Your Guide to Beginner Pilates in Bramhall: 3 Essential Exercises

Are you looking for a pilates class suitable for beginners in Bramhall but don’t know what to expect? Here’s a guide to get you started along with 3 exercises I consider ideal for those new to pilates.

Why Pilates? Pilates is a fantastic exercise system to help you increase strength, mobility and flexibility. It can be modified for all fitness levels including those who are beginners and it can be adapted to suit your individual needs. My clients tell me they feel great after a class and understand better how to do things like lift something heavy off the floor or mobilise their lower back if they’ve been sitting or standing for a long time.

Top Tips for Beginner Pilates

Slow And Steady Wins The Race:

You need to understand the basics before you progress to more challenging exercises. Is your form okay? Are you using abdominal muscles? Are you breathing correctly?  

Fabulous Form:

Is your teacher helping you get the most from it? Form and technique are essential to help reduce the risk of injury.

Breathe:

The key thing is to exhale on the hardest part of the exercise, the greatest point of exertion.

Listen to Your Body:

You should not be in pain during or after a pilates class. Listen to your body, report back to your teacher and let them modify exercises for you.

Three Essential Pilates Exercises for Beginners

Here are three beginner-friendly Pilates exercises to get you started. You'll see these in most beginner classes I teach in Bramhall.

Knee Drop

What's It Good For? Great if you have lower back pain; hip, knee or sacroiliac joint issues. How to Do It: Lie on your back with your knees bent and legs together, arms slightly out to the sides. Keep one knee still (imagine you have a glass of champagne on it) as you lower the other knee towards the floor. Keep the pelvis still so the hip and lower back don't move. Repeat on the opposite side. Build up to 8 reps on each side with good technique.

Squat

What's It Good For? To help with lifting technique, lower body strength and core stability

How to Do It: Feet around hip distance. Sit back as if you're sitting into a chair. Keep back in 'neutral'. Knees in line with the centre of the feet. Keep weight even between feet. Build up to 12 reps.

All 4s

What's It Good For? Core, shoulder and pelvic stability. Upper body bone loading.

How to Do It: Start with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Back should be in neutral. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed through hands and knees. Slide one leg back whilst remaining in neutral with the back then switch to the opposite leg. Build up to 12 reps in total.

I'd love for you to try one of my classes. Contact me if you'd like to try a complimentary class and have a look at my Bramhall Pilates timetable