classes right now. Wish I could get a friend to go in with me--huge price cut! Anywho, are you using the machines then?? I would love to do that--think it would be great for my fibromyalgia..even better than the mat class.

Hi Moongirl, from what I understand pilates has been around since around 1915 and is a specific method of physical movement designed to stretch, strengthen, elongate, and align the body, used in sports training as well as physical rehabilitation- so it's good stuff. Yoga, on the other hand, has been around for thousands of years and involves a physical piece (like pilates) with specific postures combined with a mind and breath awareness- so there is a connection between mind, body, and breath through movement. It moves energy as well as emotion that is blocked within the body so there is a physical as well as emotional transformation. If that makes sense?

I personally love yoga and it works for me, I love the challenge of it and I like the feeling of well being it gives me. The only pilates I have tried was Winsor pilates and I just didn't take to it like I did yoga. My mom tried both yoga and pilates but she preferred pilates. She has some knee, hip, and wrist injuries and found it difficult to do some of the foundation poses in yoga such as downward dog and child's pose (this is not to say you can't do yoga if you have injuries it just didn't feel right to her) so she made her choice accordingly.

I would suggest maybe you try both to see what suits you best.

Pilates is awesome! I was introduced to pilates by my figure skating coach and have been addicted ever since! Not only does it make you feel stronger, you feel more balanced relaxed and healthy! And I haven't met any1 who hasn't seen results yet!
Mandy

I do Pilates. It is a good way to relax too

Yep... I started pilates several years ago and it helps my body feel at its best. I actually started teaching it which led me to create a web-page dedicated to it. See my profile for more info!

Cheers to you all feeling your best, Always!

I love Pilates and Yoga too and take one class a week and see results, but i think to see huge improvements you need to step it up to 2-3 times a week. I hear the pilates machine is good