Pilates

Another summer is about to start and thus another attempt at fitness. This time I turn to Pilates-no gym membership necessary, minimal equipment needed, and a low-impact exercise.

Yesterday was my first try and I hope today's muscle soreness is a good symptom. (FYI: A symptom is something which a person can feel but cannot be verified by someone else.)

All I needed were:

• Element: Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners (2008), DVD
  
• Thick Exercise Mat

Element: Pilates Weight Loss for Beginners (2008), DVD

• I'm a beginner in Pilates but I enjoyed working out to this video from start to finish. I found myself paying close attention to what she was saying all the time because they were helpful in making me do the exercises correctly. I started with the cardio section of the DVD and in less than 5 minutes I was a believer in Pilates as a serious fitness program. Once I finished the DVD I was sweating and my heart rate was up.
  

Exercise Mats

• Cutely designed and colored exercise mats for ~$20 are ubiquitous. I bought one last year and I regretted my purchase as soon as I used them on a hardwood floor. Once I decided to do Pilates last month I pinched the floor mats at the store to see how much of a cushion they actually provided. I can't remember now which brand but it looks like this GoFit Pilates Mat.

Afterthoughts

• As good as Brooke Siler's Pilates video is I do believe that as a matter of safety it's a must to not only see your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen but to also have a complete understanding of how exactly you're supposed to do the exercise. To do the latter you either have to have a session with an attentive pilates instructor or get a good pilates book. At the very top of my book list is reading The Pilates Body by Brooke Siler. I didn't realize the author was the same individual until I was writing this post. I bought the DVD and book together based on separate reviews.
  
• Another way of ensuring correct posture is having the ability to view what it is you're doing. A large mirror would be one solution but I guess one of these days I'll shoot a video to check my form. (Sorry but I have no plans of ever sharing that video.)
• I really appreciated working out with a 50+ inch screen but equally helpful was having a laptop as an extra screen. Whenever I was lying down and wanted to look at the video I didn't have to look up too high to look at the bigger screen.