Frequently Asked Questions
Specific benefits:
Can I really get results immediately?
Yes. Most people do sense immediate changes from their very first session. You will likely feel taller, more lifted, lighter and more aware of your body.
Will this make me lose weight?
Pilates and GyrotonicŪ alone can not make you lose weight. You need to add aerobic exercise and changes to your diet in order to lose weight. However, by simply improving your posture, Pilates and GyrotonicŪ can make you look slimmer. You will gain tone and strength in your muscles to support your joints and help prevent injuries while you are doing aerobic exercise. You will also learn good movement mechanics that you can take with you to all forms of exercise and movement.
Will this fix my posture?
Pilates and GyrotonicŪ address the positioning of your entire skeletal system. The exercises train your core muscles to work more effectively in supporting your body. You will find greater ease in carrying your torso and experience increased mobility in all your joints.
Will this make me stronger?
Yes. Both Pilates and GyrotonicŪ will increase your inner, supportive muscles at the same time it is strengthening your larger, extrinsic muscles. The inner muscles are your "core" musculature that stabilize and support your skeletal system while moving. With this inner support, you can safely open the joints and strengthen the larger muscles without compromising your spine and soft tissues. You experience a greater sense of strength from the inside out.
How can "core strength" and "good posture" help my bad knee or achy shoulder?
Often, with an injury, we develop compensations and muscular imbalances elsewhere in the body that make it difficult to fully recover our strength and flexibility. Pilates and GyrotonicŪ address those imbalances by elongating and strengthening the muscles involved and working the body with proper alignment and balanced firing patterns.
What do you mean by increasing my "own body wisdom"?
You can see the natural body wisdom in children when they sit, stand and walk. They are balanced, relaxed, and flexible in their posture and movement. Over time, adults can lose touch with this great resource. Pilates and GyrotonicŪ put you back in touch and retrain what your body already knows. This is why people often comment on how the movements feel right and good to their bodies, even if they're new to it.
I'm uncoordinated. Is this really for me?
We teach Pilates and GyrotonicŪ in a system of simple, progressive movements, at a pace suited to you. This allows your body to find its own way of connecting the mind and body in movement and experience a sense of coordination and natural flow. The exercises and improved coordination are beneficial to athletes and non-athletes alike.
Should I do Pilates or GyrotonicŪ?
During your Consultation, the Master Instructor will help you decide if one is more appropriate for your body first or if doing both would be best for you. Over time, as your needs and goals change, you can revisit this decision. Briefly, Pilates and GyrotonicŪ complement each other. They both train your core muscles and increase your flexibility. Pilates focuses more on the smaller movements to initially develop spinal strength and stability, whereas GyrotonicŪ tends more toward larger movements and radiating your core strength out into the limbs.
Why don't I hear about as many people doing Pilates or GyrotonicŪ as yoga?
Pilates and GyrotonicŪ are newer than yoga even though they have been around for decades. Although professional dancers and athletes in basketball, football and golf have known about the benefits, word is still getting out to the general public. Because Pilates and GyrotonicŪ require special equipment and instructors who go through a rigorous training program, few gyms have made the investment and so it has less exposure. Nevertheless, it is so effective that it is recommended by physical therapists and paid for by some insurance companies.
Why ABOW is the studio for me:
Why do a Consultation?
A Consultation will help you clarify your goals and understand you body's movement patterns. You will be able to ask questions and review any concerns you might have with a Master Instructor. You end up with a customized program of Pilates and GyrotonicŪ to retrain your body where it needs it most and more effectively meet your goals.
How do I know my instructor is good?
Honestly, the best way is to take a session or two; there is no mistaking the feeling of personal, high-quality instruction. We certify and train our instructors in the most respected certification program in the field - ITT Pilates. Therefore, our standards are very high. Our instructors also continue their professional training and broaden their knowledge with workshops, seminars, and physical training such as dance or trapeze.
Should I see the same instructor for all my sessions?
For most clients, it is a good idea to begin working consistently with one or two instructors until you have a sense of the Pilates and GyrotonicŪ movements. Then you may benefit from switching instructors as your needs and awareness are always evolving. It helps to learn the difference between an instructor's style and the essentials of the moves. Plus, changing instructors will help you maintain focus on one of your primary goals - developing your own body awareness.
How does it work to see more than one instructor?
You can see more than one instructor and even change instructors from one session to the next, and not interrupt your program because we will carefully track your progress. At the end of each session, your instructor makes detailed notes of the exercises and progress covered. At the start of your next session, your instructor will review those notes. Our instructors are highly skilled at providing you with continuity and continued progress.
Why not take the Pilates class at my gym?
