We’re always up for trying something new, especially if it involves getting bendy!
Liz from Simply Fitness Southern Highlands, a fab boutique fitness studio in Moss Vale, gave us a heads up about a class she introduced to her timetable recently – Pilates Arc – and it sounded super interesting, so we gave it a crack!
So what is Pilates Arc?
“It’s all about the core, of course,” says Liz.
“But by using the Arc with it’s asymmetric shape and removable step, you can do deeper stretches, give yourself a bigger range of mobility and get right to the foundations of your core, making it a more effective way to work on strengthening that part of your body.”
And we all know how important the core is, right?
“A strong core impacts everything – the way you walk, the way you sit, the way you move – the stronger, the better,” Liz says.
At the start of the class (which is only 30 minutes by the way – how good is that?), I chatted to a few of the other Pilates Arc-ers who had been doing the classes for a few weeks.
“I sit down in an office all week, so the deep stretching really helps,” said one.
“I’ve been mowing and whipper snipping all weekend in the garden. I’ve been feeling pretty stiff, and the body is tight, but I know that once I’ve done a Pilates Arc class, my muscles will release and I’ll feel flexible and loose again,” said another.
So far so good, so let’s go………!
Stretching out
Hey, before we start I want to mention that the small class sizes are awesome here at Simply Fitness. Not only from a COVIDSafe point of view, but it gives Liz a chance to really focus on each of us doing our thing. And it’s got a nice, friendly, relaxed feel to it too.
Anyhoo…… let’s streeeeetch!
First of all, Liz runs us through a series of stretches using the arc which gives you extra support. My spine sounded like a Meccano set unclicking as I reached back over my head and stretched over the arc. I could feel everything separating and releasing (in a good way!) and thought about the last time I’d given my body a good, long, deep stretch…. and it’s been a while. That got me thinking about how ‘compressed’ most of us must be if we sit down a lot and don’t stretch.
Ab-solutely fabulous
Okay, now it’s time to get into the abs. Liz talks us through a range of ab exercises, using the Pilates Arc for support. We’re activating the top, bottom, sides and deep down into the abs – there is no ab left unturned!
I found I was having to really focus and concentrate on my movements, which weren’t difficult but required concentration to do them properly. The added bonus was that my chatterbox monkey mind and the 465 things I had to do before 8pm that night flew out of my head as I focused on keeping the core engaged and tried to stop my abs from shaking!
Toys!
Well, not really toys but Liz gave us fun things to play with to activate the abs even further. We used long elastics to both support our bodies and achieve deeper movements. The elastics and the Pilates Arc gives you the confidence to go a bit deeper with each stretch. You definitely get a bit further than you normally would which is the whole point of the class – work smarter for a shorter period of time and with more impact.
Whole body activation
One of the things I was surprised about with the Pilates Arc class was that it’s not just about the core. I got a full body workout. We worked legs, shoulders, arms, back, bums, neck – oh hey, and you know how your neck can feel stiff and heavy when you’re doing sit-ups and ab work? Not anymore! Liz gave us a great little tip about pressing your fingers behind your head to take the pressure off your neck – a sneaky trick that worked a treat! Liz totally knows her stuff and I always feel 100% confident and supported at a Simply Fitness class.
Slow and steady wins the race (and strengthens the core)
We kicked up, kicked out, stretched in, stretched out, scissor kicked, donkey kicked, made helicopters with our legs……. oooh yeah, we were doing it all! But not quickly. Nope. It’s all slow and controlled and requires that focus I talked about earlier (see ya monkey mind!). All these elements combine beautifully to give you an all over body workout AND a bit of a mind workout too.
Stretchilicious…..
We get to the end of 30 minutes – honestly, the time flies by! – and do the very same stretch we did at the beginning of the class. Reaching out over our heads, backs draped over the Pilates Arc, legs stretched out straight in front of us…… and this time there was no unclicking Meccano set. Nope! The spine opened up beautifully and it actually felt really good to stretch without:
a.Unidentified cracking noises
b.Groaning of any sort
c.Muscles going into spasm
d.All of the above!
The verdict? Give it a go!
If you need to loosen up a bit, work on your core strength or counteract a lot of sitting in your life, give it a go for yourself. Liz has three fab Pilates Arc classes available to choose from throughout the week:
- Mondays 5:30pm-6pm
- Tuesdays 12:30pm -1pm (do it in your lunch break!)
- Wednesdays 9am -9:30am
Simply Fitness is Moss Vale’s only boutique fitness and personal training studio. A friendly, neighbourhood studio with affordable fitness classes, a range of sessions suitable for all sorts of fitness levels and busy schedules! We love the small classes too – such a great way to get a personalised training experience. Get in touch with Liz today and give one (or all!) of these fab classes a try. Find out more information here.
