Anyone do Pilates?

[Crankin]

It's funny, every time I try Pilates, it hurts. I hate it. I did it consistently about 4 years ago, but it never got better. The instructors are very qualified, too and I did lots of modifications. For some reason, yoga is much better for me.

[Zen]

What hurts??

Yoga doesn't have enough stretching in it for me. I like yogalates.
Sugar free, lowfat

[OakLeaf]

Yoga doesn't have enough stretching in it for me.

King Pigeon. All the various back bends and shoulder openers. Eagle. Bending your toes past 90 degrees, whatever that's called. Lotus. Hero is actually reasonably comfortable for me, but there are people in my yoga class who actually have to sit on TWO blocks to get into Hero. Heck, even plain old Triangle is a pretty good stretch.

If that's not enough stretching for you I don't know any discipline that has more...

[crazycanuck]

Pilates has helped me stay (almost) injury free . I don't do classes but attend a studio that creates individualized programs for you. I love stretching on the reformer!

Pilates even helped after I had my interesting bike crash. The folks started me off again two weeks after my incident with small movements & moved forward quite nicely.

+1 for Pilates done properly!

[Zen]

If that's not enough stretching for you I don't know any discipline that has more...

It's an entirely different type of stretching. Pilates is more like lengthening.

[Crankin]

I guess my back hurt the most. And my neck. Like holding your head up doing 100s. I can do the abs part, but can't hold my head up without pain. The fact that no matter how long I kept trying, my back still lifted off the floor, out of "imprint" when doing some of that stuff.
The yoga classes I take are fairly easy, I guess. Yet, I have seen improvement since I started. I am very flexible, so that's not it. I'm just weak, lopsided, due to untreated scoliosis, and all my other assorted sports injuries. Heck, PT only helped me temporarily and I was religious about my "homework." I still do all of that, 4 days a week.
Maybe I would feel better if I stopped all of this exercise stuff .

[tulip]

I guess my back hurt the most. And my neck. Like holding your head up doing 100s. I can do the abs part, but can't hold my head up without pain. The fact that no matter how long I kept trying, my back still lifted off the floor, out of "imprint" when doing some of that stuff.
The yoga classes I take are fairly easy, I guess. Yet, I have seen improvement since I started. I am very flexible, so that's not it. I'm just weak, lopsided, due to untreated scoliosis, and all my other assorted sports injuries. Heck, PT only helped me temporarily and I was religious about my "homework." I still do all of that, 4 days a week.
Maybe I would feel better if I stopped all of this exercise stuff .

I would venture that if you did a series of one-on-one Pilates sessions on the reformer and other apparati that your neck/upper back issues and your core strength would improve significantly. It would be pricey, but that's what I would do if i could afford it. I hope by next year that I can do that at least once a month while also doing the mat exercises.

I've found that yoga and Pilates, while having some similarities, are actually quite different in a number of ways. The breathing, for one, is really different. In yoga, the emphasis is on filling up your belly and relaxing those muscles, while in Pilates it's all about scooping and tightening the "powerhouse." I enjoy them both and get benefits from both.

[emily_in_nc]

I've found that yoga and Pilates, while having some similarities, are actually quite different in a number of ways. The breathing, for one, is really different. In yoga, the emphasis is on filling up your belly and relaxing those muscles, while in Pilates it's all about scooping and tightening the "powerhouse." I enjoy them both and get benefits from both.

Agreed completely! +1

Crankin, my neck also bothers me on the "hundred". It's like it is trying to do all the work for my abs. But once we move on to the rest of the routine, my abs seem to warm up and do more, so my neck doesn't bother me so much. I still have to lie my head down from time to time, though, and rest those muscles. It's not the back of my neck that bothers me, tho, is that what bothered you? For me it is the muscles in the front of my neck, trying to take over for my abs. I am hoping as my abs get stronger, that will lessen. I still have a ways to go as I still get sore abs after class, but I'm only taking one Pilates class per week (and one yoga).