A Pilates instructor at a gym or health club is much less likely to have the advanced certification of someone who is teaching privates on the equipment. Plus, the classes are usually too large to get the individual attention needed for you to fully grasp the exercises and learn to move with strength and ease. However, Pilates mat classes with a qualified instructor can be a great addition to your individual instruction and an affordable way to practice more frequently.
Is it really worth the money?
Yes, because Pilates and GyrotonicŪ are long-lasting investments in your self. You will be retraining your body to move more efficiently, with ease, and gaining the strength and flexibility you need as you get older. The body awareness and good habits you find in the studio will carry over into your daily activities and stay with you long after your session.
About a session:
How many times a week should I do it?
Pilates and GyrotonicŪ are different from other exercise in that you can do them every day and benefit greatly. In fact, the more you practice, the more you will notice your progress. This is especially true at the beginning. We recommend taking two to three sessions a week, if possible.
What if I can't afford to come more than once a week?
Duets and group sessions are a great way to save money and be able to practice more frequently. If you like, we will give you exercises and stretches to do at home on a mat that will keep you progressing and maintain continuity between sessions.
What happens in a typical session?
Except for the Initial Consultation, each session is 55 minutes long. Your instructor will know your customized program and choose exercises that are appropriate for you. You will most likely use several different pieces of apparatus for a balanced workout that integrates core strength with proper alignment and breathing. You might repeat an exercise and experience it at a deeper level, or you might learn new and challenging movements that build on your previous instruction. Your instructor will ask you how you are doing that day and adjust as needed.
What are Duets and Group sessions?
Duets are similar to privates, except you are working alongside another student with one instructor. You may bring a friend to work out with or we will help you find a partner. We try to match people of a similar level in duets and group sessions. Group sessions have three to five students working together with one instructor. It's more difficult to individualize the workouts within a group session and so we try match the people carefully.
What should I wear?
Gym workout clothes or yoga clothing is most common. Comfortable pants or shorts that are not too baggy and a T-shirt or sports top would be fine. You will be in socks or bare feet, no shoes.
What if I need to cancel?
You may change or cancel an appointment when needed. We have a 24 hour cancellation policy in which we ask that you give us at least 24 hours notice of any change or cancellation Monday through Friday. If you need to cancel an appointment on Monday, we need to know before that scheduled time on the Friday before. If you cancel with less notice, we will need to charge you for the session.
Can I get a refund?
We cannot give refunds, but you can give your unused sessions in a package to a friend.
Can I really get results immediately?
Yes. Most people do sense immediate changes from their very first session. You will likely feel taller, more lifted, lighter and more aware of your body.
Will this make me lose weight?
Pilates and GyrotonicŪ alone can not make you lose weight. You need to add aerobic exercise and changes to your diet in order to lose weight. However, by simply improving your posture, Pilates and GyrotonicŪ can make you look slimmer. You will gain tone and strength in your muscles to support your joints and help prevent injuries while you are doing aerobic exercise. You will also learn good movement mechanics that you can take with you to all forms of exercise and movement.
Will this fix my posture?
Pilates and GyrotonicŪ address the positioning of your entire skeletal system. The exercises train your core muscles to work more effectively in supporting your body. You will find greater ease in carrying your torso and experience increased mobility in all your joints.
Will this make me stronger?
Yes. Both Pilates and GyrotonicŪ will increase your inner, supportive muscles at the same time it is strengthening your larger, extrinsic muscles. The inner muscles are your "core" musculature that stabilize and support your skeletal system while moving. With this inner support, you can safely open the joints and strengthen the larger muscles without compromising your spine and soft tissues. You experience a greater sense of strength from the inside out.
How can "core strength" and "good posture" help my bad knee or achy shoulder?
Often, with an injury, we develop compensations and muscular imbalances elsewhere in the body that make it difficult to fully recover our strength and flexibility. Pilates and GyrotonicŪ address those imbalances by elongating and strengthening the muscles involved and working the body with proper alignment and balanced firing patterns.
What do you mean by increasing my "own body wisdom"?
You can see the natural body wisdom in children when they sit, stand and walk. They are balanced, relaxed, and flexible in their posture and movement. Over time, adults can lose touch with this great resource. Pilates and GyrotonicŪ put you back in touch and retrain what your body already knows. This is why people often comment on how the movements feel right and good to their bodies, even if they're new to it.
I'm uncoordinated. Is this really for me?
We teach Pilates and GyrotonicŪ in a system of simple, progressive movements, at a pace suited to you. This allows your body to find its own way of connecting the mind and body in movement and experience a sense of coordination and natural flow. The exercises and improved coordination are beneficial to athletes and non-athletes alike.
Should I do Pilates or GyrotonicŪ?
