What Your First Pilates-Inspired Strength Class Actually Feels Like

You did it.

You talked to a coach. You made a plan. You booked the class…and somehow you’re still thinking:

“Wait…what is this actually going to feel like?”

That first class can feel like a question mark. So let’s break it down so you know exactly what to expect in your first Pilates-inspired strength training class at Core (LP).

FIRST, WHAT IT FEELS LIKE

You walk in and pretty quickly realize….this is different. The music’s up, and the room is a little darker with neon teal lights, but everyone is pretty friendly, especially the coach.

WHEN YOU WALK IN

You’ll be greeted by your instructor at Core (LP) in Berkley or Rochester Hills right away. They’ll check in on any injuries or limitations and make sure they are documented in your client notes so every coach can support you moving forward. They’ll walk you through the machine and how the spring tension works, and they’ll usually point out a few vets in the room you can follow if you need a visual once things get moving. They’ll make sure to coach you through the entire class so you get results quickly.

They’ll also make sure you’re set with grippy socks so you can move safely on the reformer.

Whether this is your first time on the machine or you’ve done a few privates, you’re not expected to have it all down walking in. That’s the point.

WHEN THE CLASS STARTS

The coach will guide you through everything.

You’ll hear the name of the movement, how to set your body up, and how fast or slow to move through it. Once the room gets going, they’ll start layering in ways to modify or advance depending on what you need, while also correcting form and offering hands on corrections to maximize your efforts.

That’s where things start to click.

During your first class, you’ll probably look around a few times or take breaks here and there. Totally normal. The coach will keep bringing you back in, motivate you, and repeat cues while helping you find your place in the flow.

No one expects you to get it perfect, we’re here to help you maximize your 50 minutes.

BY THE END

This is one of those sessions where it will take a second to get the hang of the flow, so we always tell people to give themselves a few weeks before making a judgement call.

You may not feel like you did everything “perfectly” but perfection isn’t the point. You’ll have sweat, shook, and probably feel some muscles you didn’t even know existed. This is why Pilates-inspired strength training feels different from a typical group fitness class or beginner mat Pilates class.

What feels unfamiliar in class one starts to feel more natural a few sessions in. And while you’ll probably side-eye the reformer on day one, by day ten you’ll be talking about it at dinner parties and saying how you’ve “never worked your core like this before”.

AFTER CLASS

The other people in the room will celebrate you, and each other, because, you got through it together. There’s a sense of camaraderie because you all showed up, stuck with it, and got through the challenge.

But the results won’t just stay in the studio.

They’ll show up in how you move, how you carry yourself, and how your body feels for the rest of the day….and yeah you might feel it when you laugh the next few days. =)

We could explain it all day.

But the only way to really understand it is to feel it — read more here