In a perfect world, I’d hit a Pilates Studio 4-5 times per week for a mix of private sessions and group classes. But with my travel schedule, that is almost never a possibility. The reality is that about 3/4 of my Pilates Practice on the road happens at home through self-practice… and making that time fun, inspirational, and a priority can be challenging! If you’re like me, and find yourself rolling out your mat onto your carpet at home more often than at the Pilates Studio, here’s my Top 10 list of tips and tools I’ve picked up through my travels, to help you work through those at-home-workout blues!
1. Make A Date: Schedule a specific time for your session. Set aside 30-45 minutes during your day where you can work uninterrupted, & put it in your calendar just as you would a class. One of the greatest pitfalls of practicing at home is continually “postponing” your session. Finding the right time in advance, and treating your at-home-practice like any other appointment in your day gives it importance and will help you make it a priority!
2. Have A Plan: Give some detailed thought to your session before you begin. What exercises will you do, and in what order? Write out your order of exercises - doing this gives you a "big picture" look at your session - and check that your session has structure, flow, and "makes sense"! Don't forget to include how many reps or variations you will do of each exercise. (I like to keep my written sessions in a journal where I can track my progress and repeat sessions I love!)
3. Set An Intention: Give yourself a specific goal or intention for your session. You can always look to one of the 6 Fundamentals of the Method (Breath, Control, Precision, Flow, Concentration, Centering) for inspiration, or you can pick something more specific to your particular body, for example: “Today I’m going to focus on keeping my shoulders relaxed and gliding down my back”. Use your intention to energize and focus each exercise you do!
4. Create The Right Environment: Set yourself up properly so you can do your best work! Start by eliminating distractions. Turning off the TV/computer, & silencing your phone are all good places to start. Then give yourself enough room to work, and make the space as peaceful and comfortable as possible so that you can begin with a relaxed mind and body. I find that lighting a candle, and opening a window for fresh air and natural light does wonders! Don’t forget to wear proper workout attire, and have a glass of water close by.
5. Be Realistic: No matter how much of a Pilates-Rockstar you may be, if you set out to do a 1-Hour Advanced Mat Class with perfect form every day during a busy work week, you are asking to be disappointed. Set yourself up for success by setting goals that are reasonable and achievable. Also, remember that your body is dynamic, and what is “just right” for you one day may be “too much” another. Listen to your body, and accept what your “best” is on that day.
6. Actively Teach Yourself: When you practice Pilates at home, you must fulfill the role of teacher AND student. So how do you teach yourself? Tap into your “teacher” role by trying one of the following: (1) Take a mental scan of your body from head to toe. As you do so, notice any tension spots you can release & ways to correct your placement (2) Keep up a positive dialogue with yourself. Talk yourself through the exercises, setting the energy and tempo, highlighting the important steps & dynamics, and always reminding yourself to engage your CORE. Sometimes it even helps to say it out loud! (3) Think in Opposition - “reach you arms forward as you glide your shoulders down your back” or “lengthen your legs forward as you scoop back with your abdominals” this will help keep your session active and energized, and will keep your body working in a balanced way.
7. Observe Good Form: We all know how essential it is to practice Pilates with proper form. One of the major disadvantages of practicing at home is that you don’t have a teacher present to correct your form! Of course, there’s no perfect way to get around this (and part of the reason why we pay the big bucks to have great teachers!). The best solution I have found is to observe good Pilates technique as much as possible. Pilates is a mind-body method, so it makes sense that the better understanding the mind has of alignment and technique, the easier it is to physicalize that knowledge in the body. My go-to source for viewing jaw-dropping-amazing Pilates technique is the Classical Pilates’ Original Studio Collection DVDs. Talk about inspirational!
8. Change It Up: Be creative!!! Don’t underestimate what a simple change in scenery or a fun variation can do to rejuvenate your practice. Now that the weather is getting nice, why not take your mat to the park or the beach, or bring it down to the hotel pool for a fancy pool-side session? Invite a friend to join your session for some company & added motivation. Have fun experimenting with transitions between exercises and dynamics within the exercises. Keep a list of new exercises you love from the studio classes you take, and incorporate those into your work at home… the possibilities are truly endless!
9. Challenge Yourself: Always find a place for a challenge in your session. Challenges are wonderful! They give you something to work towards & allow you to really see progress over time, which is incredibly rewarding. Choose an exercise or an advanced variation/transition to master, and break it down into steps so you can build up to it with manageable mini-challenges. For example, if your challenge is to do the whole Ab-Series of 5 without resting between exercises, your first mini-challenge might be to eliminate the rest between the 1st and 2nd exercises.
10. Use A Prop: The use of a prop like the Magic Circle, when done sparingly, can be a fun & creative addition to your session. What I love most about using Props at home is that they are wonderful learning tools! A prop is an extension of the body, and as such, observing it as you work can give you a lot of information about where you are lacking in control, stability, even which side of the body is more dominant than the other. My advice on props is to use them one at a time, and to resist becoming dependent on them! Always remember that the ultimate goal is to work prop-free!
Remember, this is your time with your body, make it special and enjoyable!
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