Pilates is a form of exercise that focuses on developing strength, flexibility, and control of the body through movement that emphasizes core stability and proper alignment. It was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century and has since become popular around the world.

The exercises in Pilates typically involve low-impact movements that are performed slowly and with precise form. They can incorporate specialised equipment such as a Pilates reformer, which uses springs and straps to provide resistance and support during the exercises or ‘matwork’ as you will find on this site.

Pilates is known for its emphasis on proper breathing techniques, which helps improve circulation and increase oxygen flow to the muscles. It is often used as a form of rehabilitation for people recovering from injuries or chronic pain, as well as a way to improve core stability, posture, balance, and overall physical fitness.

Pilates can provide numerous benefits for both the body and mind. Some of the key benefits of practicing Pilates regularly include:

1. Improved core strength: Pilates emphasizes strengthening the muscles of the abdomen, lower back, and hips, which can improve overall core strength and stability.
2. Increased flexibility: The slow and controlled movements of Pilates can help improve flexibility, range of motion, and overall mobility.
3. Better posture: Pilates can help improve posture by strengthening the muscles that support the spine and promoting proper alignment of the body.
4. Reduced stress: The emphasis on breathing and mindfulness in Pilates can help reduce stress and promote relaxation.
5. Injury prevention: By improving strength, flexibility, and balance, Pilates can help prevent injuries and promote better overall health.
6. Rehabilitation: Pilates is often used as a form of rehabilitation for people recovering from injuries or chronic pain, as it can help improve strength and flexibility without putting undue stress on the body.
7. Increased body awareness: Pilates emphasizes precise movements and control of the body, which can help improve body awareness and coordination.

Overall, Pilates is a low-impact, effective form of exercise that can provide a wide range of benefits for people of all ages and fitness levels.

Absolutely. In fact we have structured beginners course to teach you all the basics clearly and concisely.

We’ve put a lot of effort in creating videos in our technique section to really help you get an indepth understanding of what we are aiming for and why and bulletproof ways of checking you are in the right starting position. We also have a section on Pilates Principles which you can layer into your practice as you improve. Don’t worry if some of this feels overwhelming to start with – we take the attitude of progress not perfection and recognise that if you are just doing your best, you will always improve.

You don’t really need any equipment to participate in our online classes, however we do recommend you have a mat for hygiene and comfort reasons. Happily most people have one knocking about at home and if you don’t you can pick one up cheaply online. Some of our classes utilise props, such as hand weights (which can be improvised with cans of food), resistance bands and small balls etc – you only need invest if you wish to. Again, all of the kit we use can be bought very inexpensively and most videos use no additional equipment.

This is of course the million dollar question with any online exercise! You will get better at finding the correct form in exercises as you practice but due to its specificity, you will be very clear what you are trying to do as well as having a teacher executing proper form to copy. Pilates takes a lot of time and effort to master but is also accessible right from the get-go. At Target Pilates Online, we pride ourselves on the quality of our verbal cueing – so you will know exactly what you are aiming to achieve even if you still have some work to do to perfect the movement. There is always a way to improve with Pilates so regardless of your level, you will always be ‘a work in progress.’ We have also provided you with some detailed videos in our ‘tutorials’ section, which frankly are able to get into more depth that you would ever be able to give as a teacher in a community or studio class because you wouldn’t have the time. We also recommend using a mirror for your practice as it will help you to determine how well you are managing to execute the instructions.

Yoga and Pilates are both forms of mind-body exercise that focus on building strength, flexibility, and balance, but there are some key differences between the two practices.

1. Origin: Yoga originated in ancient India thousands of years ago as a spiritual practice, while Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century as a form of exercise and rehabilitation.
2. Focus: Yoga emphasizes the connection between body, mind, and spirit and often includes meditation, breathing exercises, and spiritual teachings, while Pilates focuses more on physical fitness and building strength, flexibility, and control of the body.
3. Breathing: While both practices emphasize the importance of breathing, the breathing techniques used in yoga and Pilates are different. In yoga, breathing is often used to help relax the body and calm the mind, while in Pilates, breathing is used to engage the core muscles and support the movements.
4. Movements: While both practices include movements that involve stretching and strengthening the muscles, the specific movements used in yoga and Pilates are different. Yoga often includes poses that are held for several breaths and flow from one to another, while Pilates includes movements that are more controlled and focused on building strength in the core and other muscles. There is actually very little cross over in the exercises themselves; technically, Pilates is 34 specific exercises that are designed to be done in a set order. However, although you will find the ‘classical series’ on this website in a lot of detail, nowadays its widely accepted that you can apply Pilates principles to movements that are inspired by the original 34 and help people build up the advanced level of practice that the classical series requires.

Overall, both yoga and Pilates can provide numerous benefits for the body and mind, and which practice is best for an individual depends on their personal preferences, goals, and physical abilities.

Yes, Pilates is a great form of exercise for men! While it is often associated with women, Pilates was actually developed by a man (Joseph Pilates) and was originally used to train male athletes and dancers.

On top of the list of benefits we have listed in an earlier question, you may be interested to hear that many professional athletes and sports teams use Pilates alongside their other training to build technique and reduce risk of injury. You may find that if you enjoy other sports such as golf and tennis, that Pilates improves your performance as a form of cross-training. Alternatively you may find that if you have a desk job you struggle with everyday aches and pains in your back, neck and shoulders. Pilates is a fantastic long term solution to this.

Overall, Pilates is a versatile form of exercise that can provide numerous benefits for men, regardless of their fitness level or athletic ability.

But don’t just take our word for it, read our testimonial from our lovely client Peter:

If you have a specific health concern we would always recommend that you speak to your doctor before commencing any new exercise practice, however in our community classes we have always found huge support from the medical community as the physical benefits of Pilates are very well documented. Indeed in many scenarios such as non-specific back pain, Pilates is proven to be more effective than western medicine and providing a real long term solution.

Absolutely. We have made it our mission to make cancelling a smooth and easy process for anyone that doesn’t want to continue with our online service. You can cancel at anytime simply by logging in to your dashboard area – you don’t even need to contact us. You can also email us and ask us to do this on your behalf if it seems overwhelming! You also have the option to pause your membership in the event you want a break for any reason which keeps all your login information but stops the monthly charge until you wish to resume.