Thinking of joining a Pilates class? Not All Pilates Classes Are Created Equal!
In the world of Pilates “Smaller is nearly always Better”
If money was no object. All of us would chose a private 1 on 1 workout with a great Pilates Teacher and that is how many people get into Pilates.
When you book a Private Pilates session. There is just you and the Pilates Teacher. They will be spending all their time focusing on you, checking you are doing the moves just right. Watching and correcting your alignment, breathing, focus and form.
In a perfect world. We would all be working out 1 on 1 with a great Teacher or Trainer, but in the real world we all have a budget and paying $60 for a Private Pilates Workout 3 times a week is £180 or more. That’s just too much for most of us.
Knowing all the great benefits of Pilates, but not wanting to spend almost $200 every week, most people opt to join a Pilates Class.
Pilates Classes offer many of the benefits of a Private 1 on 1 workout, but they cost a lot less making them much more affordable.
There are 2 main types of Pilates Classes. The Big roll em in roll em out type of Classes. Or the smaller more personal type of classes.
Both have their place, but all have one thing in common. They all have just 1 Trainer per class.
Recently there has been a trend towards the larger “Roll em in, Roll em out” type Pilates Classes. Often with 8, 10 or 15 people in a class and for some people this works well. Though I have to say for most people it is a poor choice.
Here is what happens when you try to save some money and join a large Pilates Class. The Pilates Teacher who is running the class will be forced to give the most attention to the weakest student in your class.
All Pilates Studios try to balance every class with people who are on about the same level. Easy to do in a class of 4 people, very hard to do in a class of 8,10 or more.
Pilates is not like going to the Gym where you try to do a similar, but good workout each time. Pilates is designed to stretch and push you, at no point should you just be doing the same repetitive moves week in week out.
Your Pilates Teacher should be watching you to see if you are ready to move to the next level, looking for where you are strong and where you are weak, helping you to get to the next level of fitness and flexibility.
Joining a Pilates Class that has 6 or more people in it will give even the best Pilates Teacher in the world real problems. The weakest or the newest person will get all the attention. You will get none because you are doing just well enough not to need any attention, but not doing badly enough to need any help.
When you walk out of your big Pilates Class, you should be very annoyed. You paid the same amount as everyone else, but you got 2 minutes attention. The person who just joined got 20 minutes attention, they will get the same next time and the time after that too.
If you paid $20 for that class and got 2 minutes attention, that’s $10 per minute you just paid. (that works out at $600 per hour)
They also paid $20 for the very same class, but they got 20 minutes attention and help.They didn’t pay $10 per minute like you just did, they paid $1 per minute. (that works out at $60 per hour)
Feel hard done by? Well you should.
Why joining a smaller Pilates Class will always be the better option.
In a smaller class, it’s much easier to balance the class with people who are at or about the same level of strength and experience.
In a smaller class it’s much easier to share your attention and knowledge with everyone.
In a smaller class it’s much easier to help and coach people to move up a level.
In a smaller class the weakest person still gets more attention, but not at the expense of the other class members.
In a smaller class one pair of eyes is looking after just 3 or 4 people.
I could write for hours on this subject and still maybe not make my point clear, so let me try to sum it up in a couple of paragraphs.
Due to the downturn in our economy many well known Pilates Studios still have to make a profit and the only way they can do this is to offer large Pilates Classes (1 Trainer teaching 8, 10. 15 or more people per class)
Smaller Pilates Studios still aim for quality not quantity. They will asses every member of every class so each person gets the next best thing to having their own personal trainer.
If you want to just go through the motions of Pilates, join a large, but cheaper class. If you want to grow, improve and be the best you can, then look for a studio that offers small Pilates Classes where you will get the attention, help, advice and motivation you need and deserve.
I have spoken with several Pilates Teachers
They all admit to the same thing. When Teaching a class of 6, 8 or more people, standards drop and they just try to get the class in and out. There is no time available to help the better Students. It’s all about getting them in and getting them out.
Think about This.
The best Pilates Teachers won’t even take a class of more than 4 people. They know one pair of eyes can look after 4 people, but not 6, 8,10 or more.
You Will Pay A Little More to join a Small Pilates Class Of 3 Or 4 People but, it Will Be More Than Worth It to you and Your Body.
Aiden has been writing articles on-line for over 4 years on Health and Wellbeing. His Sister Anne-Marie runs one of San Diego’s nicest Pilates Studios. Pilates San Diego [http://www.pilatespassion.com/] Find a great Pilates Class in San Diego Small Personal Pilates Classes [http://www.pilatespassion.com/].
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