It’s so easy to head to the shops and purchase the best Pilates DVD, but getting the most out of it is a different thing altogether. Even if you have access to the best Pilates DVD, it does not mean that you will be getting a better workout or that it will have better effects on your fitness level.
If you really want to get the most out of your Pilates DVD, you will have to prepare sufficiently for it. That means you will have to condition your body as well as your mind in order to utilize the DVD to the maximum. This is especially true if you have never joined a Pilates class or consulted a Pilates instructor. You are on your own, and this means that nobody else will be around to make sure you are doing the right movements.
-First of all, you will need to secure the necessary materials. You will need a Pilates mat, the best Pilates DVD you can find, and other Pilates equipment that are used in the video. If not already specified on the box, you may have to skim through it a bit first to find out what those are. The usual requirements are elastic bands and an exercise ball.
-Choose a spacious area of your house. It must be a room where you feel relaxed. You can achieve this by cleaning up clutter and finding a space where it isn’t too noisy or congested. Ask family members to please refrain from barging in and talking to you while you work out. You will need complete concentration and focus for Pilates.
-Change into your workout clothes. They don’t have to be the height of fashion, but they do have to be comfortable. Avoid baggy clothes. Choose clothes that are snug enough and cling to your body, but do not go the other extreme by choosing clothes so tight that you can’t breathe in them. Remove sharp hairclips, earrings, necklaces, bangles, and other accessories that might pierce or injure you during the workout.
-If you are a beginner, perform only the exercises meant for your level. You can work your way to intermediate levels as you do the exercises regularly. Do not be too impatient and think that just because you have the best Pilates DVD, you can become a Pilates expert overnight. It takes discipline and gradual progression.
-When you put the best Pilates DVD into the player, watch and listen carefully. You may not have an instructor right in front of you, but the instructor on the video will tell you how to execute the movements carefully. He may even give you the reasons and principles behind the movement. It is important that you internalize this so that you can perform the movement carefully, and so that you will be motivated to perform it regularly. It always helps when you have a reason and a goal.
Do not get discouraged if you cannot keep up with the instructor in the best Pilates DVD or if you have difficulty performing the movements. If you have previously led a very sedentary lifestyle, you may tire easily. This is normal and you will build endurance and flexibility the more you practice. Do not think that just because the exercises are difficult, Pilates is not for you. Remember that the video instructor can perform with such grace and ease because he has been training in it for years. If you stick to a regular workout, you will progress just as he did and eventually get to his level.
