Trying to find some balance in the pilates studio

Since last year I've wanted to take pilates. Last summer for my birthday my parents actually gave me a gift certificate to do some pilates lessons with a trainer at Snap Fitness, the gym where I work out. But I ended up using it for the first of many boot camp sessions and since I liked the boot camp, I stuck with that.

The trainer I work with opened a yoga and pilates studio a few months ago and I had been meaning to check out one of the classes at her place, Invoke Yoga and Pilates Studio, in Gilroy. The classes are $15 each for drop in, or $130 for 10 prepaid classes. But I still didn't manage to stop by to try out either the yoga or pilates classes. So I had it in my head that I should make it a New Year's resolution to at least try one of the classes out (Resolution No. 1.)

Then around the holidays my trainer offered me a free session on the reformer, the machine that was originally adapted by Joseph Pilates to help WWII soldiers recuperate from injuries. And then the same week, my company offered employees a choice of membership at several local gyms or fitness centers as our annual Christmas gift. Invoke Yoga and Pilates was one of the options to take a class once a week for a year. It seemed like I had no excuses left.

So last Thursday I made a point to stop for the pilates class at 6 p.m., to be followed by a one-on-one hour session on the reformer with my trainer. I wasn't sure what to expect of the class, but I dressed in my regular gym clothes and brought a bottle of water. The yoga mats were provided and there was only one other person there for class which made it less stressful for a first session. For class, we did a variety of stretches and exercises from a standing position and lying down on the mat. The only equipment we needed was the mat and some rubber bands to add resistance to some of the movements. Some of the exercises were familiar from my boot camp class, since it is with the same trainer. I had no problems with the ab work or the arm work, though I was surprised at how much some of the simple movements could make my muscles tired without lifting any muscles, just due to the number of repetitions.

My biggest challenge in the class were some of the balance exercises. I am not very coordinated and I am not very good at anything that requires balance. So when the trainer had us get into downward facing dog pose, I was fine - until she asked us to lift one foot off the ground and then one arm ... It was about then that I started to topple over. There was one other pose with arms out and one leg lifted that was also tough for me. But I am confident if I keep going to the class every Thursday, I will see the same improvements I've seen in the exercises I do regularly in boot camp. And perhaps the best thing about pilates is that the slow, controlled movements are much more relaxing than the high-energy boot camp. It's a nice way to workout in the late evening.

So after my classmate departed, the trainer pulled out the reformer. The machine has a bench that slides back and forth, as well as some straps that can be wrapped around the feet or hands. Underneath the bench are different springs that can be adjusted to increase the resistance. It's kind of hard to describe, but this video shows some examples of exercises that can be done. I went throw several sets of exercises for legs, arms and the core. The best thing about the reformer was the ability to get some really good stretches that are nearly impossible to get on my own. It did feel a little weird doing some of the exercises because I was not quite sure how the machine would move, even though the trainer demonstrated each exercise for me. Overall, the two hours left me exhausted, but I wasn't really too sore the next day. I did have a little bit of a dull ache in most of my muscles the next day, the sign of a good work out.

The trainer offers one-on-one sessions with the reformer but for now I am going to stick with the class. I can't wait to go to class again this Thursday.