Group reformer class at Upside Pilates, Roslyn Village, Dunedin

Why Pilates Might Be Right for You

Pilates is an amazing type of exercise with so many positive aspects from strengthening to living pain free. At Upside Pilates we give you a fun all over body workout, so you leave us feeling happier, and stronger. Talk to us about how we can help.

When doing Pilates, your muscles will increase in tone, strength and endurance, but you will never ‘bulk up’. What you will gain from frequent Pilates is a toned, lean and more functional body. Pilates leaves you feeling fantastic, more confident and better able to live the life you want, from supporting athletics to keeping you playing with your grandkids.

Pilates is lower impact, but that doesn’t mean lower intensity or easy! It simply means there is less stress on the joints than with other forms of exercise. You will feel the targeted muscles working effectively, allowing you to strengthen and target problem areas, helping your body feel stronger and more balanced. Pilates is great for injuries and because of the
natural progression of the exercises it never gets boring and keeps you motivated. Because Pilates is lower impact, you can do it every day as your body recovers fast.

Who is Pilates beneficial for?

Generally speaking, practicing Pilates can be beneficial for most people. If you don't have any medical conditions, frankly: you have no excuses not to give it a go :)

We understand that starting into a new exercise regime can be challenging though. You'll be in a new environment, and you may not know the Upside Pilates instructors yet. To ease you into it, go see their friendly faces here. Another thing to be ready for is that you'll be asking your body to move in new ways. Again, our lovely team will guide you along the way, and we have special first timer packages for you.

Is there such a thing as too much Pilates?

In our opinion, never. But make sure you do what works for your body, mind, mood and schedule. After all the real key to success is the frequency you come. If you’re new to pilates, then 2-3 classes per week is a great starting point. Once you’re as hooked as we are then you can build up to 4-6 classes per week. To make the most of your Upside Pilates classes, we suggest you take a mixture to ensure you’re getting a range of fun, full-body movement.

A wee reminder: you will be challenged both mentally and physically, and your willpower will be tested. This is all part of the experience and why we have a strong community focus, but is also what keeps you coming back for more.
Stick with it you will achieve amazing results. Joseph Pilates’ motto was “after 10 sessions you will feel better, after 20 sessions you will look better and after 30 sessions you will have a whole new body”!

The American College of Sports Medicine and CDC recommendations state that: "All healthy adults aged 18–65 years should participate in moderate intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes on five days per week, or vigorous intensity aerobic activity for a minimum of 20 minutes on three days per week. Every adult should perform activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance for a minimum of two days per week."