Club Pilates Blog

Can You Benefit From a Pilates Private Training Session?

Written by Club Pilates | Feb 16, 2018 12:32:01 AM

Sometimes it is advisable to begin your Pilates journey with a Private Training Session. A Private session alleviates anxieties and helps the trainer assess your skill and ability level. It is also sometimes advisable to remain on a Private session-level if you have ongoing physical challenges that benefit from the undivided attention afforded by the one-on-one session. Read on to learn more!

Significant injuries or physical conditions that limit the range of motion

Private Training is recommended for any client who has injuries, recent surgeries, or physical conditions that limit or restrict the normal range of motion. Safety concerns must be the number one priority. Especially when it comes to injuries or physical conditions or limitations, our goal at Club Pilates is to help everyone train and heal in a safe and effective environment.

The benefits of a Private Training session include posture analysis, movement assessments and a review of your history of past injuries. In addition, the Club Pilates instructor is responsible for understanding your current physical condition in relation to post-injury/surgery recovery in order to ascertain any necessary exercise modifications. Your instructor needs a solid understanding of any other challenges you face in your day-to-day activities.  A one-on-one Private Training session affords you the privacy and undivided attention necessary for your Pilates professional to acquaint themselves with your unique situation, while they tailor your workout for your optimal benefit.

Apprehension

Everyone is understandably nervous about doing something new in a new environment with new people on new equipment. This normal human apprehension is an excellent reason to participate in a closed Private Training session. The one-on-one setting is calming and provides full access to the instructor to ask any questions you may have and learn at a comfortable pace.  Not only is it reassuring, but it builds confidence when you confirm that your skill level is sufficient to participate in any classroom setting.

New to Mind-Body Awareness

Many who are new to Pilates have previous sports experience but may not have a strong mind-body connection background. Proprioception, the understanding of where your body is in space, is a crucial component of Pilates, keeping the practitioner aware of their poses. Lack of proprioceptive awareness can lead to a crucial misstep: the urge to just “push through” any given workout or class by sheer will and determination. These exercise practices are common and they are not bad in and of themselves. But they are antithetical to the core concept we practice in Pilates, which is to connect the body mindfully to your movement.  Clients new to Pilates come from a myriad of movement backgrounds, including but not limited to dance, gymnastics, Crossfit, yoga, boxing, surfing, tennis, football, basketball, golf – anything you can imagine! It's typical that any client new to Pilates will be unaccustomed to purposeful mind-body connection no matter their prior fitness background. Many of your current favorite sports activities are markedly enhanced by your participation in Pilates.

Physical fitness is not a determining factor in mind-body awareness. Many clients new to Pilates may be completely unaccustomed to slowing down the body in order to connect the mind and perform a conscious movement. These are members who don't feel the exercise’s impact where the instructor is cueing them to feel it, or they feel the need to add more resistance than the instructor places on the apparatus on any given exercise. Instead of upping the difficulty of the apparatus, the member often just needs to adjust their approach to the movement. If you feel that you’re not working as efficiently during Pilates as you feel you should, you may benefit from a Private Pilates Session.

The proprioceptive feedback given during a private session may be exactly what you need to start connecting your mind and your movements to the corresponding muscle and muscle groups. This will instill in you the subtle corrections that result in the greatest challenge and benefit of Pilates. Our sincere hope is for you to attain this optimal benefit!

Please rely on your Pilates professional for their guidance and advice about your individual needs.  We are here for you!

Try a FREE Intro Class!