Pilates Persecution

As you know (if you are a regular reader), I have been accumulating coupons (see previous post Discount Devotee) for various deals over the last month or so and some of those deals were for Pilates classes. I have really been looking forward to trying a class that uses the Reformer rather than just a mat class (mat classes weren't very exciting and there's only so much you can do)! So I FINALLY went to my first semi-private session last night with my friend Lauren!

In case you are not familiar with these classes, this is what a pilates reformer looks like:

Seems fairly harmless, right? Plus, I have been working out on a stability ball and Bosu for years, so I felt that I could handle the core work we'd be doing on the Reformer.....no problem!


WRONG!


Right off the bat, the instructor (Let's call her Pilates Persecutor or PP) threw me a curve ball. Apparently there's a specific way to get on the Reformer. You sit on the mat thingy (which slides back and forth). Then you're supposed to lift your legs into a V position with your arms straight out in front of you and turn 90 degrees so your feet are hovering above the bar.

HUH? How the hell do I turn without using my hands??

Well, she demonstrated the move beautifully......and then I mimicked her move but totally cheated and put my hand down to turn myself. Still not sure how the hell you're supposed to turn on your ass without using any limbs.....gotta figure that one out I guess.

Next up, we sit in this V position with the bar beckoning for you to rest your feet on it. But no....we have to keep using our abs to hold us in this torturous position. THEN without touching your feet to the bar, you SLOWLY roll back "one vertebra at a time" until your head is resting on the mat thingy. I proceeded to follow instructions, however I grouped my vertebrae into the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical areas as I lowered myself down. Five or six vertebrae at a time is close enough to one, right?!  Ahhh...now I can rest my poor abs.

Wrong again!! We repeat this move ten times WITHOUT touching your feet to the bar! (I am beginning to imagine PP holding a whip in her hand while she stands over us) I'm not sure how Lauren was doing at this point....I was too intent on imagining the instructor with her whip.

But then PP decides to show mercy and we are told to place our feet on the bar (Thank God!) and just push away from the bar and then lower yourself back down. THIS I can do!! Whee!! Now I am enjoying the reformer more.....definitely using the muscles in my legs but not killing my back. That feeling lasted for the first set of ten. Then you do two more sets ~ first set with your toes on the bar, second set with your arches on the bar, third set with your heels on the bar. THEN you make a V with your feet, "heels touching at all times!!" and repeat that whole series again!! OH MY GOD......my legs were SHAKING at the end of that one!

After that we had to put our feet in the straps which are connected by cables to the mat thingy so that we can lift our bodies by moving our legs. Or you can work you legs by pulling on the straps with your hands. I sense more torture coming my way...

Sure enough, with our legs straight up in the air we now have to draw circles with our legs going as wide as we can. My legs are not responding well at this point....I am not sure if I'll be able to stand once we are done, if we are ever done....

We ended up doing a lot of inner thigh work...not really sure why PP decided to concentrate on that area. Maybe she was trying to tell us something. As far as I know, Lauren is doing okay so far...I haven't heard any cursing under her breath which is what I would have expected if she was feeling tortured.

We finally ended the session with some stretching - definitely needed that! It was a little touch and go when I first got off the reformer but I managed to stay in an upright position without too much difficulty. Before we left PP informed us that we would probably be sore on Sunday - two days after the workout. I had my doubts about that....not about being sore. I was pretty sure I would be sore! I just had my doubts about the soreness not showing up until Sunday. Maybe Lauren and I did better than PP thought we would. Maybe we tricked her into thinking we were total fitness fanatics. Maybe I am delusional after being tortured for an hour with straps, cables, and a whip (imagined or not)! Lauren and I decided to numb our post-workout pain with some beers at a nearby Mexican restaurant.....I felt MUCH better afterward!

It is now not even 24 hours later and yes, I am sore!! My inner thighs are definitely feeling the workout we did last night! Strangely enough, my abs aren't sore, my core isn't sore.....the only thing I feel is soreness in my inner thighs!! I am not sure if I should be thrilled in thinking my abs are stronger than I thought, or if I should be depressed that my inner thighs are so weak! Each time I go to cross my legs, I get a lovely reminder of our workout. I guess I won't be wearing a skirt in the next few days. Sigh....

(Okay, for those of you who know me, you know this isn't a problem anyway since I RARELY wear skirts!)

Lauren and I are signed up for TWO classes next week. Apparently we are masochists. Actually, I already knew that I was, but wasn't sure where Lauren stood. Even though I am in pain now, I am looking forward to trying some different exercises on the reformer next time. Plus we have a different instructor for next time, so it will be interesting to see how the class is. It's the whip wielding instructor's husband that will be teaching us though, so I'm not sure if that means it'll be harder or not. Maybe I should have a couple drinks to numb the pain BEFORE class next time.

For your amusement, here are a couple exercises I am interested in trying at some point.....although I may need medical attention if I actually get to try these. Stay tuned....