Posts In: Pilates Matwork

The foundation of any effective exercise plan lies in routine. Consistency is key when it comes to seeing results, whether you’re looking to grow stronger muscles, increase your endurance, or become more flexible. But how do you maintain your progress when your routine goes out the window? 

It can be tricky to keep up your regular Pilates routine while on vacation. Lack of equipment and lack of space are common issues, not to mention lack of time – you’ve no doubt got some sights to see, after all! However, abandoning an exercise routine entirely can contribute to feeling lethargic, having trouble sleeping, and losing muscle mass.  

Here are the basics to staying fit while traveling and how to successfully take your Pilates routine on the road: 

Be Realistic with Your Time 

Vacations have a way of coming and going in the blink of an eye. Time flies when you’re having fun, after all! If you’re determined to get in some workouts throughout your travels, be intentional and realistic with your time. 

If you’re an itinerary-based traveler, sprinkle in a couple of quick workouts throughout your travel plans. You might want to consider doing an express version of your typical routine, as well. Focus on just the key movements that are conducive to your goals and leave the accessory work for when you get back home. Remember, the main goal here is to maintain routine and avoid losing progress – you can get back to the crazy intense workouts once you’re back in your own city! 

Craft a Bodyweight Routine 

If you typically use Pilates equipment in your routines like the reformer, TRX bands, or the jumpboard, consider building an equipment-free version of your routine before you set off for your adventure.  

You’ve got all sorts of bodyweight Pilates exercises to choose from. From the bicycle to the shoulder bridge to the side bend and everything in between, basic Pilates moves are more than sufficient to get your heart pumping and your muscles working. Pick your favourites to build a full body routine, or use this as an opportunity to try out some new moves! 

Get Involved with Local Classes 

Leaning into your passions is a fantastic way to integrate into local culture while traveling, giving you a unique and intimate perspective on the places you visit. Since Pilates is your thing, look around online for a local Pilates studio that is open to drop-in members or that offers a weekly pass option. 

You’ll meet new people, work up a sweat, and maybe even discover a new move or two. Plus, there’s something so incredible about connecting over a shared passion with people who come from a completely different walk of life! 

No luck finding a local class? Take a look at the ABsolute Pilates virtual class offerings to see if you might be able to join us virtually during your vacation. 

Don’t Sweat It! 

It’s entirely possible that exercise takes a back seat while you’re away. Even if you plan ahead and set aside time for Pilates, traveling is filled with spontaneous and exhausting experiences and it’s completely reasonable to take a rest from your exercise routine while you’re away.  

If this is your experience, don’t sweat it. In the same way that it requires consistency to get healthy and build your ideal body, it also takes consistency to fall out of shape. You likely won’t notice any difference by taking a week or two off, and incorporating rest periods into your routine can actually benefit your progress in the long run.  

At the end of the day, your focus should lie in making the most of your vacation and prioritizing long-term health through your Pilates passion! 

Interested in more Pilates tips and tricks? Contact us at ABsolute Pilates today. 

The reformer is an important tool often used in Pilates that can isolate muscles, add resistance, and allow for a full range of motion. It enhances the benefits of any Pilates routine, but with its platform, wheels, and pulley system, it can seem a bit daunting to beginners. And for those who perform their Pilates at home, purchasing a reformer is an expensive investment. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of using the reformer and alternative solutions if you don’t have access to a reformer yourself. 

Why Isolate Muscles?

When we move to accomplish something in real life, we tend to use a range of muscles to support our motion. While it is important to practice compound movements in our exercises to mimic those real-world patterns, isolation exercises help us to target specific muscles individually. Isolating particular muscles through specific exercises allows us to place an increased focus on weaker muscles in our body, or any muscles that we particularly want to enhance. Training those muscles in isolation eliminates our ability to call upon other, stronger muscle groups to support the movement like we can in compound exercises, making isolation movements a particularly good choice if you’re experiencing any muscle imbalance. 

The reformer can be used to isolate specific muscles and force us to develop strength without help from surrounding muscle groups, which is especially beneficial if they are chronically under-used or are recovering from an injury.  

