Wondering if you are ready to go the next level of Pilates classes?
There are a few boxes to check to know if you are ready to move from a Healthy Back to a Pilates 1 or a Pilates 1 to a Pilates 2 or a Pilates 2 to Power Pilates and Pilates 3.
There are not set number of classes to complete before moving to the next level. It's more around your understanding of the Pilates basics, your ability to stabilize through movement, feel strength vs strain in your body with the foundational exercises and how much cuing you need to get set up in the right position to support healthy and fluid movement.
1. Do you feel confident with the movements in the level you are currently at?
2. When your instructor says "get into a neutral pelvis and neutral spine" are you able to get set up with understanding?
Our Healthy Back and Pilates 1 classes take more time to ensure you are set up so that when you move you feel strong and stable. 99% of the exercises is in the proper set up.
3. You have the strength and stability to hold "table top" and do at least 10 chest lifts without neck strain.
4. Are you able to have stability in your mid-back to do basic upper body exercises without it causing shoulder and neck tension or pain? We don't expect this to be perfect, but if you constantly have neck pain, then learning shoulder girdle stability will help you perform the stronger exercises with more grace and ease and feel great after each class.
4. You are able to self-regulate or take care of yourself in class. We will always cue, correct and modify at all level of classes. However at the higher levels, it is more important to "self-regulate" so you take care of your body in class. You can change your own springs, put your feet into straps, move easily around the equipment. Higher level classes will move faster and clients need to take more self-responsibility and modify to stay safe so you can have a great class.
5. You can weight bear on your hands/wrists, kneel and are overall able to move all body parts - We all have "isims" and "itis's" as we age and Pilates is a fantastic practice to move safely in the face of some pains or mild injuries. Pilates classes can be easily modified and adapted to suit, but at our higher level classes being able to weight bear on your wrists and kneel means we can teach some of the more challenging repertoire.
Our #1 focus is safety and if there is a client is in a level 2, level 3 or Power Pilates class who needs extra attention or needs modifications for many of the more advanced exercises, it will slow the class down or impact the exercise choices. Therefore a Pilates 1 might be the best place to have a challenging class, but keep you safe with any injuries you might be managing.
ASK YOUR INSTRUCTOR. If you are curious about moving into the next level, your instructor can give you great feedback and if she/he feels you aren't ready it is only because we want to ensure your safety and a positive movement experience in class. The foundational work is where the deep work is, so focus on mastering the basics, building strength and then the more fancy choreography and faster pace in our advanced classes will add mental and physical challenge to make the workouts fun and varied.