Mat Pilates classes should develop your core muscles without straining your back, neck, hips, or anything else for that matter! While Mat Pilates classes can be found at most gyms, online, and everywhere in between, classes with Zoa are different. At Zen and Vitality we focus on how your body is working and seek ways to improve it rather than just pushing hard through reps of a set of core exercises.
By taking Mat Pilates, you will grow your spine and joint stability while simultaneously gaining an increased ability to move and a greater confidence that you will not hurt yourself when move or lift heavy things. You will definitely feel better not older when you feel stronger and more capable from the inside out! While Mat Pilates is but one of many movement class formats available with Zoa, it provides fabulous support for your upright life.
Is Mat Pilates Good for Low Back Pain?
Yes! But, you will not want just any teacher. You want one that will offer you the perfect level of challenge to match your current strength and take you upwards without backwards sliding into pain.
Luckily for you, Zoa’s Mat Pilates teacher training involved breaking down every exercise into various stages or progressions from beginner to advanced. It also encompassed modifying exercises to work better for people with injuries or particular body issues. With Zoa, your body will be safe and get strong in all the right places!
All classes start with body alignment, creating body awareness, and breathing to activate the many parts of your core. In every exercise after that, your core leads what motions you get to do and how much you get to move. Many exercises are about not moving A while yes moving B!
Vitality Mat Pilates
All you need to take a Mat Pilates class is your body and some cool, fun props like a ball and a flex-band. Life is easier when your core is strong and you are actively using it in your daily movements. Focus on posture, logical movement patterns, and body awareness as you get strong and balanced from the inside out. We stand, sit, lie down, and follow directions (woof!) – but you always get choices! With Zoa’s guidance, you can take the exercise down a notch when you are tired or bring it up when you are having a “feeling strong” kind of day.
Pilates in La Plata, MD
If you are in the Charles County, Maryland area, you are invited to claim a space in the micro-sized in person Mat Pilates classes in Zoa’s studio. Just bring your open mind and be sure to register ahead of time! The studio has everything you might need for class (and more!). In studio, you benefit from more corrections and adjustments so your progress tends to be faster than virtual only.
Pilates From Home
Simultaneous with the in studio students, you may sign up to take Mat Pilates virtually from home. All you need is something to squeeze with inner thighs (soft air filled ball, pillow, soft foam roller, etc.) and ideally a flex-band to add challenge and sometimes support. These classes use both audio (so we can properly communicate!) and video (so Zoa can give you personalized corrections).
“If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old. If it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.” – Joseph Pilates