Frequently Asked Questions

Classical Pilates

closely mirrors Joseph Pilates’ original exercises and the order in which they were performed. Classical Pilates will generally teach abdominal exercises in a posterior tilt meaning that, when laying on your back, your lower spine is completely pressed into the floor, creating a tuck in the pelvis.

Contemporary Pilates

is also based on the work of Joseph Pilates but has been modernized due to heavy influence from physical therapy and biomechanics. Contemporary Pilates integrates a mix of traditional Pilates exercises combined with new exercises or variations that allow for injury rehabilitation and instructor creativity. Contemporary Pilates will generally teach exercises in a neutral pelvis meaning that when laying on your back, your lower spine will have some space between the back and the floor, and the hip points and the pubic bone will all be in one plane. At Form Body Lab, we teach Contemporary Pilates.

ENDURANCE

Pilates builds endurance, both physical and mental, requiring your concentration through the completion of each Pilates repetition and sequence. While initially you may have to take breaks between exercises, the goal is to eventually build enough focus and endurance to practice Pilates sequences without breaks, like a choreographed piece of movement.

MUSCLE SHAPE & TONE

Pilates uses your body weight and the springs on Pilates equipment as resistance for shaping your muscles, but it trains every part of your body evenly—front, back, and sides. Pilates helps you develop visible muscle definition and tone and with regular practice, you will truly see your body evolve.

FLEXIBILITY

While we all want to achieve a strong, fit body, it’s important to strike a balance between strength and flexibility. When your muscles are tight, mobility is hindered leading to tension, aches, and pain. Flexibility ensures a greater range of movement in your joints, and will in turn keep your joints healthy longer. Pilates makes use of dynamic, rather than static, stretching warming up the muscles so that they respond more effectively, increasing range of movement and improving your flexibility.

ALIGNMENT

When your body is out of proper alignment, it places a great strain on your muscles, ligaments, and joints, resulting in aches and pains and reduced physical activity. Pilates gives you the opportunity to correct your misalignments, allowing your muscles to be held without tension at their ideal length and to work efficiently. Proper alignment reduces the daily impact of gravity on your spine and joints, lessens the risk of strain and injury and improves your posture and the way you carry yourself.

STRENGTH

Pilates is a wonderful body conditioning practice that builds strength from the inside out, targeting each muscle group with a mix of dynamic and static strength training. Strength leads to greater health, increasing your metabolism, reducing the risk of injury, lowering blood pressure and reducing cholesterol levels.

STRESS RELIEF

Frequent exercise is one of the best remedies to manage stress and its affects on your physical and mental well-being. Pilates focuses on a deep, mindful pattern of breathing leading to the relaxation of tense muscles, the release of endorphins and encouraging the body and mind to feel more relaxed and positive.

REFORMER

The Pilates reformer is the most popular piece of Pilates equipment. The reformer is a flat bed that slides back and forth, with resistance that can be adjusted by adding or removing springs.

CADILLAC

The cadillac is a long table with bars attached to either side and over the top, and springs that attach to the bars. Though the cadillac looks intimidating, many therapeutic exercises are performed on this piece of equipment.

CHAIR

The chair is a small versatile piece of equipment often used for prenatal Pilates as well as other challenging sequences.

BARREL

This apparatus is primarily used for stretching, although it is also great for abdominal work.

Yoga is a spiritual-based movement practice that uses breathing, meditation, chanting, stretching and careful control of the body by focusing the mind to achieve an enhanced state of consciousness.

Pilates is a movement and science-based practice that also uses breathing, stretching and careful control of the body by focusing the mind while also focusing on abdominal strengthening and the functional use of the muscles and joints. Pilates uses the ideas of stability and mobility to help practitioners build a biomechanically strong, fit body.