Written by Nat Young – Clinical Hypno-Psychotherapist and Yoga/Pilates Teacher
4:30pm on a Wednesday is the perfect time to get your pilates on with me in Pilates Intervals! If you’re working from home, hopping onto one of my online classes is a great way to clear your head and close off your day. Think of it as a replacement for your commute but even better as you’ll be getting fit while you’re doing it! If you can’t make it at 4:30pm, never fear. The class is also available on demand…
What is pilates?
Pilates exercises help with core strength, mobility, stability and flexibility. Physios and osteopaths often prescribe pilates to people struggling with mechanical back pain as it’s a great way to get a strong core and optimise your movement. Pilates has been around for over 100 years and was particularly popular with injured dancers looking to maintain fitness. Just think how strong and toned dancers are! The England football team also do pilates to complement their training. Similar to yoga, pilates exercises are carried out in line with your breath so it’s also great for stress relief.
What are pilates intervals?
My Pilates Intervals class consists of 50 minutes of low impact intervals (1 minute on, 30 seconds off) with pilates exercises. The interval format raises your metabolism for increased calorie burn and the rests help us get through the harder intervals once we’re warm.
As with all my classes, this is a mixed ability class so it’s totally suitable for beginners. I’ll always suggest ways to modify the exercises to make them easier or harder, depending on how you feel too.
I can’t wait to see you on the virtual mat!