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Frequently Asked Questions
Got Questions? We've Got Answers!
Hey there! We've compiled answers to the questions that come up most often. Take a look around, and if you don't find what you're after, just give us a shout. We're here to help!
There are two membership options available:
ORIGINAL Pilax (dubbed: OG Pilax) and RISEUP Pilax.
You attend at your own pace
Membership is time based. You can have access to it for 3, 6 or 12 months.
For OG Pilax 12 months, there are two sub options: FULL and BASIC.
BASIC gives you access to the barebones classes for cheaper while FULL gives you access to all OG Classes for 12 months. 3 and 6 months are only available as FULL.
All memberships have access to technical classes, breaking down exercises and giving tips. All memberships give you equal access to blogs and varying add-on offers suited to that membership that may arise from time to time (for example, online live classes, in person classes in certain locations).
During the time you are a member, if we have updates to videos or new videos, you also will have access to those for that time period.
Each membership has a section of recommended classes in what order for a complete beginner. Everyone has access to a child-like star chart to monitor their progress.
A paid extra option is available for a 25-minute check in only for members. At special times of the year, there will be free check ins and lives available.
While hopefully all Mat Pilates are based on strong foundational technique, every teacher's style is different. I've taken a lot of Mat classes in my time and I didn't like all my teachers. I liked the slow- medium paced, caring, methodical ones that didn't give too much jargon but gave enough information so I could execute my exercises to the best of my ability. I also liked teachers that didn't stay on the same three exercises throughout class and leave me in pain.
A lot of Pilates teachers are really focused on 'feeling the burn'. That is not Pilax. You may feel something, especially if you have not exercised much; but you should not leave feeling exhausted (even if you have CFS and take RiseUp). If 'the burn' is what you want, I wont be the right teacher for you.
Youtube? Yes, you could go there. By all means, feel free to. There are many great resources on there. I offer a structured set of classes, a certain amount of videos and hopefully less confusion. I also decided not to compete with Youtube Pilates influencers directly on Youtube. Above all else, I offer honesty. If I dont know something, I have zero problem telling you I don't and that I will get back to you (if taking in person or one-on-one classes).
-All classes are pre-recorded.
-Classes range from 5- 45 minutes, the majority are 5-20. RiseUp are generally 5-10 minutes.
-Every class is realistic and most have some humor sprinkled throughout.
Pilax OG has Complete Beginner through to Intermediate Pilates. You learn the basic routines, relaxation techniques, and get tips along the way. I’ve also created classes to help people who work in offices (Work Series), hospitality (Work Series)
RiseUp is focused on keeping your body gently moving, combining light stretches and basic Pilates and very light breathe work (I am not a breath Yoga instructor so this isn't like that).
All classes are also suited for anyone as a compliment alongside their regular in-person work outs of any style, to take throughout the week.
As our videos are growing, membership has split into two categories to keep things clearer.
Pilax OG is the Original Pilax which I started designing back in 2021. It is for regular people with little to no ailments who want a more guided, holistic and soothing approach to Pilates. It is generally, a gentler Pilates than most Pilates programmes you will find out there. It is also great if you are 'lazy'. I did once consider calling it Lazy Pilates.
Pilax OG combines classical Mat Pilates, breathing and relaxation techniques as well as dance influence and ranges from Complete Beginner to Intermediate Level. It loses none of the original Pilates principles, while adding in contemporary formats. Predominantly classes are done without the use of small equipment, although you are always welcome to add in your own.
Rise Up Pilax is for people with some ailments, long covid and other forms of CFS. It was born out of my own need to keep moving after my first two years recovering from covid saw me unable to take a full dance class (I used to dance full time) or, work normal hours. My knowledge for forming these classes comes from, not only my own experience with mild long covid (ongoing) but, also having grown up with a slow immune response and a heart condition. Whenever I was ill in the past, I would often take a long time to recover and have since found ways to keep moving gently. I have also tested my methods on clients with conditions.
Please note that Rise Up Pilax has not been trialed on people with clinically diagnosed PEM, POTS or Osteoporosis. If you have any of these conditions but really want to keep moving, I strongly suggest signing up for only 3 months and monitoring your progress with a trusted health professional who you see in person- whether that's your physio, chiropractor, GP, or any exercise professional. We can always extend your membership if you wish. If you live in NSW Australia, please reach out to me about in-person classes if you have PEM or POTS and wish to take this course.
If you subscribe to our newsletter, you will be sent a free video to get an idea of the style of our classes. Don't worry! We don't send weekly newsletters, so you won't be bombarded with emails. I promise, I'm actually very lazy on newsletters. I do about three a year. You can also watch our introduction video and visit our Instagram*(https://www.instagram.com/pilax.pilates) page to see our posts and a few small videos. Some free Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@Pilax_Pilates)videos are uploaded since February 2024. The General page also has one free 'airport' Pilates class there.
All Pilates classes, regardless of whether they are mine or others should help any student with:
Core engagement
Balance
Injury prevention
Overall co-ordination and strength.
