Due to the fact that Pilates has gained a lot of notoriety recently, there are many classes available.

You will probably find that many YMCAs and fitness centers offer Pilates, mostly associated with mat work.

There are some Pilates instructors who offer private classes. These may be purchased either separately one class at a time or in blocks of classes.

These sessions may combine both mat and machine work. If your health club has Pilates machines available to its members, make sure that you receive supervision from a qualified Pilates instructor.

As with anything, there are right and wrong ways of doing things and Pilates is no exception.

The fact that Pilates is hot right now and classes are springing up like mushrooms also has a downside. You may receive inadequate instruction.

As is the case with any form of exercise, you can cause injury to yourself if you have a certain health condition or you do not know exactly what you are doing.

Some gyms think that just by sending their personal trainers to a weekend-long course that they are qualified to begin teaching Pilates. This is not true and can lead to injury.

You want to find an instructor who has been certified by a group that boasts of a rigorous training program. This training program consists of several hundred hours of being instructed in Pilates ALONE.

They have the knowledge to modify the exercises so that a new student will not get hurt.