**Can you do Pilates at home? What if I don’t quite get it right?**

These are just two of the many questions I get asked with regards to doing Pilates at home. So, in this article I hope to answer some of those commonly asked questions and get more of you MOVING without the fear of getting it wrong*
pssss *any mindful movement is good movement ;)

There’s no denying that, since lockdown the fitness industry has changed a lot. The pandemic has forced, not only commercial gyms but individuals like myself to find new ways of training people, online. During the first lockdown, Zoom saved me. Back then without those online classes, not only would I have been so lost without teaching anymore but financially it kept me afloat. Seeing my loyal clients, (and lots of new faces too) on the screen each day not only gave me a small sense of normality but it gave me the chance to do what I love, it also gave me routine and structure.

Times have changed again though since those Zoom days. Many went off Zoom after the first lockdown. People sort of went back to work, sort of didn’t. Many of us felt like we were floating about a bit, not really sure what the rules were, what was open, what was closed. Because of these unknowns the structure went, Zooms didn’t always work the same anymore as more and more people went back to work in drips and drabs and so that sense of routine we all started to get used to got spun around again.

This is where the On Demand started. Whilst there were already some big players in the online fitness industry, of course Joe Wicks did his daily PE with Joe and Peleton grew and grew. But, boutique studios also started to embrace the world of digital fitness to keep their beloved community alive. So, I created Brighton Pilates On Demand. Brighton Pilates On-Demand is essentially a platform you can log into where you are able to workout from home, at a time that suits you. Here you can browse through a huge variety of classes to fit your goals, the time you have and the intensity you feel up for that day. It’s not live, which takes the pressure off in many ways… you have the freedom to pause for a loo break or answer the door to the post man without missing anything. You can do it in your PJs without anyone seeing, and you can squeeze it into your day if you’re working from home. Just roll out the mat, do a class and still have time to eat lunch in your lunch break. There really are many benefits.

So, without further a do… I am going to answer some of my most frequently asked questions below regarding the On Demand platform. You never know this could be just the article you needed to read to take that leap into the Freedom of the online fitness industry.

FYI - all my plans come with a 7 day free trial. So, you can try the platform without any commitment anytime, here.

I want to do Brighton Pilates On Demand but I am worried I’ll get the exercises wrong.

Hey, some movement is better than no movement, right? Honestly, the most experienced Pilates teacher will practice Pilates at home on their own, and their form won’t always be correct either. On the platform there are a bunch of ‘Pre Pilates’ workouts. These are designed for those of you that have little or no Pilates experience when you join the platform. I advise that when you join you start by taking the Pre Pilates 1, 2 and 3 classes first. These will get you going and educate you on the key basic principles of Pilates. There are also videos to teach how to use your pelvic floor and the correct breathing. But, honestly trust me when I say, as long as the exercises don’t cause you pain ( you must stop if you ever feel actual pain during exercise ) you really can’t go far wrong. You need to move to feel the benefits of the Pilates, you need to be consistent too. This is the beauty of the On Demand, which brings me to my next key question….

I want to do Pilates more but I can’t afford it.

So the On Demand is a great way to get more Pilates in to your life without the high price tag. In an ideal world we’d all be doing a mat Pilates and a reformer Pilates or studio Pilates each week. However, I get this is expensive and many of us can’t afford such a luxury. What I recommend my clients do is take a mat class with me and supplement the other class with the On Demand which is a lot cheaper per month than multiple mat classes. The other thing that clients do is they do a weekly or monthly studio class and again the rest of the time they use the On Demand. It is a personal service so ALL members whether I see you in person or you are a pure On Demand user you can message me anytime and I will point you in the right direction for workouts should you need the guidance. I also offer members workout plans in the forum area, like this:

What’s the difference between Reformer Pilates and Mat Pilates?

Reformer Pilates gives the body a frame to work in, this provides immediate feedback so, in my opinion, Reformer Pilates is actually easier to get right than mat Pilates. There are huge benefits to gain from both, and actually in an ideal world mat and Reformer Pilates would be practiced by everyone.

Did you know that the way Joseph Pilates ran his studio was that people would come into the studio to use the apparatus — the reformer, tower, Wunda chair — and then he would send them home with the mat work as a home workout.

This is very much how I like to work. I train people in my studio using all the apparatus to really work the body and hone in on technique. Then their home workouts are done via my Pilates On Demand platform, which contains a huge bank of my mat workouts. I find this balance the best for real progression.

Do I need equipment at home?

Nope. There are videos that use specific Pilates kit such as the overball, magic circle and bands (all in expensive and easily available even at places like tiger). However most of the videos on the platform have been designed without the use of any equipment. Or, if the equipment is used then we do use items you can find in most homes such as cans, chairs and even dressing gown cords!

What are the benefits of On Demand over going to a real life class?

1. It slots easily into your day with no down time either side.

Sometimes the thought of getting out the house, or packing extra kit to carry with you in the day can be enough to put you off going to a class. On Demand takes that bit of resistance away. You can be at your desk working, roll out your mat and then still have enough time to eat your lunch. So, there really is no excuses for not being able to fit it in. Of course, if you have young kids too this is such a doable option as you can put a workout on whilst they are napping or have gone to bed.

2. It’s more affordable. Most platforms (including Brighton Pilates On Demand) offers an unlimited amount of classes a month and so you can do more and it’s a fraction of the cost.

3. You can take your favourite teacher with you on holiday and when you travel.

4. You can work out with your friends even if they don’t live in the same town or city as you.

Top 3 things to bare in mind when choosing an On Demand platform:

1. Do you get direct access to the teacher…

I personally like to be on platforms that are smaller for the simple reason that you can direct message your teacher with any questions relating to the workouts. I have clients often message me asking me what would work for them that week. They tell me their goals and I am always more than happy to steer them in the right direction. I think that personal touch is really lovely and important.

2. How well qualified the teacher is that you are following

This absolutely goes without saying. Always make sure that the classes you follow online are with a well qualified reputable teacher. This is especially important if you are following online workouts whilst pregnant or post surgeries or with an injury. If you are unsure contact the platform, or even better the teacher directly to check that the exercises are safe for you to do. You can also ask them where they trained. Make sure you feel comfortable with who you are training with before you start.

3. Do you have a safe space to move in.

Before you sign up, make sure you have a space that you can access that you can safely do the sessions in. For my Brighton Pilates On Demand platform you don’t need much space, just a space for a mat with about an arms length either side of you.

3 Benefits of Brighton Pilates On Demand:

1. You can contact me directly.

I am always delighted when members get in contact with me. I am always up for sending workout plans and suggestions and chatting through your goals. You can email me here: ellie@brightonpilates.co.uk, or call/text 07950304071

2. New Classes are added every week.

The content is always fresh. You can contact me and make specific requests too. I film every month so I am always up for filming specific things that my members want to see on the platform should the requests come in. It really is your space and you can get out of the videos what you like. If you want more workouts with light hand weights, then just let me know and they’ll be up on the platform in no time. It really is a super personal service and a really sweet community of members on there that interact with me and feel comfortable to ask me questions whenever.

3. You can customise your workouts.

You can filter the workouts so if you wanted to do a straight 55 minute session, you absolutely can. Or, you could choose 2 shorter 10 minute workouts, or, do a 20 minute workout and do 10 minutes of arms or legs at the end. You can pick and choose by the length of the video or the focus and mix and match your workouts.

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Action (should you want to try it):