She is fucking toned, yo. It’s kind of sick.

After a lot of practice I felt like I was doing what the instructor was saying as far as engaging my core, e.g. it was definitely deeper than just sucking in my stomach. And the DVD I have (it’s the Jillian Hessel beginners’ DVD) has a whole section where you practice breathing and engaging the core before you get to the mat work, so that was good. But I don’t think I was feeling it all the way around to my back so that is a great tip.

Also thanks for the advice on breathing, Alyssa… it does help. I felt like it really had to be exact and although I can expand my chest on the inhale and engage my lower abs/pelvic floor on the exhale (or at least it feels “right” based on what the DVD is saying) I can’t do it very fast. So where she’s like “breathe! extend! switch sides!” I can never keep up. Maybe I can relax a little on that for the faster exertions.

Weetz, I have an Enell (sp?) sports bra and it’s great.

spacedcowgirl, the breathing doesn’t have to be exact. I know some instructors are real sticklers about it, but the main thing is to keep breathing and just not hold your breath. Hope that helps!

I just noticed fillyjonk’s comment on the tailbone–ditto! I bought a mat and I lay it on carpet and I still am not sure I can tolerate that “roll down, roll back up” thing. Boy does that hurt my tailbone.

Superthick mat required, SG. If you were ever going to drop major change on an exercise mat, this would be a good time.

KH, if you would like to sweat during Pilates class (although I sort of get the sense you are genetically built to generate much less water than I — my aunt is like you; it could be 100 degrees and she’d be talking about “dry heat” or how “cool” the breeze is) when you come to New York on your book tour, please feel free to accompany me to Pat’s Tower class at DLFit. You will cry when you’re there; you will be able to move nothing the next day, and the next week you will fly around like Supergirl cleaning entire apartments and sweeping all the work off your desk in one day.

Alyssa, congrats! Are you in NYC? Can we take class from you?

You are probably right about this and it’s definitely worth checking out! Any pain you’re having that doesn’t seem right, isn’t right. End of story. That being said, anyone who’s doing Pilates mat work or thinking about it should definitely use a really thick mat and not a thin light yoga mat. You can layer your yoga mats, use a towel … etc… but you have to have lots of padding for Pilates, and maybe even extra for an injury. Be comfortable. As you learn to tuck your pelvis under consistently and engage your core, the tailbone issue should go away, but it takes time!

One quick aside — the first yoga class I ever took, I brought my heavy duty Pilates mat to use and wobbled around like a toddler the whole time because it was too thick to balance on — live and learn!

Wrist pain in Pilates is really common at first. Eventually as you get stronger, you learn that the exercises that involve balancing your body on your hands use much more of the back and hamstring muscles than your wrists and arms. However, don’t grimace through wrist pain until you get stronger … if it hurts, stop the exercise and talk to your teacher about how to shift your weight off of your hands and wrists. Communication helps you get better at your practice, and helps your teachers become better teachers!