Pilates: Shake it Off?

Pilates only has one form in my mind, and anything other than that mental picture cannot compare. Let me take you to a video that makes me laugh and leaves me in awe EVERY SINGLE TIME. Please take moment and watch, headphones are not optional, in fact they are completely required for this video.

So I am going to give you a second to recover from this gem hidden in the internet. Pretty neat, huh?Now I realize rewatching this video that it is not pilates, but actually aerobics. Somehow though, maybe its the leg warmers or the strange outfits, this was the image of pilates in my mind. So when I walked into pilates class I had a big surprise when all we did was lay on the floor.

The class begins by grabbing yoga mats from the back and taking off your shoes. Pro tip: put the foam ab work pads under your yoga mat for extra cushion. It feels so much better than the one millimeter thick yoga mat on top of the hard wood floor. You will thank me later! ;)

After that you go through movements similar to yoga with downward dog and cat/cow. (Flashback animal blog...am I right?) After taking one yoga class at the beginning of the semester, I am basically a pro but even if you are not as experienced as I am (jkjk) the instructor will walk the class through it.

Credit

After a yoga type start, the class transitions to abs. We did a lot of the run of the mill ab exercises like crunches but then we started something I had never seen before. Windshield wipers. (Yes, I have seen windshield wipers on a car, but I'm talking about pilates people.) I have long been kept up at night wondering how a part of a car and pilates could come together, but after this I finally knew the answer. It is an ab workout in which your legs are extended and you move them from left to right. Don't be fooled, I suddenly learned how heavy my legs are. It felt like I had bricks attached to  them after just one windshield wiper. Needless to say, my car would not have functional windshield wipers if it were up to my legs.

After abs we moved on to movements that strengthen hip and butt muscles. Not going to lie, those windshield wipers kind of wore me out so this portion of the class was a struggle bus. For some perspective, I was sitting front seat on Struggle Bus Pilates.

Peep me on the struggle bus. Yes that is me. 

This section soon ended and wonderful stretching ended the class. End of class stretching is a common theme in every class that I have taken so far. I would compare it to coming home after a rough day of school to fresh cookies on the counter. Or maybe that feeling  you get when you can finally lay in your bed after having five classes, an exam, and meeting all in one day.

This class was interesting in that you spend a lot of time laying down and minimal time sweating. If you're looking for a relatively easy class (minus the windshield wipers of course!) I would recommend it! Please let me know what you thought of the video and if you would ever try this class! Thanks for reading!