A new workout...

I have been googling for a couple of weeks now to try and find an exercise class in my area. Because I gave up my car when I bought the house, and then moved to a village, I can't really get out to places further away than the surrounding villages, and our bus route isn't particularly helpful in getting me out and about.

I was looking for pilates in particular because I've been wanting to try it for a while now, even though I'm a bit anxious about what it might entail and whether I'll be able to adapt to a new exercise which is so different from anything I've ever tried before.

It's amazing how difficult it is to actually find an exercise class online for my area of Leicestershire - it took me a long time and lots of searching. But eventually I discovered that there's a pilates class every Wednesday night in a church in the next village, either 6:10pm-7:00pm or 7:10pm-8:00pm. If my bus from town after work is on time then I usually get home for just before 6, so hopefully I'll be able to make the early class. I'm really looking forward to it. I sent an email to the instructor to check that it was still going ahead and she seemed really friendly and told me that her class is for people of all abilties, so hopefully I'll be able to slot into the back of the class and observe and fit in.

I did a bit of searching for the benefits of pilates and www.eathealthylivefit.com state this:

The 10 key benefits of Pilates
1. Improve your Breathing
2. Achieve Proper Alignment
3. Increase Strength
4. Improve Stability (Core)
5. Improve Flexibility
6. Improve Body Control
7. Shape and Tone the Body
8. Increase Endurance
9. Mind over muscle
10. Reduce Stress

Improved breathing, strength, flexibility and toning are all things that I could definitely benefit from, not to mention there is nothing better than an exercise that promises to reduce stress - right up my street!

I am clearing my diary for next Wednesday and every week onwards to try this class out. Have you ever tried pilates and are there any tips you could give me before my first class? What have you benefited from since starting? Let me know.

Dans