Triple Your Results from Pilates · From Pilates. Trip le Yo u r R esu l t s From Pilate s About the author Raphael Bender is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist based in Melbourne,

Train smarter AND harder

By Raphael Bender, Accredited Exercise Physiologist

Triple your resultsFrom Pilates

Triple Your Results From Pilates

About the authorRaphael Bender is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist based inMelbourne, Australia. Exercise physiologists study how thebody functions during exercise, at a cellular level.

His personal quest is to bring science-based approaches intothe mainstream of health and fitness, and make themaccessible to everyone.

Contact Raphael at [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Table Of Contents

About the author 1

How you train determines your results 4

More is not always better 4

Equally, less is not always bettter 4

The right amount is better 4

The basic ingredients of strengthening 5

How your body knows you worked out 6

The basic strengthening cycle 7

Why 2-3 sessions per week is ideal 8

What happens when you train too oftern 8

What happens when you don't train often enough 8

The stimulating threshold of intensity 9

Some reps count, others don't 10

Stop 1-2 reps short of failure 11

What is failure? 11

How to tell when you are near failure 11

Why it's important to know when you're near failure 12

Why you should stop 1-2 reps before failure 12

Why there is a stimulus threshold 14

Muscle �bres are recruited sequentially 14

Most exercises don't use all your muscle �bres 15

Working to near failure recruits all your muscle �bres 15


Why consciously activating muscles doesn't help 16

Summary 17

How many stimulating reps is enough? 18

Example sets 19

Example workouts 20

Recovery 21

Nutrition and sleep 22

When NOT to apply this approach 23

Summary 24

Suggestions for group class instructors 25

Programming 25

Scale and spring options 26

Educate your clients to train more effectively 26


How you train determinesyour resultsMore is not always betterThe mindset of “no pain, no gain” is deeply ingrained in our exercise culture. So deeply thatmost of us accept it without question. But it’s wrong. If your goal is to become stronger and more toned, how much pain you feel during orafter a workout is not a useful indicator of how effective the workout was.

In fact, if you push yourself to your limit frequently, you are almost certainly reducing thebenefit you get from your classes and increasing your chance of injury.

Equally, less is not always bettterOn the other hand, some people hold the opposite view; that Pilates should at all times begentle, precise, and effortless. In this view, you should avoid all strain and strenuous effortduring a Pilates session. Whilst this is a legitimate philosophical stand on the Art of Pilates, it flies in the face ofdecades of exercise research on how to increase strength and muscle tone, and thus willresult in no noticeable changes to either strength, or muscle tone.

The right amount is betterWhat most people, including most trainers don’t realise, is that if you want to trulymaximise your strength and toning results from Pilates (or any exercise, for that matter)training the right amount at the right intensity is way more effective than just training asmuch and as hard as possible. And certainly more effective than training gently. This book will show you why. Most importantly, you will learn how to take advantage of current science, to maximisethe effects of your workouts and achieve a noticeable change in your body.


The basic ingredients ofstrengtheningTo increase your strength you need 2 things to occur. First, you need a stimulus to the muscle (and tendon, bone, and nervous system). Second,you need recovery time, with sleep and good nutrition, to repair and build the muscle(and tendon, bone, and nervous system) stronger.

If you don’t stimulate the body, all the recovery in the world won’t make you stronger.

On the other hand, if you don’t allow time for recovery, all the stimulus in the world will notmake you stronger.

If you want your strength to increase, both stimulus, and recovery are crucial.

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How your body knows you worked outThere is only one thing that will stimulate your muscles, bones, tendons and nervoussystem to grow stronger; high levels of mechanical tension.

"Mechanical tension" just means a force that pulls on something, like a tug-of-war teampulls on a rope.

When we work against a load - like when we lift a weight, or do a push up, our musclescontract, which means they pull their ends closer together.

Each end of a muscle pulls on a tendon, and thetendon in turn pulls on a bone. Thus, when a musclecontracts, it pulls two bones closer together, as in thebiceps curl in the image. This is how we move.

