Q. Is Pilates for men?
A. Yes. Pilates was taught by a man, Joseph Pilates, to help rehabilitate men wounded in action in World War I.
For more information on this topic, please read the PMA's website: http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/about-pilates
Q. Do I need to be in shape to do Pilates?
A. No, and there's nothing to prepare you to do Pilates. It's an entirely different way to exercise. All you have to do is start. Make your reservation, put on some exercise clothes, bring a pair of socks, towel, a water bottle, and find your way to The Firm Pilates Studio. It's that easy.
Q. Will I have to use the equipment in the studio by myself?
A. No. The Firm is not like a health club or local gym. You will never use the equipment in the studio unattended. All of our classes and sessions are taught by an instructor who will guide you through the exercises and provide individual feedback. This personalized attention is reflected in our fees.
Q. Can I take a class or do I need private lessons?
A. Private lessions are strongly recommended for those that are new to exercise, have limited physical activity, need individual attention, or cannot inhale and exhale on demand. Private lessons ensure that you will have a solid foundation as to the Pilates equipment, terms, body placement, body alignment, movements, breath patterns, and timing. A good foundation allows clients to safely practice Pilates on a regular basis in our classes and at home.
Pilates lessons are also strongly recommended for clients with special circumstances, including clients experiencing pregnancy, recovery from surgery, osteoporosis, scoliosis, sciatica, or herniated or bulging discs at L4, L5, or S1. In the above situations, medical clearance is required to begin Pilates. Additionally, we will not train clients that are pregnant and have never done Pilates or have a history of miscarriages in their first trimester.
Classes are for those that have prior Pilates experience or athletic backgrounds. Generally, clients with experience in football, basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, dance, or yoga have an easier transition into Pilates classes than most. Classes are small, but individualized attention is limited. The weekday noon and 4pm Reformer classes are intermediate to advanced level or the "Sink or Swim" classes. Morning and late night classes tend to be less intense and geared toward the experienced beginner or intermediate level clients.
Q. Do you have classes for a true beginner to Pilates?
A. Not at this time. By design, classes are for the convenience of our clients that practice regularly. Pilates classes are meant to flow and have a rhythm. Clients essentially breathe the movements. Each inhale prepares the body for movement while each exhale initiates the movement. By flowing through the movements, our clients obtain a full-body workout in less than an hour. Keeping the classes at an experienced level assures our clients that they can sign-up for any class and have satisfying results.
We find that having a true beginner in a class is distracting and slows down the flow. Additionally, the beginner is often lost because a limited amount of repetitions are done. Most exercises are performed only 5-8 times per class. So just as the beginner is getting comfortable with the movement, we move on to something new. Accordingly, we strongly recommend true beginners to take a few private session prior to taking the classes.
Q. I want to reserve a spot in class, but the online software won't allow me to do so.
A. We strongly recommend class reservations. It's a gamble to show up without a reservation, especially to our equipment classes. If there are no reservations, class may be cancelled. Also, the cut-off to reserve a spot online is 45-minutes prior to class time. If a class is being held, the best thing to do is to send a text message to 808.285.7450. We can usually give a timely response. It's easier to sneak in a text instead of placing phone calls while teaching. So please do not leave us a voicemail to reserve a class spot on short notice.
Q. How often should Pilates be done?
A. Pilates should be done 2-3 times per week in a cross-training program. Doing Pilates once a week produces slow results. The body has a hard time recalling the proper muscle recruitment for the movements after a week has passed. If two training sessions are done within a week, it's easier for the body to recall and build upon the work done in the first training session. It is not recommended to do Pilates every day because the body needs time to rest and recover.
Q. Will I lose weight with Pilates?
A. It's hard to say. There are a lot of factors that contribute to a person's body weight, including diet and cardio activity. Weightloss is not a key objective of Pilates. But often times, it is the result.
Pilates recomposes the body by replacing fat with muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. So it is not uncommon for a person to stay at the same weight but find their clothes fitting looser or not fitting at all because they need a smaller size.
Q. How do the "Unlimited Month" class packages work?
A. With an unlimited month package, a client can attend any class on the schedule for 30 consecutive days. Equipment classes include the reformer classes and the reformer/EXO chair combo classes. Mat classes include Pilates and Yoga mat classes. The package can be activated on any day of the month. The package cannot be shared.
Q. I want to talk to someone at the studio, what's the best time to call?