{"id":300933,"date":"2025-10-13T21:37:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-13T21:37:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/300933\/"},"modified":"2025-10-13T21:37:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T21:37:14","slug":"senior-friendly-pilates-here-are-4-expert-tips-for-balance-joint-protection-and-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/300933\/","title":{"rendered":"Senior-friendly Pilates? Here are 4 expert tips for balance, joint protection and recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Students practice half roll backs at QB Pilates.Jonathan Loek – Quiet Bodies\/Supplied<\/p>\n

Pilates is a hit with young Canadians<\/a> looking for a full body workout. Though many local studios are packed with 20 and 30-somethings <\/b>these days, fitness experts say that the practice might also be a worthwhile activity for seniors. A January, 2025, study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal<\/a> says <\/b>that Pilates training among older adults moderately improves balance, strength, flexibility and functionality. <\/p>\n

The mind-body exercise, in its classic and contemporary forms, involves repetitive movements designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles while improving posture. <\/p>\n

Dean Sellars, a 61 year-old in Gibsons, B.C., says that after a year of private classes, he regained the upper body strength that he lost in early retirement<\/a>. \u201cI was back to riding my motorcycle with no problem,\u201d he said, adding that this renewed mobility gave him a healthy self-esteem boost. <\/p>\n

Before booking your first class, check out these expert-approved ways to make the most out of Pilates as a 60-plus newcomer. <\/p>\n

Reverse engineer your fitness goals <\/p>\n

Whether you are practising Pilates from a mat, reformer<\/a> or chair, try working backward to set some target goals. <\/p>\n

Kala Loek is the co-owner of QB Pilates, a boutique fitness studio in Port Credit, Ont., which hosts a class for senior students. \u201cDo a little inventory throughout your day and note which movements are hard,\u201d she advises. If you cannot get out of a chair without using your arms, for example, Loek says that squat-style exercises may help. Similarly, standing toe touches or side kicks can build the flexibility required to comfortably put on shoes. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat may seem a little ridiculous at the time will pay dividends down the road,\u201d says Sellars. \u201cIt\u2019s not until you have been doing the same thing over and over that you realize the strength it\u2019s building.\u201d <\/p>\n

Grab some props \u2013 and a chair Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Students use blocks during step-up lunges.Jonathan Loek – Quiet Bodies\/Supplied<\/p>\n

Loek says that a few trusty props can transform stressful Pilates movements into more doable ones. If holding a plank sends a sharp pain to your wrists, for example, consider placing your hands on curved, foam blocks to relieve some pressure \u2013 and remember that using blocks, bolsters and balls is not cheating. <\/p>\n

With props, people can push through exercises without slipping into positions that do not engage the abs or lengthen the spine, thus maintaining control and body awareness. \u201cThey can start in that really good posture and then stretch the muscles that we\u2019re intending, instead of starting from this point of extreme tension,\u201d says Loek. <\/p>\n

Protective equipment can have a similar effect. Some of Loek\u2019s students wear knee pads for added protection; while others choose to double-up their mats, exercising on 12 millimetres of padding instead of the standard six. <\/p>\n

Alternatively, chairs without armrests are a great tool for folks who cannot stay standing during spinal twists, breathwork and footwork. \u201cWith our aging population, vertigo or blood pressure might be more of a concern,\u201d says Loek, who often incorporates seated exercises in virtual training sessions. <\/p>\n

For a recovery-focused workout, consider clinical Pilates Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

At Pulse Physiotherapy, clinical Pilates is taught on a reformer.SPEAK[e] PHOTOGRAPHY\/Supplied<\/p>\n

Group workouts can be daunting for people dealing with chronic pain or joint replacements. Luckily, clinical Pilates offers a one-on-one approach.<\/p>\n

Terra Plum, owner of Pulse Physiotherapy in Calgary, Alta., says that registered physiotherapists lead this method of injury prevention and rehabilitation. Stability-focused exercises<\/a> fit into a custom treatment plan catering to each client\u2019s unique pain and mobility concerns. <\/p>\n

Sarah Latter, a Toronto-based physiotherapist at Cleveland Clinic Canada, says these sessions might offer more peace of mind than a standard class. \u201cPilates is not a regulated profession in Canada,\u201d she says. \u201cPhysiotherapy is, so we have a governing body \u2013 a college \u2013 who will oversee the practice and make sure that we\u2019re being safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

While working with clients recovering from anterior hip replacements, for example, Latter avoids or modifies glute bridges, an exercise which could press on their incision scars. <\/p>\n

Schedule for convenience and recoveryOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

QB Pilates students practice contemporary and classical moves.Jonathan Loek – Quiet Bodies\/Supplied<\/p>\n

If you are interested in trying Pilates, but a bit reluctant, do not book that six a.m. class. <\/p>\n

\u201cTry to make it as convenient as possible, because then it will actually happen,\u201d says Latter, who adds that booking Pilates with a friend can make the class more enjoyable and less of a chore. <\/p>\n

Latter also says that scheduling recovery days is important for folks returning to exercise after a sedentary period. \u201cA lot of people want to jump back into things very quickly,\u201d she said. \u201cThen, they\u2019ll have negative effects. They get too fatigued, their pain will come back, they\u2019ll be really stiff in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since the optimal number of off-days will differ depending on comfort and ability, consider a weekly class before experimenting with additional sessions.<\/p>\n

By avoiding burnout through responsible scheduling, seniors can also experience the mental and physical benefits of Pilates more fully. \u201cYou see the progress,\u201d says Loek. \u201cThat\u2019s a positive reinforcement. Your body is saying, \u2018I\u2019ve got you. I\u2019m still here,\u2019 and it\u2019s not a fight with your body.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: Students practice half roll backs at QB Pilates.Jonathan Loek – Quiet Bodies\/Supplied Pilates…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":300934,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[1198,210,19617,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-300933","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-noastack","11":"tag-united-states","12":"tag-unitedstates","13":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115369020167862703","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300933\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/300934"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}