The pulling force, or contraction of the muscle putstension on the muscle, just as the tug of war teamputs tension on the rope.

The tendons and bones are also subjected tomechanical tension - that is to say they are alsopulled on.

When your tendons are pulled on by your muscles, they stretch a little, and becomeslightly thinner, just like when you pull on an elastic band it stretches and becomesthinner.

Bones do not stretch, but they do bend very slightly when muscles pull on them, just liketrees bend when the wind pulls on them.

Embedded in your muscles, tendons and bones you have molecules calledmechanoreceptors. Mechanoreceptors are able to detect to the slight changes in shapeof the muscles, tendons and bones, caused by mechanical tension.

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The basic strengthening cycleWhen mechanoreceptors detect mechanical tension in the muscle, tendon, or bone, theyinitiate chemical processes that remodel the tissues to make them stronger.

The remodelling process is a physical upgrade. It involves literally rebuilding your tissuesby installing more structural supports, better energy storage facilities and strongermoving parts. Just like upgrading your home by installing higher quality carpet, wiring andplumbing. This rebuilding takes place over 2-4 days, and requires resources - food and rest. At theend of 2-4 days, your tissues have been remodelled, and they are just a little strongerthan they were before your workout. If you work out again 2-4 days following your first workout, your body will be stimulated toremodel a second time, and over the next 2-4 days will become a little stronger again. These little strength gains after each workout, add up to BIG strength gains over time, inthe same way that money in the bank compounds over time.

To become a LOT stronger over time, the basic process is this:

1. Apply high levels of mechanical tension to your muscles, tendons, and bones tostimulate remodelling of your tissues

2. Allow 2-4 days, with adequate rest and nutrition, for the remodelling process tooccur

3. Repeat

How well you manage this cycle of stimulus, and recovery will determine your results fromany form of resistance training, including Pilates. More is not better, less is not better - theright amount is better.

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Why 2-3 sessions per week is idealWhat happens when you train too ofternIf you train every day, you will constantly interrupt the remodelling process by applyingtoo frequent stimuli. Your training cycle will now look like this:

1. Stimulate the muscles, bones and tendons with high levels of mechanical tension2. Stimulate the muscles, bones and tendons with high levels of mechanical tension3. Stimulate the muscles, bones and tendons with high levels of mechanical tension

As you can see, in this cycle there is no time for remodelling. Hence, no strength gains.

What happens when you don't train often enoughOn the other hand, if you wait too long between workouts, the remodelling process willreverse, and your tissues will lose the additional strength you gained from your firstworkout. So, if you workout only once every 10 days, your cycle will look more like this:

1. Apply high levels of mechanical tension to muscles, tendons and bones to stimulateremodelling

2. Over 2-4 days the tissues are remodelled, and become stronger3. After a further 5-6 days of rest, your body reverses the remodelling process,

returning your tissues to their pre-workout level of strength4. Repeat

Following this cycle, you would not become stronger over time, as each workout makesyou stronger only for a few days, then you return to your baseline level of strength beforethe next workout, only to repeat the cycle.

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The stimulating threshold ofintensityWhen you train gently and avoid any feeling of strain or exertion, your muscles, tendonsand bones are not subjected to high levels of mechanical tension. Because high levels of mechanical tension are the only stimulus that triggers your body toremodel to increase strength, if you avoid strenuous exertion you will not becomestronger.

It turns out that there is a threshold level of tension that is enough to stimulate increasesin strength.

If you exercise below this threshold, no matter how many reps or sets you do, and nomatter how much you feel the burn, you will NOT get any stronger.

If you train below the stimulating threshold, remodelling will not occur. How then, can you tell when you are above the stimulating threshold?

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Some reps count, others don'tEach individual time that you perform an exercise movement is called a repetition, or repfor short. For example if you do 10 lunges, each lunge is one repetition. So you did 10repetitions, or 10 reps for short.

When you exercise to improve your strength, you need to place your muscles, tendonsand bones under enough mechanical tension to stimulate a strengthening response.

There is a threshold level of mechanical tension. If you work below this threshold,regardless of how many reps you do, you will not get stronger.