Pilax is designed to do this in a gentle manner, aiming to prevent injury and specifically muscle tears and spasms. I have met students who took classes that caused major injuries to them. Pilates should never do this- unless you are doing the exercise very wrong or holding it longer than your instructor suggested. My classes motto is "Play it safe"
Results are entirely dependent on how often you take a class, what your health is like at present and if you already have injuries. Most students start to see the beginning of results within 3 months if taking classes 2-3 times a week. Even 5-minute classes every day can show results. Consistency is key.
If you have a chronic condition and are taking RiseUp:
I made these classes based on my own and ongoing journey with CFS. For me, this has helped me maintain balance and core engagement and even return to my dance classes on occasion. However, the idea with RiseUp is simply to keep you moving and help you learn more about your limits within a safe environment. If you have PEM, RiseUp cannot guarantee you a cure for PEM due to other medical factors that may be going on with you individually. What I would recommend is trying RiseUp for 3 months and pairing it with whatever medicines you are currently pursuning and even discussing this with your provider- Pilax has a mid-level RiseUp example class (https://youtu.be/OZCkhG5_C8o)on Youtube to show your provider. You are always more than welcome to reach out to me via email directly or take the survey and book a phone call.
In person. Yes! I currently have some openings for private students in the Central Coast and Newcastle Australia. Please contact me through this portal to book a free 15-minute phone call.
Online one-on-ones. Yes, but spaces for regular students are limited. The idea of Pilax was to reach more people with the same methods and save everyone time and money. If you fill in the survey and come to a phone call, we can assess whether a one-on-one regular session is right for you.
I do have dedicated space for one-time one-to-ones and quick chats for members. Some clients prefer a one-off one-on-one online before moving onto the program. Others prefer to start the program for a short period of time, then book a one-on-one for further clarification. At the end of the day, we recommend starting with the online courses because they will cover most of your initial questions. You can always book a one-off one-on-one later.
Our videos are in categories with labels to help you get an idea of what is right for you. If you are still not sure after reading the descriptions, a guideline is below:
OG Pilax
If you’re a fit bunny and choosing to take regular work outs, my suggestion is to start with looking at our technical videos and then start with Beginner Pilax, Intermediate Beginner, or Advanced Beginner, even if you’ve done Pilates before, to get an idea of this style. These classes can be found under the All Classes category.
If you are someone who already does yoga or Pilates in person and plan to continue with this but are here for an add-on or just finding your job too taxing, please check out our work series under Work Series as well as our shorter regular classes.
If you’re completely new to Pilates with little physical exercise history, Complete Beginner Pilax under All Classes is for you. We also now have a Where to Start Video category which organises the videos into a workout regime for newbies. Remember you can always check out our technical section for any tips.
Rise Up Pilax
If you are someone with post viral fatigue or other medical conditions that leave you feeling exhausted, you are obviously here for Rise Up Pilax! There are 3 styles: Chair, Mat (Gentle Intro) for those with no prior exercise experience or experiencing extreme long-covid and, Mat (Prev) for those with previous exercise experience, mild medical conditions or milder post viral symptoms. Have a look at the different levels and test out which ones are right for you! Chair will mostly always be the same as Mat (Gentle Intro) but on a chair. There are one or two Chair classes that say, Chair (Prev). Those are for people previously fit who for whatever reason, are unable to use a Mat but want a 'workout' that's slightly more challenging. Please note: Many people experiencing post viral fatigue will find that some days they have less symptoms than others. As long as you feel up to it, you can switch between these three videos according to how you feel, bearing in mind to take into account how you also feel the following day after the exercise.
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Remember always, if you listen to your body, you will know how you feel. A general guideline is to always start easier than you feel you need. You can always work your way up and remember, you are not in competition with anyone or even yourself! However, if you have health concerns, it is best to talk to your health provider or even show them these videos before commencing.
UPDATE: Discounts are now incorporated into the price you see at checkout, so you don't need the code anymore. From time to time there will be extra discounts sent to members or those who have signed up for our newsletter. A special code will be provided them. They can use it till we stop the code running.
If you've accidently purchased RiseUp when you meant to purchase OG Pilax or vice versa, please notify us within 72 hours of the purchase (not the start date) and we will try to rectify it on the technical end. Please note: prices differences at the higher end will need to be paid for if a difference of more than $10 and no refunds will be given for switching from a higher to lower priced membership.
If you've accidently purchased the wrong length of time, or have purchased Full Pilax OG 12 Months, when you mean to purchase Basic, we regret that we are unable to alter these purchases. You can always purchase a longer time later at the end!
If you are purchasing RISEUP due to having CFS or another chronic condition and find halfway through its too easy, thats amazing! That means you're improving! Please stick at it! You can always join Pilax OG after your time period is complete.
However, if you find it too easy from the very beginning (your first two weeks) or, you have purchased 12 months and it's been 3 months and now it's too easy, please reach out to me to discuss a potential switch or maybe adding on some privates while sticking at it. There are several options. But you never want to become overwhelmed or over exhausted by switching too soon.
