It’s clearly that time of year—everyone’s making their New Year’s resolutions and setting goals. While we don’t like the cycle so many people fall into of making resolutions, sticking to them for a few weeks and then bowing out by February or March, we do like the idea of setting realistic goals that move you towards the pursuit of excellence. When it comes to your health and fitness, Pilates classes are a great place to start.
The structure of resolutions can be very helpful, so if you want to avoid a sedentary lifestyle, here are some great ideas for applying resolutions to your Pilates practice, whether you do your workouts at home, in the gym or at our Pilates Studio in the South Bay.
Commit yourself. This may seem like a simple goal, but it’s actually the most difficult. Don’t just resolve to attend Pilates classes regularly—take it a step further. Commit to taking a consistent approach to your practice, trying different Mat classes and reformer workouts, taking some private sessions, and challenging yourself regularly. Get Joseph Pilates’ book, Return to Life Through Contrology, and really learn and incorporate the principles of Pilates.
Take your practice to another level. If you want to change your body, then you need to constantly be challenging yourself and confusing your muscles. While all a beginner has to do is start taking classes or maybe mix in some reformer workouts with Mat classes, those who have practiced for longer need to strive to make your workouts interesting and different. Go deeper—think hard about how you want to advance and what moves you would like to conquer this year.
Invest in some equipment. If you’re already practicing at the gym or at our Pilates Studio in the South Bay, now could be the time to purchase some equipment for at-home use, so that you can get even more Pilates in your life and advance more quickly. Lucky for us, Pilates doesn’t require much to add variety. Beyond your mat, look at some equipment that will be easy to use at home. Some great choices are the Magic Circle, resistance bands or stability ball.