During your Consultation, the Master Instructor will help you decide if one is more appropriate for your body first or if doing both would be best for you. Over time, as your needs and goals change, you can revisit this decision. Briefly, Pilates and GyrotonicŪ complement each other. They both train your core muscles and increase your flexibility. Pilates focuses more on the smaller movements to initially develop spinal strength and stability, whereas GyrotonicŪ tends more toward larger movements and radiating your core strength out into the limbs.
Why don't I hear about as many people doing Pilates or GyrotonicŪ as yoga?
Pilates and GyrotonicŪ are newer than yoga even though they have been around for decades. Although professional dancers and athletes in basketball, football and golf have known about the benefits, word is still getting out to the general public. Because Pilates and GyrotonicŪ require special equipment and instructors who go through a rigorous training program, few gyms have made the investment and so it has less exposure. Nevertheless, it is so effective that it is recommended by physical therapists and paid for by some insurance companies.
Why ABOW is the studio for me:
Why do a Consultation?
A Consultation will help you clarify your goals and understand you body's movement patterns. You will be able to ask questions and review any concerns you might have with a Master Instructor. You end up with a customized program of Pilates and GyrotonicŪ to retrain your body where it needs it most and more effectively meet your goals.
How do I know my instructor is good?
Honestly, the best way is to take a session or two; there is no mistaking the feeling of personal, high-quality instruction. We certify and train our instructors in the most respected certification program in the field - ITT Pilates. Therefore, our standards are very high. Our instructors also continue their professional training and broaden their knowledge with workshops, seminars, and physical training such as dance or trapeze.
Should I see the same instructor for all my sessions?
For most clients, it is a good idea to begin working consistently with one or two instructors until you have a sense of the Pilates and GyrotonicŪ movements. Then you may benefit from switching instructors as your needs and awareness are always evolving. It helps to learn the difference between an instructor's style and the essentials of the moves. Plus, changing instructors will help you maintain focus on one of your primary goals - developing your own body awareness.
How does it work to see more than one instructor?
You can see more than one instructor and even change instructors from one session to the next, and not interrupt your program because we will carefully track your progress. At the end of each session, your instructor makes detailed notes of the exercises and progress covered. At the start of your next session, your instructor will review those notes. Our instructors are highly skilled at providing you with continuity and continued progress.
Why not take the Pilates class at my gym?
A Pilates instructor at a gym or health club is much less likely to have the advanced certification of someone who is teaching privates on the equipment. Plus, the classes are usually too large to get the individual attention needed for you to fully grasp the exercises and learn to move with strength and ease. However, Pilates mat classes with a qualified instructor can be a great addition to your individual instruction and an affordable way to practice more frequently.
Is it really worth the money?
Yes, because Pilates and GyrotonicŪ are long-lasting investments in your self. You will be retraining your body to move more efficiently, with ease, and gaining the strength and flexibility you need as you get older. The body awareness and good habits you find in the studio will carry over into your daily activities and stay with you long after your session.
About a session:
How many times a week should I do it?
Pilates and GyrotonicŪ are different from other exercise in that you can do them every day and benefit greatly. In fact, the more you practice, the more you will notice your progress. This is especially true at the beginning. We recommend taking two to three sessions a week, if possible.
What if I can't afford to come more than once a week?
Duets and group sessions are a great way to save money and be able to practice more frequently. If you like, we will give you exercises and stretches to do at home on a mat that will keep you progressing and maintain continuity between sessions.
What happens in a typical session?
Except for the Initial Consultation, each session is 55 minutes long. Your instructor will know your customized program and choose exercises that are appropriate for you. You will most likely use several different pieces of apparatus for a balanced workout that integrates core strength with proper alignment and breathing. You might repeat an exercise and experience it at a deeper level, or you might learn new and challenging movements that build on your previous instruction. Your instructor will ask you how you are doing that day and adjust as needed.
What are Duets and Group sessions?
Duets are similar to privates, except you are working alongside another student with one instructor. You may bring a friend to work out with or we will help you find a partner. We try to match people of a similar level in duets and group sessions. Group sessions have three to five students working together with one instructor. It's more difficult to individualize the workouts within a group session and so we try match the people carefully.
What should I wear?
Gym workout clothes or yoga clothing is most common. Comfortable pants or shorts that are not too baggy and a T-shirt or sports top would be fine. You will be in socks or bare feet, no shoes.
What if I need to cancel?
You may change or cancel an appointment when needed. We have a 24 hour cancellation policy in which we ask that you give us at least 24 hours notice of any change or cancellation Monday through Friday. If you need to cancel an appointment on Monday, we need to know before that scheduled time on the Friday before. If you cancel with less notice, we will need to charge you for the session.
Can I get a refund?
We cannot give refunds, but you can give your unused sessions in a package to a friend.