However, as soon as you do even a single rep above the stimulation threshold, your bodywill be triggered to remodel and you will become stronger over the next 2-4 days.

A repetition where you go above the stimulation threshold is called a stimulating repbecause it stimulates your muscles, tendons, bones and nervous system to be rebuiltstronger than before (if given adequate recovery, sleep, and nutrition).

During any exercise, the final 5 reps before you fail are the only ones that reach thestimulation threshold – the only ones that place enough mechanical tension on themuscle, to stimulate a strengthening response.

These final 5 repetitions before failure are called stimulating reps.

Simply, the number of stimulating reps you do in a workout, determines the amount ofstrengthening that you achieve.

More stimulating reps = greater strength gains.

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Stop 1-2 reps short of failureWhat is failure?In exercise, failure is the point at which your muscles are so fatigued that you cannotcomplete another rep in reasonable form.

For example if you do as many pushups (or kneeling pushups) as you are able, you willfind that at some point you simply cannot do another pushup. Exercise scientists call thispoint muscular failure.

How to tell when you are near failureYou may also notice that, in the final few reps before you reach failure, your movementslows down a little more each rep, until finally you slow down so much that you stop, orfail. You don't slow down on purpose - it is involuntary, which is to say you can't help it.

This is the easiest way to spot when someone isnearing the point of failure in an exercise.

You may also notice, that in the last one or two reps before you stop, your body changesposition - in pushups, your hips may sag towards the floor. This happens because yourmuscles are fatigued, and your body changes position to engage different muscles.

When you observe this change in position, also called a change in form, it is a sign thatyour muscles are fatigued - that you have already reached failure, even though you arestill moving.

Thus, we arrive at failure when we can not complete another rep in reasonable form -which is to say we cannot complete another rep without changing our body position.

Working near to failure then, looks like involuntary slowing down, without changing bodyposition.

involuntary slowing down of movement

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Why it's important to know when you're near failureYour muscles are each made up of thousands of muscle fibres, just like a rope is made ofmany strands.

As your muscles gradually fatigue over the course of an exercise, what happens withinthe muscles is that some muscle fibres become fatigued and produce less force, so thetension on other muscle fibres increases. Just like if some strands of our tug-of-war ropeparted, there would be more tension on the remaining strands. I will explain how and whythis happens in a later section.

final 5reps before you reach failure. All the reps before these final 5 reps, are below thestimulation threshold.

Thus the final 5 reps before you reach failure are called stimulating reps because they arethe only reps that place enough tension on your muscle fibres to stimulate astrengthening response.

The more stimulating reps you do in a workout, the stronger you will get. Regardless of thetotal number of reps you do. Only stimulating reps count for purposes of strengthening.

Why you should stop 1-2 reps before failureThe last 5 reps before you reach failure are called simulating reps because these reps, arethe only ones where there is enough mechanical tension on your individual muscle fibres,to stimulate a strengthening response.

Thus, in order to become stronger, you'll need to work to within 5 reps of failure.

When you train hard, you stimulate your body to remodel itself. However, when you trainextremely hard, right up to the point of failure or beyond, you cause damage to thestructural parts of your muscle cells - you rip the carpet, tear the wiring and crack theplumbing. This damage must be repaired before the muscle can be remodelled, so your bodydevotes energy to repair, instead of remodelling. Thus your results are worse when youregularly train to the point of failure or beyond.

The tension on individual muscle fibres reaches the stimulation threshold in the

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Muscle damage not only slows down recovery, it also increases the risk of injury, and mayreduce strength gains.

So, your best strategy is to stop 1-2 reps BEFORE you reach failure. This way you will achieve3-4 stimulating reps, whilst minimising muscle damage.

Then, later in the workout, work the same muscle groups again, stopping 1-2 reps beforeyou reach failure. Now you have done 6-8 stimulating reps.

The more stimulating reps you do, the stronger you will get.

So you need to work near to failure - that is to say within 5 repetitions of failure.

But try to avoid reaching failure.

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Why there is a stimulus thresholdIf you're interested to know WHY only the last 5 reps before failure are stimulating reps,read this section.

