Day 15 - Tastes like humble pie

For the uninitiated (yours truly included), pilates may seem like a fitness regime which can be mastered in a matter of weeks or months. We’re all familiar with the kick-boxing, power jam or yoga class that goes through a fixed sequence of moves, with a little variation sometimes, but largely routine. So routine, such that the “regulars” (you MUST have come across those hyper enthusiasts who want to stand closest to the instructor, who buy all the accessories such as cut-off gloves, who say “HYAH” the loudest) are able to transition to the next step before the instructor even prompts them to.

Pilates, I found, was anything but routine. I’m amazed time and again, by the configurations of movements that can be attained simply by placing my body on the reformer alone, what more adding an accessory – from something as simple as a sponge or a theraband, to slightly more complex items such as a Box, a Jumpboard etc.

The Pilates Place, has a number of tailored classes, each catering to various cardio levels, different fitness levels and various complexities. I was about to go through a class that ranked high on all counts – the Circuit!

It was once again, a humbling experience because after 2 weeks of daily sessions, I thought I had a handle (no pun intended) on pilates. I was getting quite familiar with the moves and improving my execution of each movement with each lesson.

The Circuit brought me back to reality and exposed just how unfit I was and how I lacked strength, muscle and flexibility in certain areas. The toughest movement was the one where I started off standing on The Chair. I had to grip the handlebars and support my weight using my arms, with my legs dangling in midair. Exhaling to engage my core, I had to bring my knees up to hip height in rapid succession whilst stabilizing the lower body to ensure that it didn’t sway. I wasn’t successful at all.

My classmate on the other hand, went through The Circuit relatively unscathed. She did groan a little now and then, but she was miles better than I was.

This in itself was a motivation - I thought… I’m gonna nail that movement. If not the next lesson, then the one after. Or the one after that… or the one after that…