Generally speaking: No, sorry. At present we are unable to accommodate this. When signing up you agree to our terms and conditions that include no refunds for any reason. Please choose carefully before you make your final decision. If you are uncertain of anything, please contact before making a purchase. There are Youtube videos to get an idea of our classes or, if you sign up to our Newsletter you can get a free class. You can also go to our membership page and see all the classes available (just unable to play them until purchased). If you've made a mistake in the type of purchase, we can adjust this. If you have a bereavement/medical issue and need to pause, please write to us and we can extend your membership according to your situation for when you're ready to continue. If you're still really uncertain after all of this, I suggest trying a 3-month membership to start off with.
The goals? In one sense, honestly, you make your own goals. However, I hope that with these classes, first, if you are someone with health conditions, will find yourself having improved finite muscle control, gaining strength and generally feeling better overall. Please note that you will never hear me say to never to see your health providers or ignore their advice. Pilax is an assistant and I advocate seeing your physical therapists.
My other goal is for you to be fit within yourself to the best of your ability. I am not a body builder, but when I’m at the peak of my fitness, for myself, I am.
For my potential fit client, one of the reasons I fell in love with Pilates was because I discovered it aided my dance technique. I was already dancing 20 plus hours a week in training and when I added Pilates in, after a few months I found myself holding my turns longer, better and having less injuries.
Pilax gives a low impact, high intensity, high quality work out. In order to do this, we focus on centering through your exercise and relaxation techniques in-between reps. The body is not a steel machine, but, if it was, it would require oil and correct functioning.
Think of it this way, in order for a machine to operate well, it needs three things. It needs to have its parts- those are the exercises, then it needs to move correctly- that is where our centering comes in: doing the exercises with precision to the best of our ability and calmly focused. And three, when moving, the machine needs to move fluidly, that is where oil comes in- for us, as a physical being, that is having well lubricated fascia n joints – which includes intake of fluids and vitamins and – release-relaxation techniques. We don’t want strenuous knots all over us after we’ve exercised.
Finally to address “the burn”. You may sweat in some of these classes, you may feel tired, or super energised or, you may not. Please note that it is a hype to insist that extreme sweat or feeling the burn or like you are going to throw up after exercise, means you have worked out well, for any form of exercise. Everybody’s body is different.
Pilates, in its origin is a restorative series of exercises that were designed to help World War hospital patients in rehab and later used to help professional dancers with injury rehabilitation and keep the everyday person fit. Joseph Pilates was a man ahead of his time who believed that everyone needed these exercise methods. The Pilates method became popular in Hollywood after Pilates lifetime, being sold as a burn and lengthen and lean your muscles regime. With Pilax, we take the classical teaching of Joseph Pilates, relaxation techniques learnt in other classes and sessions and; ones discovered by me, later confirmed through research. We also use the flow of dance and combine them to create a style of work out suited to keep you running like a smooth well-oiled, rehabilitated machine.
While Pilax classes are in general, designed to be gentle, they aren't tailored for pregnancy and we do not specialize in this. If you have not worked out or done Pilates before, pregnancy is not a good time to start. If you are familiar with fitness, please check with your health provider before beginning these classes. We do recommend finding a Pilates instructor who is knowledgeable in Pilates for pregnancy and preferably taking those classes in-person so you have the instructor on hand.
Great question! Regularity to anything is key. However, you need to look at your own schedule and what else you already have going on. Are you already doing Pilates in person elsewhere and is this and add on? Are you doing other fitness classes and using this as an assistant? Is this your only source of exercise? Have a look at your schedule and listen to your body. Once a week with something is always a great place to begin, then you can build up or turn it down a notch depending on how things go for you.
I decided to go online to become rich. Just kidding. This is actually a lot of work and less return than you imagine.
While I still work in person, my decision to go online arose out of still trying to teach my clients when I moved overseas after lockdowns. Time differences became a problem and as I gained a couple of clients with major time differences, I decided it was the right decision. I also can't reach everyone who wants to book me (mainly as everyone wants the same time). This changes that.
I also often hear people say they don't have time for class or can't find a class that doesn't scare them or even online, they can't find gentle classes that have a regulated format. I am not saying I am the only one out there- I know there are others. However, I truly believe in my methods and want to reach as many people as possible and hopefully change some lives.
That being said, I do not expect everyone to stay with me forever. For some people, this will be a stepping stone into a long term fitness journey, and I welcome that. For others, I may be your forever friend and teacher. I am glad to be this too. If you sign up to become a one-on-one client, you have the added bonus of my knowledge of a lifetime of dance and dancing around holistic practitioners and medicine. I am not a doctor or nurse and can't read any blood tests, but I offer add on advice to one-on-one classes where requested, even if that means we discover you'd be better off with a different format of exercise and you end up being someone else's client. I want everyone to be as healthy as they can be.
You may have ended up here because you saw my earrings at Sophic Wellness in Gosford. I used to run a market stall some years back and had some left-over stock and made new stock. This is a hobby of mine and I am using this chance to join some wonderful artists and health practitioners (and promote Pilax too!)! If you want to know more about my earrings, please head over to my earrings page here.(https://yuntianwen.wixsite.com/nataniasearrings/about-4)
Can't find what you're looking for? No worries! Reach out to us, and we'll be happy to assist you.
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