However if you're not interested in theory, and you just want to know HOW to get the bestresults, you can skip this section and move straight to the example sets.

Muscle fibres are recruited sequentiallyEach of your muscles is made up of thousands of muscle fibres.

In everyday life, when you contract a muscle gently (for example to pick up a cup ofcoffee) you recruit (activate) only a small number of the fibres in the muscle.

This is because each individual muscle fibre can only contract fully, or not at all. Musclefibres can't contract "a little bit". They generate their maximum force whenever they arerecruited (activated).

So, in order to gently contract the muscle as a whole, your brain recruits only a smallnumber of the fibres in the muscle.

Those fibres that are recruited, contract maximally, and the rest of the fibres do notcontract at all. This results in the total muscle generating only a small amount of force.

If you need to generate more force, for example to pick up a young child, you recruit alarger number of muscle fibres. All the fibres you recruit, contract maximally, whilst therest of the fibres do not contract at all.

Crucially, muscle fibres are recruited sequentially.

This means that certain fibres within each muscle are always recruited first (when youneed to generate only a small amount of force), whilst other fibres are always recruitedlast (only when you maximally contract the muscle).

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Most exercises don't use all your muscle fibresWhen you work against a load that is less than the maximum load you could manage,you recruit some of the muscle fibres within your working muscles, but not all of the fibres.

As you work against heavier and heavier loads, you recruit more and more muscle fibres.

This recruitment is always sequential; particular fibres, called low threshold fibres arealways recruited first, whilst other fibres, called high threshold fibres are only recruited ifthe low threshold fibres are not strong enough to do the work.

This means that in your everyday life, and also in most exercises, you only recruit lowthreshold fibres. From one day to the next, your high threshold fibres remain dormant.

This is a problem if you want to improve your strength, as the vast majority of strengthgains come from increases in the force-producing capacity of the high threshold fibres.

And, in order to increase the strength of your high threshold fibres, you must subject thehigh threshold fibres to high levels of mechanical tension.

Working to near failure recruits all your muscle fibresAs you work near to failure, your low threshold fibres become fatigued, which means theyproduce less force. At some point, they do not produce enough force to perform theexercise. This happens around 5 repetitions before you fail in an exercise.

When your low threshold fibres start to fatigue, you automatically recruit your highthreshold fibres (in addition to the low threshold fibres) in order to do the movement.

Because the low threshold fibres are fatigued (not producing much force) there is a highlevel of mechanical tension on the high threshold fibres.

A high level of mechanical tension is the only stimulus that will cause muscle fibres tobecome stronger.

So working within 5 reps of failure is the ONLY time your high threshold fibres are recruitedand subjected to high levels of mechanical tension.

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Why consciously activatingmuscles doesn't helpYou may wonder if consciously activating your muscle to recruit all fibres during anexercise will work to increase strength. Sadly, this won't work. Here's why.

Remember that, in order to stimulate your muscle fibres to become stronger, you need tosubject them to high levels of mechanical tension.

Simply recruiting a muscle fibre does not simulate it to become stronger. Only high levelsof mechanical tension stimulate muscle fibres to grow stronger.

When you are working against a load that is less than your maximum, and youconsciously activate your muscle, you recruit all the muscle fibres.

But, because your low threshold fibres are not fatigued, they contribute substantially tothe force produced by the muscle as a whole.

So you are spreading a light load across all your muscle fibres.

Consequently, each muscle fibre is only subjected to a small amount of mechanicaltension, which is not enough to stimulate improvements in strength.

It is only as you approach failure and your low threshold fibres become fatigued, that yourecruit your high threshold fibres and subject them to high levels of mechanicaltension which is crucial to stimulate them to become stronger.

This is because, as you approach failure, your low threshold fibres become fatigued andcontribute less force, so more of the total load on the muscle is borne by the highthreshold fibres, placing these fibres under high levels of mechanical tension.

Because most strength gains come from improvements in the strength of your highthreshold fibres, and because only training near failure places your high threshold fibresunder high levels of mechanical tension, only training near to failure will result insignificant improvements in strength.

