Is anyone here still doing Pilates consistently? Favorites? Results???

[tigerbaby]

Originally Posted by Pat58

I need to get back at it. Pilates always made me feel and look trimmer, brightens my mood and does wonders for my bad back.

I've have some disc degeneration in my lower back so I deal with tightness and pain on a daily basis. I started kettlebells a couple months ago and about 2 weeks into it, started rebounding on my reformer. Well, I noticed my back pain was finally going away but I honestly attributed it to kettlebells. Then I stopped using my reformer and what do you know, the pain came back! I really need to get serious with pilates.

Originally Posted by Pat58

You do not have to hold your head up. It is in fact beneficial to learn the moves with your head down so that your core learns to work, then as you strengthen use a mini-ball under your head, and work up to it.

I would've never thought of this Pat! Thanks! One question for you though, I'm thinking about getting the triad ball to use with my reformer. Do you ever use the dvds or would I be better off just getting the ball?

[KathAL79]

I try to do Pilates once a week. I do matwork only; I haven't had the pleasure of reformer work (although I will do some reformer routines adapted to the mat). Unfortunately, I had to take some time off, but I'm trying to get back to my normal routine.
I do too many things to credit Pilates with anything in particular, and I'm really into aesthetic results, but I feel that regular Pilates practice gives me increased core strength, a "natural girdle" that helps nip my waist in ever so slightly, and better body awareness and posture that also translates into improved performance during my other forms of exercise.

Originally Posted by buffmama

Now I'm exploring KathAL79's recommendations and liking them a lot. (Thanks Kath!)

Aw, shucks! You're very welcome!

Originally Posted by tlchello

So for someone who has almost zero experience with Pilates, could you ladies please recommend some good ones to get started with? I think I can pick up some from the library to try out but there are sooooo many titles and instructors.

I'm not a good person to answer this question since I learned from live classes, but I do recommend that you try several videos, and I also recommend Brooke Siler's The Pilates Body and also Alycea Ungaro's Pilates Body in Motion (both books). I think it's probably also worth a look at stuff like Brooke Siler's Element Pilates for Weight Loss for Beginners, Lara Hudson's 10 Minute Solution Pilates for Beginners (not the one that says just "10 Minute Solution Pilates" - save that one for after you get the basics down), Hilary Burnett's beginner, Rael Isacowitz's Rael 7, and any of Stott Pilates' Beginner or level 1 workouts.

Originally Posted by Inchworm

Yes, I have found Pilates does cause some neck strain, and also, my feet have the tendency to cramp too. Does anyone have any helpful tips for these common complaints?

There have been a few threads on toe / foot / calf cramps that I hope can help:
Pilates toe cramps??
Pilates Makes My Feet Cramp! :-(
Ouch! Pilates is making my calves cramp!

With regards to neck strain, I'll share another suggestion that Jillian Hessel shows in her AM Pilates (which I don't particularly love): putting a towel behind your upper back and holding it so it supports your head. This helps you test to see if you are leading with your head and may help you learn to keep your head more relaxed and in line with your spine.
In a similar vein, my one Pilates teacher also had us imagine that we were a piece of construction paper perforated under the bust. So she would cue us to fold up in our upper body as if it were one connected piece rather than curl up through the head, neck, and shoulders, if that makes sense.

[KathAL79]

Oops, forgot to share my favorites!
I'm a Stott girl; both of my live instructors have been Stott-trained at some point down the line. Their videos aren't a barrel of fun, but the instruction is very good.
Hilary Burnett's Intermediate is my go-to whenever I'm coming back from vacation; I like her Advanced, but you really need to know what you're doing before you tackle that one.
Brooke Siler's Element Pilates for Weight Loss for Beginners is another one I use with some regularity. I also have Kara Wily's Element Slim & Tone Pilates, which is interesting.
Jules Benson's Total Core Pilates is another one I like. I also kind of like James D'Silva's Core Strength Pilates with Trudie Styler.
Of the 10 Minute Solutions, I prefer Lara Hudson's; Suzanne Bowen and Andrea Leigh Rodgers' offerings are a bit too much into the barre / fusion for me. Of Lara's, On the Ball is my favorite.
I like Ana Caban but find things to nitpick in her videos. Her Maintenance Pilates for Weight Loss may be my favorite of her offerings. I also like the Corp sisters but am not that fond of their Pilates on the Go DVD (it's fine, just not really what I look for in my Pilates videos right now).
ETA: Oops, forgot Sarah Picot's More than Mat, which are adapted from the reformer.

[bee]

Thanks for all the neck strain tips! They make sense to me, and have inspired me to not dismiss that type of work work -- thanks!!

[Pat58]

Originally Posted by tigerbaby

I would've never thought of this Pat! Thanks! One question for you though, I'm thinking about getting the triad ball to use with my reformer. Do you ever use the dvds or would I be better off just getting the ball?

The only reformer I'm familiar with is Stott, from when I went to classes. That model had a little flip up head support. I don't see why you couldn't try the Triad ball if you don't have that little neck support on your reformer.

Another good thing to remember when you do want to lift the head is to bring it up from the contraction of the transverse abdominus. I still hate lifting the head for a prolonged period, some of us just aren't as capable as others with that move.

[Inchworm]

Does anyone like that new one called "Do More Pilates Mat Series". It looked interesting and it sounds as though they give good form tips throughout.

Kelly

[sheepla]

Originally Posted by Pat58

You do not have to hold your head up. It is in fact beneficial to learn the moves with your head down so that your core learns to work, then as you strengthen use a mini-ball under your head, and work up to it.

I only recently learned this tip about a mini-ball under the head....it truly is beneficial!

[imhere2dance]

I do 30 minutes of Pilates 3 days a week. My weekly rotation (once a week each) is Ana Cabán's Pilates Toning Ring Workout, Quick Start Pilates for Weight Loss, and Cardio Pilates. I don't know about "results" because I do many other things besides Pilates, but I love how good it makes me feel.


Other Pilates videos I have in my collection and will do once in a while are:

Pilates Abs Workout (Ana Cabán)
Fitness Circle Flow (Stott Pilates)
Fitness Circle Challenge (Stott Pilates)
Crunch: Pick Your Spot Pilates (Ellen Barrett)
Keeping Fit Pilates (Andrea Metcalf)

I also the short standing Pilates segment Denise Austin does on her Body Burn with Dance and Pilates DVD.

[Peggy T]

Hillary Burnett's Pilates Beginner. The Dummies one is good, too.

[Pam61]

I try to do Pilates at least 3x a week. I have a large collection of pilates, and rotate through as much as I can between Stott, Caban, Picot, Barrett, etc. My most used are shorter 10MS, Supreme Pilates. I haven't found a pilates dvd that I didn't like, as I usually find some benefit or variation. Sometimes I get bored with regular mat, and have to do reformer based moves on the mat. Or, equipment (balls, bands, weights, toys!) If I haven't done pilates in a while, I'll pull out a longer Stott fundamentals workout. But, I like variety and props to change things up. Fusion pilates-yoga is nice, too! I have some newer workouts still in shrink, that I hope to get to, Spin pilates, Bernadette, and a few others.

At my age, I need all the core and stretching I can get. Also, love the relaxation and mind/body connection.