Introduction
Pilates is a great way to improve your health and wellbeing. This is the main goal of pilates instructor course is to help their students well-being. And I’m sure you are already feeling great after starting your first class! However, it can be overwhelming if this is the first time you’ve tried Pilates or any exercise for that matter. Here are some tips to help you survive on your very first day of class:
Arrive early.
- Arriving early is important. Get there 5 minutes early, so that you can make sure you have everything you need for the class and get a good spot in the class.
- Make sure you know where the toilets are before they run out!
Remind yourself of the benefits for your body and mind that you have already felt from practising Pilates.
Remind yourself of the benefits for your body and mind that you have already felt from practising Pilates. For example, by taking Pilates classes you will improve your flexibility and core strength (which helps to improve posture), relieve stress and anxiety, sleep better at night, be more physically active over all. These are all great reasons why starting a pilates course is a good idea!
Remember that everyone in the class is on the same path as you, to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing.
It’s important to remember that everyone in the class is on the same path as you, to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing. The last thing anyone wants is to feel like they are being judged by others during a class. The chances are that many of your classmates have been where you are right now.
So take this opportunity at the beginning of your Pilates course to reflect on why you have chosen this journey and what motivates you. This will help keep your mind focused when it comes down to the nitty-gritty of working through pain points and sticking with exercises that might not feel natural at first (remembering back pain from my own experience).
Decide what goal you want to achieve from the day, other than just surviving!
- Be specific. Don’t just say, “I want to get a better understanding of Pilates.” What exactly do you want to understand? Do you want to know how Pilates can help with your running injuries? Or maybe you just want to be more flexible and supple because those are things that people like doing when they’re at the gym?
- Be realistic. Being able to do 10 push-ups right off the bat is not realistic—and neither is being able to jump like an Olympian on day 1 (at least unless they are an Olympian). Start small and build from there!
- If you don’t achieve your goal, it’s not a failure. If I could only do 3 push-ups at first (which is about all my body can handle), then I’ve already achieved something! That’s like half of what I wanted by the end of class! And even if my body can never do 10 or 15 or whatever number we pick as our “goal”, that doesn’t mean it’s time for me to give up trying. This challenge will continue over time—we’ll keep working together until we reach our peak performance level in no time flat!
Be prepared to work hard!
When you begin a Pilates course, it’s important to be prepared to work hard. Pilates is a challenging discipline and this will be apparent from day one. You’ll need to invest yourself fully into the class and put in some serious effort if you want to reap the benefits of Pilates (and avoid injury).
You may feel overwhelmed by the number of exercises in each session at first but once you get used to how things work, this feeling should subside very quickly.
You should expect your body shape and posture to change over time as well as your ability to function like an athlete on any given day or even throughout a long-term period such as pregnancy or menopause; so keep that in mind as well when considering whether Pilates is right for everyone!
Feel grateful!
- Feel grateful!
I know it sounds like a cliche, but being grateful for the opportunity to learn and be part of a community is key to making your first day awesome. You don’t have to be happy about that thing that happened in high school or the fact that you’re broke, but you absolutely should be thankful for the fact that you are alive and breathing right now. It’s really easy to get caught up in thinking about what hasn’t worked out as planned or how other people have gotten ahead while you’re still struggling, but if we all just took a moment every day (or maybe once a week) to appreciate our current situation how amazing would life be?
You are going to feel great at the end of the class.
If you are thinking that this is all going to be too much, I have good news for you. When you leave the class, you will feel great. You might feel like you have achieved something and be proud of yourself, or perhaps just happy at how far your body has come in one session. Whatever it may be, I guarantee that once the class has finished and time has passed, people will say “wow! what an amazing experience.”
Conclusion
Hopefully, these tips will help you get through your first day of a Pilates class. Remember that everyone in the class is on the same path as you, to improve their health, fitness and wellbeing. And remember that if something feels too difficult at first, don’t worry! You can always ask for help from your teacher or another classmate who may know better how to assist you in achieving your goals. Don’t forget to feel grateful for what this class has already done for you personally – because it WILL make a difference! Go and follow these well being tips.