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Summary Your muscles are made up of thousands of muscle fibres.

Not all fibres are recruited in all movements. Rather, they are recruited sequentially, withthe low threshold fibres always being recruited first, and the high threshold fibres onlyever recruited when you need to contract the muscle maximially.

The vast majority of increases in strength come from increases in the force producingcapacity of high threshold muscle fibres.

In order to become stronger, you need to recruit your high threshold fibres and subjectthem to high levels of mechanical tension.

This only happens when your low threshold fibres become fatigued, which generallyoccurs in the final 5 repetitions before you reach failure.

This means that in order to become stronger, you need to work to within 5 reps of failure.

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How many stimulating reps isenough?Even 3-4 stimulating reps will cause a muscle to respond by becoming stronger. But moreis generally better – up to a point.

If you can achieve 3-4 stimulating reps for each muscle group (e.g. your legs, abs, back,arms, shoulders and neck) in a workout, you will get stronger and more toned all over.

If you can achieve 6-8 stimulating reps in a workout, (2 sets each including 3-4stimulating reps) you will almost double your results.

If you manage 20 stimulating reps in a workout (5-7 sets), you will close to triple yourresults.

For best results with least effort, just do one set, stopping 1-2 reps short of failure (3-4stimulating reps total).

For absolute maximum results, do 5-7 sets, stopping 1-2 reps short of failure (20stimulating reps total).

Remember that regardless of how many total reps you do in a set, each set will onlyinclude 3-4 stimulating reps, if you stop 1-2 reps short of failure.

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Example setsLet's take a look at an example of how to count stimulating reps in a set. Remember that,in each set, only the final 5 reps before failure are stimulating reps.

ExampleNumber of reps you can do to

failureNumber of reps you

doTotal stimulating

reps

A 12 10 3

B 32 25 0

C 32 30 3

In example A, you can do 12 reps. You do a set of 10 reps, stopping 2 reps short of failure.You have done 3 stimulating reps.

In example B, you choose a lighter spring setting that would allow you to do 32 total repsbefore failure. In this set, you do 25 reps, stopping 7 reps before failure. In this example, youdid no stimulating reps and will not get stronger.

In example C, you chose a spring setting where you could do 32 reps before failure. In thiscase you did 30 reps, stopping 2 reps before failure. In this set you achieved 3 stimulatingreps.

Notice that in examples A and C, you achieved the same number of stimulating reps, eventhough the total number of reps was different. Thus, examples A and C would result in theexact same amount of strengthening

In contrast, example B would result in no strengthening, even though the total number ofreps was higher than in example A, none of the reps in example B were stimulating reps.

This illustrates the point that the total number of reps you do in the set doesn't matter forpurposes of strengthening. Only stimulating reps matter.

So, in these examples, you would achieve the exact same amount of strengthening bydoing 10 reps, as you would by doing 30 reps with a lighter spring setting.

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Example workoutsHere are some example workouts, to help you calculate how many stimulating reps youdo in a workout.

Remember that regardless of how many total reps you do in a set, only the final 5 repsbefore you fail are stimulating reps.

We'll assume that in each set, you are stopping 2 reps short of failure. Thus, in each set youdo 3 stimulating reps.

ExampleNumber of sets and

repsTotal number of

repsTotal number of stimulating

reps

D 1 set of 12 reps 12 3

E 2 sets of 25 reps 50 6

F 7 sets of 5 reps 35 21

You can see that in example D, you did 1 set of 12 reps, so you did a total of 12 reps. In thisset, you stopped 2 reps short of failure, so you achieved 3 stimulating reps.

In example E, you did 2 sets of 25 reps, for a total of 50 reps. You stopped 2 reps short offailure in each set, so you achieved 3 stimulating reps per set, for a total of 6 stimulatingreps.

In example F, you did 7 sets of 5 reps, for a total of 35 reps. Each set, you stopped 2 repsbefore failure, giving you 3 stimulating reps per set, for a total of 21 stimulating reps.

As you can see from these examples, the total number of reps you do in a workout is notrelated to how much strength you will gain.

