FAQ

It depends on how comfortable you are with exercise equipment and exercise in general. These machines are very user-friendly once you learn to set them up for your individualized workouts. Generally, the trainer sets you up with machines so you focus on the exercise.

Absolutely. The trainer will guide you to work from within your own range of motion so you won’t push beyond the limit of what your body can do. You should always check with your physician before you start any exercise program if you have any medical conditions.

The uniqueness of this movement system derives from the three-dimensionality of its movements – spiral, circular and wave-like. Gyrotonic exercises may appear gentle and easy, but the impact on your body after a workout or class is deep. You are strengthening and stretching your body as you move instead of holding and contracting the muscles. This key quality of the exercises works your body in a way to create a beautiful body line and excellent posture. The Gyrotonic system not only makes the body fit but can help solve physical problems and injuries. Another important benefit is that it helps to cultivate movement awareness, connecting the body and the mind. It teaches the body how to manage tension and stress so that your mind can be refreshed and your body centered.

The Gyrotonic system tones and strengthens the body in addition to improving your posture, making you appear slimmer, leaner, and longer. If your goals include weight loss, you will need to include changes in diet and aerobic exercise.

The prescription from your doctor should dictate your frequency (typically2-3 times per week) for a specific duration (such as for 6 weeks). We recommend scheduling your appointments as far in advance as possible.

Yes, by law you have the right to choose where you want to go for Physical Therapy.

Something comfortable that you can move around in.

The average active person doing 2-3 classes per week should see some results within 10-12 classes. This will vary depending on each individual and other factors such as the number of classes a person takes each week, whether they are private or group classes, whether they participate in other physical activities, and whether they have any existing injuries. It is also important to work with a well-trained Certified Instructor.

At least 5 to 10 sessions. Most clients prefer to work with a trainer for more sessions.

Two to three times a week. Two times is good for beginners. You always start out with a trainer to get familiar with the machines and get your customized workout program.

Although you should always consult your physician before starting any fitness routine, a Pilates workout is gentle and controlled with no sudden jarring actions. It is therefore more important that you work with a qualified instructor to ensure that you are doing the movements correctly. An experienced instructor will be able to modify the exercises to accommodate your limitations, continually challenge you within your range and monitor your improvements. If you commit yourself to a consistent workout schedule you will certainly feel results.

The Reformer is the main piece of equipment used in Pilates exercise. The Reformer glides forward & backward on rollers and uses springs for resistance, along with other attachments, for a wide variety of exercises and positions (i.e. lying down, seated and standing.)

The Power Plate provides conditioning benefits in a fraction of the time traditional exercise routines require. A one hour workout in the gym can be done in 15 to 20 minutes on the Power Plate. The Power Plate is able to offer fast results by working efficiently from the inside out, activating 95-97% of the muscle tissue. In comparison, conventional fitness machines only work 30-40% of the muscle fibers. There is also a lot less strain put on the joints, ligaments, and tendons during vibration training than with conventional weight training. Power Plate training is a program you can fit into any schedule with the added advantages of being both super effective and totally safe.

When combined with the right supplements and diet, the Power Plate is the ideal tool to help combat osteoporosis since this revolutionary machine was designed specifically to increase bone density. The Russians were the first to study mechanical vibration therapy to combat the severe reduction of bone density in their cosmonauts returning from space. It has been proven that weight-bearing exercise generates a small electrical current in bone, which stimulates it to grow. Even just flexing your muscles creates small vibrations in the bones surrounded by the muscles. With the Power Plate, you experience 30 to 50 vibrations per second, which enormously stimulates the bone tissue. In recent studies, the hind legs of adult sheep were placed on the vibrating platform for 20 minutes a day for a year. At the end of the study, the density of spongy bone in the animals’ thighs was 34% higher.

Studies have shown that levels of the “stress hormone” cortisol decrease tremendously while using the power plate. At the same time, the vibrations have a profound effect on anti-aging hormones such as DHEA, “the mother hormone”, increasing it to more youthful levels. In addition, growth hormone and testosterone, which are important for regeneration and repair processes, also increase.

Power Plate is a pleasantly vibrating platform that generates mechanical vibrations in three dimensions, producing natural, rapid, subconscious muscle contractions throughout the body. This Whole Body Vibration therapy is based on a response that is hard-wired into human physiology, called the piezoelectric effect. Anytime your muscles tense and flex, small vibrations are created in the bones surrounded by those muscles. While standing on the vibrating plate, the body’s postural muscles contract anywhere from 30 to 50 times a second, increasing the force placed on muscle fibers by a factor of 3 Gs, or 3 times the force of gravity. This results in an increase in muscle strength 20-30% more than conventional strength training.

• Pilates is three-dimensional (i.e. exercises can be performed using all movement planes).
• Spring resistance more closely resembles muscular contraction.
• Emphasis is on concentric/eccentric contraction for injury prevention.
• STOTT PILATES® exercise is customizable for special need.
• In Pilates exercise, emphasis is placed on rebalancing muscles around the joints Pilates corrects over-training and muscle imbalance that leads to injury.
• Pilates emphasizes balancing strength with flexibility (for injury prevention and more efficient movement).
• STOTT PILATES® exercise leads to an improvement in posture and body awareness.
• Weight training and STOTT PILATES® can be combined in your fitness program and are a great compliment to each other.

Yes, STOTT PILATES® equipment is excellent for improving flexibility. Flexibility is a key component of total fitness that has been largely ignored by other conditioning methods.

You can expect an increase in strength, flexibility, mobility, balance, and body awareness, as well as a decrease in back pain or other general pains.

Note: The following information should NOT be substituted for medical advice from your doctor. Please consult your physician for information on what will be appropriate for you during your pregnancy.The available information on pregnancy and exercise can be very confusing – even conflicting. STOTT PILATES follows the current standards practiced in the fitness industry regarding safety during pregnancy and the guidelines set out by professional organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada. We cover this topic in depth in our Injuries & Special Populations course as well as workshops. What follows is some general information that should not be substituted for the advice of a physician and the guidance of a qualified fitness professional.No two women’s bodies are the same, and this is especially true during pregnancy. There are workouts that are quite appropriate for some people during pregnancy and not for others. During a normal, healthy pregnancy, moderate exercise is safe for the fetus. Exercise is also said to prevent varicose veins, hemorrhoids and low back pain and helps to boost self esteem, maintain fitness levels and prepare the body for the physical demands of motherhood.A woman’s body goes through many changes during pregnancy and exercise must be adapted and modified as the pregnancy progresses. The beauty of Pilates is that it can be individualized for anyone’s ability. Workouts and schedules during the first trimester may have to be adjusted around fatigue levels. Over the course of the pregnancy the demand on the abdominal muscles should be decreased. During the second trimester, these muscles become stretched out, and some women experience diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles). With reduced abdominal support, there is a greater risk of injuring the lower back. Further, due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, the ligaments surrounding the joints become lax, leaving them loose and vulnerable. For this reason, you should be careful not to overstretch. It is important to continue strengthening and rebalancing the muscles around the joints – supporting the body as it goes through postural changes related to pregnancy.

Today many guidelines for pregnancy indicate that after approximately the 16th week of gestation, the supine position (lying on your back) should be avoided as the maternal blood supply and subsequently the fetal blood supply may be affected. In the second trimester, positioning must be adjusted and light equipment (particularly the Spine Supporter) combined with the Matwork exercises becomes very useful. As well, the possibilities offered by the Reformer, Cadillac and Stability Chair are helpful. Of course, drinking lots of water, avoiding overexertion and overheating are always important.