Not long ago, someone asked on social media what the best way was to do Pilates if you have joint and low back pain. Most of the replies came from larger, multi-reformer studios that insisted that their studio would be the ideal choice. I, in turn, replied that the best option would be one-on-one private Pilates because anyone with a lot of health concerns or injuries would benefit from seeing a well-trained and experienced instructor. The writer of the post decided on the large group class setting. Two months later, she got in touch with me, confessing that she hurt herself in a large reformer class. She then began taking weekly private Pilates sessions with me and is now doing wonderfully. She is even thinking about returning to a large group class in addition to her private sessions now that she feels more confident in her ability to do Pilates.
In today’s very busy and complicated world of Pilates, there are many options. Large group classes with 12 or more people are all the rage. In addition, the variety of Pilates styles offered is staggering. There seems to be a new ‘type’ of Pilates hitting the market every few months. However, the availability of Pilates options doesn’t always make for a better class. Sometimes taking a few private Pilates sessions with a highly trained instructor is a good introduction to a larger group class. People who study with an instructor who has 10 or more years’ experience end up doing better in a group class.
When signing up for Pilates remember the following:
- Will I get the attention I need?
- How many students are there per instructor?
- How much training do the instructors have?
- Will my physical issues limit me in what I can do?
- Will I benefit from this class?
It’s true that private Pilates will always be more expensive, but then again, anything worth having is going to be more expensive. Remember, the teacher only sees one person at a time and gives a full hour to the clients’ needs. Be mindful that before signing up at that brand new shiny studio down the road with 15 Pilates reformers, it might make sense to spend a little more to really learn how to do Pilates the right way. Remember, you always get what you pay for.
