Pilates in-person is so much harder than pilates on DVD.

Instructor Jennifer Swift didn’t softly fade out of view every few minutes between moves so I could grab a drink or let the dogs out.

Instead, eight of us lay on thin mats on a wooden floor in the Central Maine Medical Center’s Wellness Center, listening to mellow pop and, in nice, controlled motions, lifting our legs this far off the ground. Then this far off the ground. Then this far off the ground.

And how about again from the top?

Unrelenting, but what a workout. A solid half-hour passed before I looked at the clock, a good sign.

Swift, who’s been teaching this class for four years (look for her at Auburn Adult Education, too, in the future), said about any move can be modified for beginners. Some in the class have been there from the start, but some, like Sue Duval of Minot, just joined this last session.

Exercising as a group improved her flexibility and stick-to-itiveness.

“It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, I don’t need to do it five times,'” when following a tape at home, she said.

The entire workout took place on a mat, mostly on our backs, but occasionally, to change things up, on all fours or on our sides. Moves were all simple, mostly slow but steady. Lift that leg, that arm. Touch the bottoms of both feet together to form a diamond shape, wiggle your knees.

After a while, muscle groups don’t hurt so much as give up. (“But I don’t have the strength to hover at a 45-degree angle anymore!” my legs insisted.)

The only move a newbie like me had no hope of nailing was called the jackknife: on your back – actually, the back of your neck – feet flung over and past your head, legs parallel to the floor, bring them together, spread them apart. Right.

Swift said later it’s an advanced move. (I actually peeked: Not everyone in the room could do it either. I didn’t feel any peer pressure for bailing out.)

Near the end of class, Swift passed out giant exercise balls, which – once you got over the if-this-pops-I-am-going-to-do-a-total-face-plant-on-a-hardwood-floor factor – was undeniably fun.

Roll and lift here, squeeze and lift there. As close as group exercise can come to being a ball.