Common Challenges In Pilates

While Pilates is for everybody, everybody faces challenges in Pilates; even the instructors! I was at a Teacher Connect Workshop recently where each teacher shared an exercise or series of exercises they struggle with. Then they did the exercise while the other teachers observed and gave feedback on how they might modify something to make the movement easier. 

There are many reasons why you’re facing challenges in Pilates:

1. The set up of the apparatus might need adjusting.
2. Your body’s set up on the apparatus might need to change.
3. You need to build up more strength to do this exercise.
4. A lack of mobility somewhere in your body can affect other movement patterns,  making the exercise harder. 

Managing Challenges in Pilates

The great thing about Pilates is that, by design, there are always modifications or ways to break down an exercise to make it more accessible while you work on your strength, mobility, and/or flexibility to do the full or more advanced versions of it. If a type of movement or exercise is giving you trouble, consider the following to help you overcome your challenges in Pilates. 

Apparatus Set Up. The setup of the apparatus can make a difference and will be different for each person. For example, the spring weight may need to be adjusted depending on your size and strength. The same goes for the handle heights and strap lengths. If the straps are too long or short, it can make it difficult to connect your arms to your back or find your curl etc.

Your Position on the Apparatus. How you position yourself on the apparatus also can make a difference. Sometimes your position on the apparatus can make an exercise nearly impossible to achieve. On the flip side, your positioning can actually make the exercise too easy. By repositioning yourself on the apparatus, the exercise can become more of a challenge in a good way because you’re forced to work more of your muscles together.

Work on Strength. Building up more strength is often necessary. The beauty of the Pilates system is that many exercises can help you improve your strength or find better body connections in a safe, studio space. Take the teaser, for example. Doing this exercise on the high box requires balance and the straps increase difficulty. If you’re struggling to do the teaser on the box, try practicing it in other ways in other areas of the studio. You can also do other exercises that prepare you for the teaser: the hundred, single and double leg stretch, or doing the teaser on the mat or tower. All of these will help you develop the strength and connections needed to do the teaser on the box. 

Increase Mobility. Tight muscles and lack of mobility will obviously restrict your movement and can affect how well you can execute an exercise. For example, tight shoulder and/or chest muscles make the exercises rollover or short spine harder. Again, this is where you can turn to another apparatus to work on opening up your chest. The spine corrector is a great option in this case. 

Other Things to Consider

There are other reasons you may be facing challenges in Pilates. One came up at the Teacher Connect Workshop; how you naturally move your body could be affecting things. For example, I find spinal extension exercises much more difficult than flexion ones. Others find achieving rotation difficult. Balance can be a challenge, too.

If you are struggling with anything in your Pilates practice (even if it’s just being consistent), let me know! I’d love to help because if one person is stuck, there probably are others, too.