Rather, the total number of stimulating reps, and thus how much stronger you get, isclosely related to how many SETS you do, as long as you stop 1-2 reps short of failure.

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RecoveryNow you have stimulated your muscles, tendons, bones and nervous system to becomestronger, you need to allow them time to actually get stronger.

In order to get stronger your body builds new proteins inside your muscles, tendons andcell walls. This takes time.

If you interrupt the process by stressing the muscles again, whilst the rebuilding process isstill incomplete, you essentially lose all the benefit of the previous workout, as you havestimulated rebuilding by doing the workout, but not allowed time for the rebuilding tooccur before applying another stimulus.

Recovery time varies between people. Older people generally take longer to recover, andif you are stressed, or unwell you will also need longer to recover between workouts.

For most people, 2-4 days between workouts of the same body part is ideal. This equatesto working each body part 2-3 times each week.

“Working” a body part in this context, means doing stimulating reps.

Working the same body part every day is almost certainly less effective than working it 2-3 time per week, with at least 2 days in between workouts.

So, do a whole-body workout 2-3 days each week.

OR, split up your routine, and work out more often.

For example, you could work your abs and arms on one day, your back and legs onanother day.

If you repeat each workout 2-3 times per week, you will work out 4-6 days per week intotal, but only work each body part 2-3 days per week.

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Nutrition and sleepIt is beyond the scope of this book to give you specific dietary advice. But it is well knownthat you need adequate energy, and especially protein, in order to become stronger.

Generally, the recommended protein intake for adults is around 0.85 grams of protein perkg of body weight, per day.

So if you weigh 65kg, you should eat 0.85 x 65 = 55g of protein each day.

However, research has shown that when you do strength training (like Pilates), eatingmore protein improves the results of your training. So you could probably have up to 2grams of protein per kg of bodyweight, per day, and get better results from your training.

For a person who weighs 65kg, 2g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day, would equal130g of protein each day. That's quite a bit of protein.

Remember that just eating more protein won’t make you stronger, or more toned – firstyou need to do enough stimulating reps!

You can use an app like MyFitnessPal to track your protein intake for a few days, to see ifyou’re getting enough.

The very best thing you could do in relation to your diet, to really maximise your results,would be to have a few sessions with a registered dietitian, who will give you specific,tailored advice.

Sleeping 8 hours each night has been shown to maximise the results of strength training.If you’re sleeping less than this, try increasing your sleep time.

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When NOT to apply thisapproachThe exercise science-based approach outlined in this book will drastically improve theresults you get from your Pilates in the realm of strengthening and toning.

But strengthening and toning are not the only reasons people do Pilates.

If your gaols include becoming more skilled at Pilates, that is to say executing theexercises more accurately, gracefully and effortlessly, this approach will not be the bestone to achieve that.

If you want to feel more relaxed, to improve your flexibility, balance or coordination, or justto have fun in class, this approach will not necessarily be the best strategy; although it isrewarding, working to near failure is physically uncomfortable.

However, none of these diverse goals are incompatible with also getting stronger andmore toned - you can in fact, achieve them all through Pilates, and all within the sameclass.

By applying this approach to SOME of the exercises you do in class, you will maximise yourstrength and toning.

You can also focus on balance, coordination, skill, flexibility, fun and relaxation in otherexercises, within the same class, or in a different class.

So, in some exercises you will work to near failure, whereas in other exercises within thesame class, or in other classes, you may focus more on coordination, or breathing, orsmooth movement.

The exercises, or classes, in which you focus on these other elements, can provide restand recovery between sets or days of strengthening exercises, whilst also moving youtowards greater balance, coordination, flexibility and skill.

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SummarySo, there you have it. The “secrets” of exercise science that most people, including mostfitness trainers, don’t understand.

To get stronger, and more toned, you need two things: High levels of mechanical tensionon your high threshold muscle fibres, then adequate rest, nutrition and sleep.

The final 5 reps before you fail at an exercise are the only ones where you have enoughmechanical tension on the high threshold fibres to stimulate a strengthening response.These final five reps are called stimulating reps. The more stimulating reps you do in aworkout, the more strength you will gain.

