Ladies & gentleman, boys & girls
Posted on: November 17, 2009
Anyone can do Pilates. Seriously, anyone. I teach at the Rec Center at MU. Most of the people in my class are girls around my age. There are a few faculty members and adults who are members of the Rec, and every few classes has a male participant. Two summers ago I taught at the YMCA back home and was pleasantly surprised by the wider age range and the regular male clients. In just one class I had a high school junior, a 27-year old man, a few middle-aged moms, and a woman in her 60’s.
Although I usually see 20-something women doing Pilates now, my experience a the Y taught me that anyone can do it and do it well. One man from the Y was probably about 70. He came every Thursday and stayed for the entire workout. Although his Pilates looked entirely different than mine, he still came, tried, and enjoyed his workout just like me. I was so impressed by his dedication and patience. He was not afraid to choose the lower modifications or take an extra stretch when necessary.
At the Rec it seems like everyone tries to do the hardest, most challenging modifications ALL the time. Maybe the atmosphere is more competitive than necessary. I think it is more important to listen to your body and do the lower mod right, rather than cheating or hurting yourself in the higher modification. Older clients seem more comfortable using lower mods than younger ones. Younger clients might also feel pressured to get the most out of their workout, give 100% the entire time. On the other hand, my older clients were happy to relax and get in an hour of exercise.
Pilates is not about competition or rushing an intense workout. It should be a challenging, yet relaxing way to build core strength and unwind.
stretch with shannon 
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