I want to thank the people of DivineCaroline and the readers for the opportunity of expressing myself and letting me share my experiences with my Pilate class.
I had my fourth class and we are continuing to step it up. Only one of the eight came back but we lost another one so we are still down eight women. There is more chit chat before class and yes, my sister and I are the first ones there. You get more comfortable, you set up in the same space or area. You’re past the nod to others—you’re asking how they are doing—and waiting to get an answer.
After stretching—which I can’t say enough times, is so important—you really can feel the muscles with each lift loosening up. The muscles do get leaner and longer. Getting healthy is very doable. It doesn’t happen overnight because with me, I didn’t take care of myself the way you should and now I realize how important it is. We went into the resistance band workout which gives you so much more control over you legs then if you tried to stretch without it. It still surprises me that I can move like this.
Pilates is strengthening your core muscles. It gives you energy, improves your balance, and your stamina. Breathing—the right way—with the stretching and the exercises only increases how you use your body in positive way with less aches and pains that usually come along with getting older.
As we were working the legs and really moving, our instructor yelled out “Great job back row, really really good.” When we sat up I asked my sister if she heard that back row comment—we are both in that back row—she said, “yes, I did but she was looking over to the left,” We are on the right but I told her she did not specify right or left—it was the row and we were in it. It was like making the touchdown or hitting a grand slam well, maybe just a field goal or base hit but it was good, felt great. Class four ...we scored!
She also asked us to bring one or two pound weights for the next class. “No need to go get them if you don’t have them,” she said. “You can bring two water bottles.” This was after our class and as we were trying to get off our mats, my sister turned to me and said, “I hope she means empty ones.”
