Mat Pilates

Mat Pilates is a strengthening and lengthening form of exercise that focuses on your core (trunk) muscles while also training your arms and legs. Mat Pilates is based on the original exercises Joseph Pilates developed to strengthen his own body as a very young man and then began teaching others. The Mat work came before any of the Pilates Apparatus (equipment) he developed. It includes over 500 exercises and can be practiced anywhere. Mat Pilates can be modified for any age, body, or fitness level. It is even possible to practice the modifications of the Mat work in a chair.

THE BENEFITS OF MAT PILATES

Pilates is a mind, body, and spirit practice with benefits that include improved posture, better coordination and balance, increased lung capacity, improved concentration and focus, increased body awareness, stress management, and injury prevention. Mat work is a great choice for everyone from Pilates beginners to advanced students because the exercises not only can build in difficulty, but every exercise can be modified to decrease or increase the level of challenge. Practicing Mat Pilates helps build a strong, balanced body and increases flexibility. As you progress in your practice you will notice improvements in breathing, focus, stress management, and body awareness. Mat Pilates is perfect for beginners because you only need your own body, a mat, and some floor space to start.

FAQS

Here are answers to some common questions. 
  • What is a typical beginner pilates exercise like?

    The first exercise you do is "the hundreds" which consists of 10 breaths of 10 counts to equal 100. You lie on the floor, lift your legs up to about a 45 degree angle, or wherever you can hold them, and keep your back flat. While holding your legs in the air you engage the abdominals and lift your head and shoulders off the mat so you are in a scoop. Then you pump your arms by your side, almost as if you were slapping on water, pumping them up and down.


    Because both your legs and head are up in the air it forces the blood to go to your heart and pumping your arms back and forth forces the blood through your body. You're getting your circulation going and stimulating your organs making it both an internal and an external workout.

  • What would you say is the key difference between yoga and pilates?

    There's definitely a mind-body connection and a very similar fluidity in both. But one difference is that there's a whole line of equipment in Pilates that doesn't exist in yoga, so it provides a different angle: You're doing exercises with the assistance and resistance of springs and pulleys. The springs may assist you or they may make an exercise more difficult, depending on the exercise.

  • Will my body be sore after a pilates class?

    Feeling sore is a very individual thing. Some people don't feel sore. Pilates is what you put into it. If you're really conscious and making an effort to make every movement count, you'll most likely feel something the following day. It also has to do with your athleticism. If you've been sedentary, you're probably going to feel it more than someone who's very active. It's all relative.

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Our MOVEMENT Classes

Ante Natal Pilates Letterkenny

Your body goes through many changes during pregnancy, some visible and some not. One of the most obvious changes is your expanding bump.

As your abdominal muscles stretch to allow room for your growing baby, your posture can change, leading to more pressure on your spine and surrounding  muscles.

Antenatal Pilates is a fantastic form of exercise during pregnancy and has a number of benefits.



Reformer Pilates Letterkenny

Reformer Pilates is a popular workout offering all the benefits of mat work Pilates including overall strength, flexibility, coordination, posture and balance but you can use the springs to apply extra external resistance.

Reformer Pilates is no-impact (and therefore easy on the joints) and accommodates full-range motion which is great for increasing flexibility and building strength – making it very suitable for patients with injuries.


Mat Based Pilates

Mat based Pilates allows you to improve strength, flexibility, coordination, posture and balance.

Mat Pilates is a strengthening and lengthening form of exercise that focuses on your core (trunk) muscles while also training your arms and legs using a mat, pilates ball and ring with the option of using blocks if your flexibility doesn’t allow you to get into certain positions.

Mat work is a great choice for everyone from beginners to advanced.


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