Fitness Friday: Preparing Our Clients for Pilates After a Day of Sitting

Pilates class begins with standing squats, preparing clients after a day of prolonged sitting

For Pilates teachers, the end-of-day classes bring in clients who've often spent long hours at desks or behind screens. Many arrive with tight hip flexors, inactive glutes, and a tendency for postural slump from extended sitting. Beyond affecting their posture, research shows that prolonged sitting also impacts their metabolic health, leading to a pooling of insulin in the lower body, potentially contributing to impaired glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. As Pilates teachers, we have an opportunity to enhance our clients’ readiness for Pilates with a brief yet impactful pre-Pilates warm-up using simple yet dynamic movements like squats and lunges.

The Science Behind It

Research, including insights from Maastricht University in the Netherlands, has shown that breaking up long periods of sitting with light activities can improve blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity more effectively than even structured exercise sessions. In short, incorporating activity breaks before exercise can help counteract the metabolic effects of a sedentary day.

For our clients, this means that performing squats or lunges at the start of a Pilates session is more than just a warm-up, it’s a way to boost circulation, engage the muscles, and stimulate insulin response, preparing them for the movement-focused work ahead in Pilates.

Why Squats and Lunges?

In the Pilates repertoire, we already have the squat incorporated in exercises like Joseph Pilates’ original low squat at the end of the Cadillac. However, we’re suggesting a slightly different approach here, repetitions of squats and lunges, similar to how we might use these moves in fitness routines, performed at the beginning of the class. By doing this, we prepare the body in a functional way, helping clients transition from sedentary stiffness to the mindful, controlled movements in Pilates.

Benefits of Squats and Lunges as a Pre-Pilates Warm-up:

1. Improved Circulation: Sitting for extended periods leads to reduced blood flow, particularly to the lower body. Squats and lunges reawaken the leg muscles, encouraging blood flow and warming up the joints.

2. Glute Activation: Many clients develop inactive glutes from prolonged sitting, which can lead to postural imbalances. Squats and lunges target the glutes, helping to ‘switch on’ these crucial muscles for stabilisation and alignment during Pilates.

3. Hip Flexor Release: Sitting shortens the hip flexors, which can limit range of motion. Lunges, in particular, stretch and open the hips, promoting a smoother transition into Pilates movements that require hip mobility.

4. Enhanced Core Engagement: Squats and lunges activate the centre, bringing awareness to posture and balance. This activation helps clients feel more prepared for core work in Pilates, supporting a mindful connection between breath and movement.

Practical Tips for Incorporating Pre-Pilates Squats and Lunges

Here’s a simple sequence you could try as clients arrive at the studio:

1. Start with Bodyweight SquatsAim for 10-15 repetitions. Encourage clients to keep their chest lifted, weight in their heels, and knees tracking over their toes. Remind them to engage the core, using their breath to support each movement. This will warm up the quadriceps, glutes, and calves.

2. Add Lunges for MobilityFollow the squats with a set of lunges, about 10 on each side. Focus on keeping the hips square and taking the lunge nice and slow to ensure balance and control. This move opens up the hips and promotes a lengthened spine, ideal preparation for any supine or prone work that follows in the Pilates session.

3. Gentle Dynamic StretchingAfter squats and lunges, add a few dynamic stretches—such as leg swings or hip circles—to further loosen up the lower body. This helps clients release tension and feel more grounded before transitioning onto the mat or Reformer.

Reaping the Rewards in Pilates

With these simple pre-Pilates movements, clients are better primed for the specific demands of Pilates. They’re not only warmer but also more mentally connected to their body’s needs, particularly their lower body, which can be a challenge after a day of sitting. Plus, by including a targeted warm-up, we’re helping them move towards better metabolic health, reducing the negative effects of prolonged sitting.

In the Pilates world, we’ve often discussed the importance of warming up the body, but research like this offers a timely reminder that for those coming to us after a day at the desk, some targeted squats and lunges might be just what they need to feel both prepared and inspired for their practice.