How can you possibly do Pilates that fast?
Here’s your answer.
Do The Hundred.
Do it every day, on the days that you won’t be attending your regular Pilates class or maybe one extra time per week.
Who doesn’t have a minute a day to exercise?
Last week I started posting Pilates homework on the chalkboard in the b.PILATES & Personal Training Studio, with the hopes that some, and hopefully all, will do this homework at least once over the two weeks that I plan to have it posted.
But why am I suggesting to my clients to start doing the Hundred on a regular basis?
Here are three reasons.
1. YOU WILL CREATE A HEALTHY HABIT
First of all, doing the Hundred daily or every couple days is to create a simple, new, healthy habit. Its pretty simple to hit the floor for under a minute to do the Hundred. You can add it to your other daily workout or do it on its own.
2. YOU WILL GET STRONGER
At first, you might find doing the full Hundred hard and have to modify, rest, or stop. Over time you will find that it gets easier. Making modifications or stop part way through will no longer be required as you successfully build a stronger core with daily practice.
3. BECAUSE I HAVE A BIGGER PLAN
I LOVE how it feels to do a full out Pilates workout with flowing transitions. Whether it is on the mat or one of the Pilates apparatus you can have a challenging sweaty, stretchy, strengthening workout. The hour goes by before you know it and you leave feeling great.
Being familiar with the exercises by name and general choreography is essential in being able to do a flowing Pilates workout. As a Pilates teacher, it is up to me to teach my clients the exercises, by name plus the choreography and the transitions between each exercise. So with these little homework assignments, my goal is to educate my clients on the names of these exercises and the “basic” choreography and set up. I’m not asking that they memorize the repertoire. My hope is that building knowledge, strength and focus will give my clients the ability to enjoy Pilates workouts at a more advanced level.
AND BONUS
Another beautiful thing about Pilates is that you can take it with you anywhere you go. With this new healthy habit, increased strength and knowledge of the Pilates method you can hit the mat for a quick workout while at home, on vacation, or even at work.
b.HEALTHY, b.HAPPY, b.STRONG,
Melissa Nagai
Owner of b.PILATES & Personal Training In Maple Ridge, BC, Canada