FAQ
What is STOTT PILATES?
Pilates, pioneered by the late Joseph Pilates, is a mind-body exercise system to strengthen the weak and challenge the strong. Pilates (1880-1967) was a German expatriate who first made his mark in England during WWI (World War 1) when he developed a series of exercises and innovative equipment to help prisoners of war regain strength and mobility. Exercises can be performed on a mat or using specialized equipment.
When Mr. Pilates emigrated to New York, the professional dance community there discovered his conditioning techniques could prevent injury and improve strength while maintaining long, even muscle tone. Martha Graham and George Balanchine were both students of his, and two of the first celebrities to benefit from doing pilates.
Developed by professionals for professionals, STOTT PILATES is an anatomically- based approach to the original exercise method. It is a progression in pilates that incorporates modern exercise science and rehabilitation principles, eliminates contraindicated movements and emphasizes neutral alignment, core stability and peripheral mobility.
The STOTT PILATES repetoire consists of more than 500 systematic, mind-body exercises that can be performed on a mat or on specialized equipment pieces. A fitness program for a lifetime, STOTT PILATES is ideal for everyone from young adults to aging baby boomers, and post-rehab patients to elite athletes.
What results can I expect?
STOTT PILATES conditioning will help you develop optimal strength, flexibility, endurance and posture without adding bulk or stressing your joints. The perfect complement to cardiovascular exercise, athletic training or rehabilitation, STOTT PILATES exercises will leave you looking toned, feeling revitalized and moving with ease.
How long will I have to do the workout before I see results?
The average active person, doing 2-3 classes per week should see some results within 10-12 classes. This will vary depending on each individual and things such as the number of classes a person takes each week, whether they are private or group classes, whether they participate in other physical activities, and whether they have any existing injuries.
The pilates commercials on TV claim that I can lose weight. Is this true?
Co-founder of STOTT PILATES Moira Merrithew agrees that while pilates can aid in losing weight, it's not as easy or as fast as some would make it seem. "Commercials are effective marketing tools," she says, "but science does not back up pilates programs that position themselves as calorie burning systems." The pilates method of exercise is not aerobic (cardiovascular), which, along with a sensible diet, is necessary for burning fat. Pilates will help strengthen, build and tone muscle mass. Muscles are metabolically active tissue. "Skeletal muscles are responsible for more than 25 percent of our calorie use. An increase in muscle tissue causes a corresponding increase in our metabolic rate." (American Council on Exercise Personal Trainer Manual c 1996) The relationship also works the other way. A strong healthy muscle will metabolize fat much more effectively than a weak, non-fit muscle. Because pilates strengthens muscles, people who practice it regularly become more effective at metabolizing calories, which had been stored as fat.
I have a bad back. Will I be able to do pilates?
Although you should always consult your physician before starting any fitness routine, a pilates workout is gentle and controlled with no sudden jarring actions. It is therefore more important that you work with a qualified instructor to ensure that you are doing the movements correctly. An experienced instructor will be able to modify the exercises to accommodate your limitations, continually challenge you within your range and monitor your improvements. If you commit yourself to a consistent workout schedule you will certainly feel results.
Will I get the same results with a mat workout as with a Reformer/equipment workout?
Mat-based workouts are very convenient and they can be done anywhere. However, a mat workout will provide no added resistance. A Reformer workout will add resistance to your routine and can correct muscular imbalances better than a mat routine would.
Is it safe to do pilates during pregnancy?
The available information on pregnancy and exercise can be very confusing - even conflicting. STOTT tries to stay on top of the latest research regarding safety and pregnancy and covers this topic in the ISP (Injuries & Special Populations) segment of our Certification program.
No two women's bodies are the same, and this is especially true during pregnancy. There are workouts that are quite appropriate for some people during pregnancy and not for others. During a normal, healthy pregnancy, moderate exercise is safe for the fetus. Exercise is also said to prevent varicose veins, hemorrhoids and low back pain - not to mention boosting self esteem. The guidelines stated by the American Council on Exercise are not as hard-and-fast as they used to be. However, research suggests that no new exercise routine should be started during your first trimester. As well, you should be careful of over-exerting the abdominal muscles. During the second trimester these muscles become stretched out, and some women experience diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles). With reduced support for the back, you also run the risk of injuring the lower back. Further, because of the increased amounts of relaxin and progesterone released in the body during pregnancy, the ligaments surrounding the joints become lax, which leaves them loose and vulnerable. For this reason, you should be careful not to over-stretch. It is important, though, to continue strengthening and rebalancing the muscles around the joints - still trying to center the body as it goes through many postural changes due to pregnancy.
Today many guidelines for pregnancy indicate that once you reach the second trimester you should not exercise in a supine position (lying on your back) as you may be cutting off oxygen to the fetus even if you yourself are not feeling dizzy. In general, we teach that it is better to be safe and not take any chances. In the second trimester we still do some Matwork courses but we make sure that the upper torso is raised as it is when using the "Spine Supporter". We then alternate the inclined position with sitting, kneeling and standing exercises done on Mat, Reformer and Cadillac. A great piece of the equipment for pregnancy is the Stability Chair, because it facilitates so many exercises in an upright position. Of course, drinking lots of water is always important, and be sure not to over-exert yourself. The beauty of this type of work is that it can be individualized for anyone's ability.
Will I grow taller by doing STOTT PILATES?
Physically, many people have been known to actually get taller by working out consistently. By emphasizing posture, you learn to stretch your spine through pilates, and by strengthening the deep abdominals to support the rest of the body you learn to maintain your height effortlessly. The most impressive results are those reported by people who have slouched most of their lives and after a few months of practicing pilates they are able to stand up much straighter, and are therefore measurably taller. However, even people having studied dance consistently for years before beginning a pilates program, have noticed an increase in their heights over time.
What are the principles behind STOTT PILATES?
STOTT PILATES improves core strength and balances the muscles around the joints, improving the way your body functions, looks and feels. It focuses specifically on:
• Breathing
• Pelvic placement
• Rib-cage placement
• Scapular movement
• Head & cervical spine placement
For a complete review of the Basic Principles and Warm-Up exercises click here.
Is STOTT PILATES like yoga?
In some respects pilates conditioning is like yoga. Both are considered mind-body type methods of movement; both emphasize deep breathing and smooth, long movements that encourage your muscles to relax and lengthen. The difference is that while yoga requires moving from one static posture to the next without repetitions, pilates flows through a series of movements that are more dynamic, systematic and anatomically based. The goal with STOTT PILATES exercises is to achieve optimal functional fitness. Many feel that a combination of yoga and pilates makes an ideal wellness union.
How is STOTT PILATES different or better than weight training or other resistance exercise?
• Pilates is three-dimensional (i.e. exercises can be performed using all movement planes)
• Spring resistance more closely resembles muscular contraction
• Emphasis on concentric/eccentric contraction for injury prevention
• STOTT PILATES is customizable for special needs
• In pilates exercise, emphasis is placed on rebalancing muscles around the joints
• Pilates corrects over-training and muscle imbalance that leads to injury
• Pilates emphasizes balancing strength with flexibility (for injury prevention and more efficient movement)
• STOTT PILATES leads to an improvement in posture and body awareness.
If I'm doing pilates, should I still do my regular workout?
STOTT PILATES is a musculo-skeletal conditioning program. In combination with some kind of cardiovascular exercise (walking, running, aerobics, aqua fitness, etc.), it's all you need. For people who reach advanced levels, they can actually elevate their heart rate with STOTT Power workouts.
