Have you ever felt like you’re doing all the right things, but your body just isn’t doing what you want it too?
Maybe your walks aren’t getting any easier, or your back still feels stiff. You could be exercising every week, but you’re not feeling any stronger.
If that sounds familiar, there’s a very simple explanation: Your body has adapted!
This isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s exactly what we want exercise to do. As we become stronger, fitter and more confident, the movements that once felt challenging begin to feel comfortable. That’s a sign your body has learned, adapted and become more capable.
But once that happens, we need to give it a new reason to keep improving. That’s where progression comes in.
What is progression?
Progression simply means introducing a new challenge at the right time. It doesn’t mean making exercise harder for the sake of it, but helping your body continue to build strength, balance and confidence without overwhelming it.
That new challenge might be:
- A little more resistance
- A different piece of equipment
- A new movement pattern
- Improving your balance
- Building strength in a different way
Small changes are often all it takes to keep your body adapting.
Why progression matters even more as we get older
From our 30s onwards, we naturally begin to lose muscle mass and strength unless we continue to challenge our bodies. This can affect much more than how strong we feel.
It influences:
- Balance
- Bone health
- Walking speed
- Confidence
- Recovery from everyday activities
The good news is that our bodies continue to respond to the right type of exercise well into later life and we just need to keep giving them a reason to adapt.
What progression looks like at Shape It Up
As your confidence grows, there is always a natural next step.
That might be moving from a Beginners Course into Mat Pilates, trying Springboard, adding resistance with weights or joining one of our Pilates & Strength Circuits. Whatever that next step is, it’s guided by one of our experienced teachers, so you can continue building strength safely and confidently.
Because Pilates isn’t just about getting better at Pilates. It’s about staying strong enough to keep walking, gardening, travelling and enjoying the life you love.
Experience it at Shape It Up
If you’re considering starting Pilates, or if you’ve tried it elsewhere and it didn’t quite feel right, we’d love for you to come and experience the difference for yourself with the New Member Intro Offer