Every Pilates studio, gym, spa, and gym has its own classes and workout programs. If you’re on a budget, it’s a good idea to join a group class. This is a great and relatively inexpensive place for beginners to get started and have fun. Using standing, sitting, and lying positions, the instructor guides students through various stretches and movements.
Ideally, group mat Pilates classes have a manageable student-teacher ratio, no more than fifteen students per teacher, so that the instructor can monitor each individual’s form and progress. Separate classes are held for beginner, intermediate and advanced students.
With the advent of smaller and less expensive Allegro equipment, more and more fitness clubs are adding Reformer group classes to their program. Ideally, each participant should have some experience with a Reformer before joining a group class.
Students work in unison through a Reformer choreography sequence at the appropriate level, with the Pilates instructor monitoring safe and proper form.
The most effective way to learn, practice, and perfect Pilates performance is to have a personal training session, in which the instructor devotes full attention to the student’s specific needs. These sessions usually begin with a warm up on the mat, but a variety of Pilates equipment can also be explored.
The club and studios have Pilates classes based on specific props like the balance ball, resistance band, or Pilates circle/ring. A small accessory can add variety and challenge to a group mat class and expands the programming possibilities for an installation.
Some clubs and studios offer Pilates classes designed for those who play golf, tennis, or swimmers in the summer, while programs for skaters and skiers are popular in the winter.
Studios and clubs also offer a combination of yoga and Pilates such as “”Yogalates”” or “”Piloga””. Similarly, cycling and Pilates are combined for a unique hybrid program “”Cyclates””.