Pilates

I've been wanting to give pilates a go for a while, but have never really had the balls to give it a go (thats technically not true, I once tried to get into a class only to find out it was booked out about a week before, so never bothered afterwards). So, one of the lads I play GAA with went along to a class last week and basically put the idea back in my head again.

So I turn up a few mins early and my initial preconceptions all turn out to be true almost immediately. Firstly, its all chicks, apart from myself, my friend and some gay lad. And I'm feeling like a complete spa.

So we go in and setup the mats. For some reason everyone is using two mats, which to be fair are quite comfy when you lie on them. Shoes off and down on the mat. Hands up to show that I'm the only beginner in the place, which makes me feel even more like a tool. And then we're soon down to business.

For the most part, the exercises didn't really do much for me. I think for the most part I mustn't have been doing them right. A couple of the exercises were killers, but thankfully the trainer started off with easier movements and worked up to harder ones, allowing beginners to find their own "level".

I'd done a few of the exercises before in varying guises at football training or circuits. This seemed a bit better in cases as it was in a more controlled environment, with more emphasis on technique than on "feeling the burn". I think the most important lesson I learned was that I can't breath for crap. All shallow breathing and found it tough enough to co-ordinate with movement. Also, my flexibility is a lot worse than I thought it was!

I still don't think I got a whole lot out of it besides an hour long stretch, but even if thats all, I think it might be worth doing. Toughest thing of the whole thing was trying to stop farting while trying to "engage my core". Seriously.

Went for a 30 min easy jog on the treadmill afterwards. Then ate like a pig. So would I go again...quick answer is yes, I'd give it another go or two.