FAQ

1.     What is Pilates?

Pilates is a workout done on different apparatus with springs providing resistance, and on a mat.  Each Pilates session is modified to your body’s needs and ability on any given day.  Pilates can be done regardless of your age or fitness level.  Pilates is exercise and you will sweat!

Pilates works your entire body and works from the inside out.   Your goal is to start discovering and feeling that at the root of every movement a band of abdominal muscles called your “powerhouse” is working.  We take the mystery and disconnect in your body and change it to awareness and control.

2.     What if I have an injury?

One reason that Pilates has become so popular is because it is safe with many injuries and/or limitations.  We have worked with clients after knee and hip replacements, after back, shoulder, wrist or foot surgery, after a stroke, with MS, with vertigo, scoliosis, whiplash, herniated discs, compression fractures, Osteoporosis/Osteopenia, during radiation treatments, after a Mastectomy, after broken bones, and more.

Pilates instructors are not physical therapists.  If you have been in physical therapy, Pilates is a great way to continue rehabilitating your body.  Pilates will help to correct any muscle imbalances that may have caused the injury by strengthening weak muscles and stretching tight muscles around an injured joint (whether you were in physical therapy or not!).  Pilates is a great “tune-up” for your body, and making it a part of your lifestyle will help you maintain your strength and flexibility.

3.     Who is KateSaid and what qualifications should I look for in a Pilates instructor?

KateSaid Fitness is owned by Kate Ideker, a Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) instructor and a Polestar certified Pilates instructor.  The certification involved a year of instruction and 2 years of apprenticeship in a physical therapy setting.  That certification teaches their instructors to show mastery in Pilates exercises, assessment techniques, movement sequences, and the application of the Polestar Principles.  I trained alongside physical therapists and gained unique experience working in that setting with clients coming out of physical therapy rehab.  I am not a physical therapist (I’m actually a speech therapist as well but that’s another story), however, the experience gained working in a rehab setting uniquely prepared me to help students who are coming out of rehab or have nagging soreness or are prone to injury. 

With the growing popularity of Pilates and classes like Barre, there are a lot of organizations that offer certifications in the movements of Joseph Pilates.  So it’s important for you to question your instructor about their education and use your own judgment.  Be an informed consumer!

4.     I have herniated discs in my back.  Can I do Pilates?  Will it be good for my back?

After you have been cleared by your medical doctor, Pilates is a great place to go for back issues.  Pilates is able to help with back pain in two main ways.  First, by strengthening your muscles and making them more flexible, you will be able to make them tough enough to withstand the strain and other stresses that happen you are doing your regular activities.  When your muscles are stronger, they can better withstand injury.  When the muscles are more flexible, you have less risk of straining them when you contort your body into awkward positions.  Having stronger and more flexible muscles can also help in preventing back pain from occurring again.  One of the leading causes of back pain is poor posture and tight hip flexors.  A person’s poor posture, whether while standing or sitting, contribute to unnecessary strain in the muscles that would eventually make them feel pain.  A person who practices Pilates exercises will experience improved posture because of the movements and training they experience.  The exercises also help make it easier for you to stand taller, not slouch, and avoid poor positions that contribute to the back pain.

5.     I heard there are very few reps of each exercise.  Why?

Pilates exercises are designed to work a muscle group, then stretch that muscle group to prevent stiffness, soreness, and create a long muscle.  Many exercises are done only 3-5 times.  If executed properly, that is all that is needed.  The body will benefit more from one properly executed repetition, than from 20 done poorly.  Studies have shown that the first and second time your body does an exercise, it is trying to figure out what it needs to do, the third and fourth repetition is usually the most correct, and after the fifth the quality starts to go downhill.  Muscles have memory so we stop where we have great form and practice starts to carryover to permanent change.

6.     How often should I do Pilates?

Pilates exercises should be practiced every day.  Pilates is very low impact, and different from many other types of exercise.  In an ideal world, you would come to the studio and have a session 3x per week and practice the mat work at home on the other days.  This is how Joseph Pilates meant for his work to be done and it’s the best way to see and feel results.  In reality, even 1 session every week can make change in your body and the way you feel.  People generally state they feel more relaxed, stronger, taller, leaner, and energized after a session. 