When you reach failure in an exercise (you cannont continue in reasonable form) youincur a significant amout of muscle damage, which slows down recovery, and mayreduce strength gains. So your best bet is to stop each set 1-2 reps before you fail.

Even one set stopping 1-2 reps short of failure will cause you to get stronger.

For even better results, do more sets. If you do 5-7 sets per muscle group, each setstopping 1-2 reps before failure (total 20 stimulating reps), you will maximise your results.

Finally, you need adequate rest, nutrition and sleep to enable your body to build strongermuscles, tendons and cell walls.

Allow 2-4 days between working the same body part. This equates to 2-3 workouts perweek, for each body part. You can do 2-3 whole body workouts, or 4-6 split workouts.

Track your protein intake using a free app like MyFitnessPal, or even better, see a dietitian.You should eat at least 0.85 grams of protein per kg of your body weight, each day. If youare training hard (e.g. 5-7 sets per body part) then eating up to 2 grams of protein per kgof body weight may further improve your results.

Work towards getting 8 hours of sleep each night.

Now you’re training like a pro!

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Suggestions for group classinstructorsThis section is for Pilates instructors, teaching groups of people, especially on Reformers.There are several areas where you can apply these principles in your group classes, bymaking wise choices in both your class design and in your teaching.

ProgrammingChoose exercises where most clients in your group will be able to reach near failure within10-30 reps. Examples include:

Hundred Overhead Hug a tree Backstroke Swan Arms pulling straps Teaser Breaststroke Long stretch series Stomach massage series Tendon stretch Thigh stretch Kneeling side arm series Snake/Twist Corkscrew Swimming Short box series Control front/back Side support Splits (front/back/side)

Traditional exercises Lunges Planks Pull ups on the pulley stanchions Push ups Side planks Reverse teasers, side teasers Side lying feet in straps Side lying footwork Jumpboard work Shoulder bridge/hip bridge Hamstring curls on long box Reverse plank on short box Donkey kicks/kickbacks with strap Dips Flyes Triceps pushups Supine leg raises V-ups Dumbbell raises, flyes, & presses Frog press with fitness circle

Modern exercises

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Scale and spring optionsWhen working with a group of clients, even within a set level class such as a beginnerclass, or an advanced class, there will usually be clients in the group who have verydifferent levels of strength.

Therefore you need to enable each client to find their own ideal level of challenge, wherean exercise is both achievable, and also hard enough that they can achieve near failurewithin 10-30 reps.

This starts with your programming choices. Choose exercises like the ones on theprevious page, where clients can easily adjust the level of challenge, by either changingtheir springs, or their body position, e.g. by bending their knees in long stretch.

When setting up the exercises in class, suggest a range of spring settings or bodypositions, that will enable each client to reach near failure within 10-30 reps.

For example in long stretch, you could suggest a half spring for advanced clients, a fullspring for intermediate, and a full spring on the knees, for beginners.

Educate your clients to train more effectivelyIntermediate and advanced clients will also be more able to judge their own capacity. Soyou can educate your clients to select their own spring options and body positions, basedon how many reps you plan to do for each exercise.

For example, you could take a group through an exercise, to near the point of failure, andteach them to recognise when they are at that point. Then you could have themexperiment with different spring settings, to find the spring setting at which they canreach near failure within 10-30 reps.

When you teach an exercise, tell the clients how many reps you plan to do, and ask themto choose a spring setting that will allow them to reach near failure within that number.

Finally, you will need to encourage clients to stop each exercise when they are 1-2 repsfrom failure, even if the rest of the class is still working.

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Over time, you will build a culture of clients self-monitoring, adjusting their exerciseintensity, and stopping when they are near failure. As this happens, your clients will start tonotice dramatically improved results. Your clients will thank you!

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Raphael Bender, Accredited Exercise Physiologist

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Triple Your Results from Pilates · From Pilates. Trip le Yo u r R esu l t s From Pilate s About the author Raphael Bender is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist based in Melbourne,