Is it normal to hurt after you do Pilates?

[Tiff]

I just started doing pilates, but I find that my body is really sore after the first couple of sessions and I'm wondering if it might not be the right exercise for me. Does anyone else feel sore after doing Pilates? Am I doing something wrong? If I keep it up will the tenderness in my body go away? Also, where I tend to feel the most discomfort is in my abdomen/stomach area

[antoniojones1968]

It can be normal to feel discomfort in certain parts of your body that you exercise (your muscles and joints) if you're not used to moving them, etc. That said, you shouldn't feel pain. What you're describing sounds completely normal and it will likely be sore/uncomfortable for the first few sessions of exercise as your muscles heal. Feeling tender from exercises you're not used to do is very normal. That said, do be mindful of how you are preforming these exercises and consider doing beginner and less-strenuous exercises first before you commit to the more serious stuff. It's always better to gradually get your body used to exercises and stay within your fitness level than to overwhelm your body with too much at once.

[Paplo]

I agree that it is normal to feel discomfort or a little sore after exercise your body isn't use to, but you shouldn't feel actual pain. Pain is something different from tenderness from stretching out your muscles. Don't get me wrong, you can feel sore after doing exercises, especially the next day, but this should go away with time. Feeling pain immediately after you workout or when you are working out is a definitely a sign that something's wrong. Either you're doing the exercise wrong or there's something not right with your body. Be careful and take it slow. Your body will build up strength over time :)

[Tiff]

It can be normal to feel discomfort in certain parts of your body that you exercise (your muscles and joints) if you're not used to moving them, etc. That said, you shouldn't feel pain. What you're describing sounds completely normal and it will likely be sore/uncomfortable for the first few sessions of exercise as your muscles heal. Feeling tender from exercises you're not used to do is very normal. That said, do be mindful of how you are preforming these exercises and consider doing beginner and less-strenuous exercises first before you commit to the more serious stuff. It's always better to gradually get your body used to exercises and stay within your fitness level than to overwhelm your body with too much at once.

Oh good! I'm glad to hear this. Yeah, I definitely don't have any pain. It's just really sore and tender, almost as if I've bruised my muscles...but not really. I have noticed that it is getting a bit better and I'm not feeling it as much...actually, that's another question, once I stop feeling the tenderness does this mean that my body needs to be pushed more? How do you know when your fitness level as increased?

[bigbobby]

How are you doing Tiff? Has the soreness stopped? I hope so, if you've kept up with it and it hasn't gotten any better by this point, you should probably change what you're doing and go to a class with an actual instructor or see your doctor to make sure there isn't a reason why you might be feeling so tender.