7.     What is the difference between Yoga and Pilates?

Both Pilates and Yoga are methods of body conditioning that focus on strength and flexibility.   Joseph Pilates was interested in Yoga and based many of his exercises on Yoga postures and principles.  Pilates uses apparatus in addition to exercises done on a mat.   When Pilates mat work is done properly, your muscles are working with resistance.  However, this can be hard to feel, and the apparatus helps you do that.

8.     Will Pilates benefit me?

Pilates can help you lose weight, get relief from back pain, tone your trouble spots, or recover from injury.  It’s also being used more and more as therapy to help people with certain serious illnesses such as cancer. 

9.     Do I have to be in shape to do Pilates?

No way!  Anyone can start Pilates and at any level.  It will be catered to meet you where you are.  I love helping clients begin and find their journey in Pilates.  I am passionate about it because of the transformative change I found in my body and love to share that with students who are new.

10.  What’s the difference between working out on the equipment and Pilates Mat classes at the gym?

Depending on the certification of your mat instructor, mat classes can really focus on core work and can be very challenging.  Pilates equipment ups your game and just makes your experience in ANY class you take BETTER.  Pilates equipment gives you a frame to work within that if often more helpful than mat and can be more challenging when springs are added or taken away.

11.  My gym offers Pilates…why should I come to KateSaid Studio as well?

The extensive training and experience a Pilates Method Alliance (PMA) and Polestar Certified teacher provides a customized program that will help with anything you do at your gym and in life!  The wide selection of studio equipment and KateSaid’s expertise in use of that equipment will help your body find strength and wellness you couldn’t have imagined.

12.  Will Pilates help me lose weight?

Pilates is famous for creating long, lean, fit bodies.  I erroneously thought though that Pilates was just for dancers and one had to be innately graceful to do Pilates.  Not true!  And I specialize in athletic conditioning on Pilates equipment.  What does that mean?

· KateSaid Pilates can be sport specific so you if you trying to preserve or develop lean muscle mass we design a program to help you meet your goals in your sport.

· Creating that lean muscle mass, as Pilates does, is one of the best ways to increase your calorie-burning potential.

· Pilates tones and shapes the body.

· One of the best ways to look and feel better is to have beautiful posture.  Pilates creates a leaner look by emphasizing both length and good alignment.

· Pilates promotes deep and efficient respiration, which is essential for calorie burning and tissue regeneration.

· Engaging in an exercise program, like Pilates, promotes self-esteem and heightened lifestyle consciousness.  Both are associated with weight loss.  And Kate will hold you accountable in a joint partnership with your increased fitness our goal.

· Pilates in an invigorating workout that can help sustain energy levels throughout your day.  However, it is not usually done as aerobic exercise (although there are components of that).  Therefore, a lot of folks like combining Pilates with KateSaid Conditioning and/or KateSaid Kettlebell to maximize their weight loss.

13.  Is Pilates mainly for women?

Far from it.  Pilates was developed by a man after all who was influenced by the world of boxing, yoga, kettlebell, dance, and more.  Also, men tend to be less flexible than women and could benefit from Pilates greatly.  In fact, countless male celebrity devotees of Pilates including High Jackman, Matt Damon, Hugh Grant, John Cleese, Ian McKellen, as well as countless professional athletes including Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Tiger Woods, Jeremy Ross (Detroit Lions), Steve Ballesteros (PGA), Rory Mcllroy (PGA) rely on Pilates to increase performance and keep them looking and feeling top of their game.

14. What are common fears about Pilates?

“I don’t know what to do with those machines and they look kind of weird and scary!”

Don’t worry.  We are by your side for the entire session telling or showing you exactly what to do every step of the way.  Pilates equipment is probably unlike anything you have seen at any gym.  They have springs on them that provide resistance.  The equipment or apparatus help you to stretch and strengthen your muscles.

“I am worried I might not be able to keep up, or do all of the exercises you tell me do.”

Our job is to help you find success while learning to move your body with better alignment and strength.  No two clients are treated alike.  Your workout is created for you as your body presents each day you are at the studio.  Students include people in their 80s, teenagers, top athletes, and folks just wanted to get started on their fitness journey!