Why Add Resistance?

Body weight exercises can be very fruitful and help you develop strength, to a point. Once you have trained your muscles to the point where you can move your body weight with relative ease, additional resistance is needed to continue challenging and strengthening your muscles.  

Resistance training isn’t just for athletes who need to push their bodies to their limits, it is necessary for anyone who wants to improve their physical fitness. Bodyweight exercises are also resistance exercises, however, the intensity of that resistance is limited by the weight of your body. Increasing resistance with the help of tools like the reformer allows us to continue to challenge and grow our muscles once we’ve plateaued at the bodyweight level. When done in quick succession, reformer exercises can also boost your heart rate and improve your cardiovascular fitness too.  

Why Focus on a Full Range of Motion?

Pilates movements on the floor do not always allow us to achieve a full range of motion. However, making each and every joint work through its full range of motion is important in order to maintain that range, especially as we age. It can be particularly important for those who are recovering from surgery or any injury which, without physical therapy, could end up limiting their range of motion. The reformer can allow you to move your joints through a full range of motion in ways that are more comfortable for you.  

Alternatives to a Pilates Reformer

If you don’t see yourself investing in a reformer anytime soon, what are the alternatives? You can attend classes at studios which have reformers, or you can simply do mat Pilates without one. There are also several other more affordable equipment options which can enhance your Pilates workouts, including: 

• Foam rollers 
• Resistance bands 
• Hand weights 
• Weighted balls 
• Stability balls 
• Blocks  

There are many ways to modify your core Pilates exercises with these tools. Talented instructors can show you how to make the most of your routine even when you don’t have a reformer. Sign up for a reformer class today with ABsolute Pilates or join in one of our matwork classes!  

Attention all Pilates enthusiasts: we invite you to join us in the social media phenomenon known as March MATness! All through the month of March, we are celebrating alongside other Pilates practitioners the traditional set of movements that Joseph Pilates, the original creator of Pilates, invented. For the last nine years, Pilates fans have been celebrating their progress. In recent years, people have been sharing it on social media, with dedicated hashtags for each pose. From the studio or from your home, you can join us in celebrating the powerful impact of Pilates! 

How Do You Participate in March MATness? 

Every day during March, you can take a picture of yourself in a Pilates pose and post it online with the relevant hashtag. You can explore the list of poses and hashtags here.  

You don’t have to necessarily stick to just photos. Let your imagination run wild and post anything you like that is Pilates-related and inspires you! Previously people have made visual art, poetry, prose, and other art depicting the poses or Pilates in general. Others take a more educational approach, giving out tips to complete different Pilates poses, and even adjustments you can make if you can’t quite capture the pose at your level. It’s really enriching to take a look through the posts online and see if you can get more inspired in your Pilates practice!  

And, if you’d rather keep it private, make your March MATness journey a feature of your journal. We know you’re with us in spirit!  

The Spirit of March MATness  

While you’re working through the month, remember that March MATness is not supposed to be a challenge or a competition. While you might challenge yourself to perfect your form, do Pilates every day, or meet other personal goals during the month, it isn’t necessary.  

March MATness is a “come as you are,” celebration. That means that we’re focusing less on winning or challenging ourselves, and more on accepting who we are and where we are in our Pilates journey. You do not need to fuss over how you look, what poses you can achieve, or whether or not you can complete the whole month. Instead, just finding your own personal joy in the poses is enough.  

Feel free to join us, even if you’re late to the party, with whatever Pilates inspiration you happen to enjoy.  

This Year’s Theme  

Every year, March MATness has a specific theme. This year it is #pilateshereandnow. With this theme, we’re challenging everyone who loves Pilates to think about how Pilates looks for them today, in their everyday life. Especially after potentially not being able to get out to the studio as much as you might have liked in the past two years, you may have found that your Pilates routine has changed, or the place Pilates has in your life has changed.   

Need some studio time to get into the spirit of March MATness? You can join us for classes at Absolute Pilates. Contact us today to sign up!