The Benefits of Pilates

  • A refreshing mind-body workout

Pilates gets your mind in tune with your body. By emphasizing proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and complete concentration on smooth, flowing movement, you become acutely aware of how your body feels, where it is in space, and how to control its movement. The quality of movement is valued over quantity of repetitions. Proper breathing is essential, and helps you execute movements with maximum power and efficiency. Last but not least, learning to breathe properly can reduce stress.

  • Build strength without “bulking up” - gain long, lean muscles and flexibility

Conventional workouts tend to build short, bulky muscles - the type most prone to injury. Pilates elongates and strengthens, improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. A body with balanced strength and flexibility is less likely to be injured.

  • Develop a strong core - flat abdominals and a strong back

Pilates exercises develop a strong “core,” or center of the body. The core consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine. Control of the core is achieved by integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle.

  • Create an evenly conditioned body and prevent sports injuries

In conventional workouts, weak muscles tend to get weaker and strong muscles tend to get stronger. The result is muscular imbalance - a primary cause of injury and chronic back pain. Pilates conditions the whole body, even the ankles and feet. No muscle group is over trained or under trained. Your entire musculature is evenly balanced and conditioned, helping you enjoy daily activities with greater ease and less chance of injury.

  • Learn efficient patterns of motion

Pilates exercises train several muscle groups at once in smooth, continuous movements. By developing proper technique, you can actually re-train your body to move in safer, more efficient patterns of motion - invaluable for injury recovery, sports performance, good posture and optimal health.

  • Be confident and safe

No other exercise system is so gentle to your body while giving it a challenging workout. Many of the exercises are performed in reclining or sitting positions, and most are low impact and partially weight bearing. Pilates is so safe, it is used in physical therapy facilities to rehabilitate injuries.

  • And be challenged

Pilates is also an extremely flexible exercise system. Modifications to the exercises allow for a range of difficulty ranging from beginning to advanced. Get the workout that best suits you now, and increase the intensity as your body conditioning improves.

Pilates and Pregnancy

Many women want to continue to exercise during pregnancy, but are concerned that physical exertion could cause harm to their unborn baby and indeed themselves.

Because pilates is a gentle low impact form of exercise, it is considered one of the best forms of exercise for a pregant woman.

And because pilates helps maintain and improve the condition of both your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles, it is not only a safe form of exercise while pregnant, but can be hugely beneficial.

Pilates is good for weight loss?

Pilates is supportive of weight loss. In many cases just beginning Pilates class, or a home routine, is enough to jump start weight loss. However, as time goes by you may find that your body becomes accustomed to your workout level. Then, the you will need to increase the intensity of your workout enough to help you continue to burn extra calories.

Pilates can help you lose weight by toning your body and conditioning your muscles. It might not be recommended for large people but if you need to lose 5-20 lbs of weight, it might be a great alternative to regular conditioning classes at the fitness club.

There are two ways of performing pilates. You can do it on a mat on the floor or you can use the reformer machine. Both techniques requires trained pilates instructor to teach you individually or to lead the group in mat pilates.

This type of pilates exercise is excellent for elderly as well improving balance and flexibility and also great if you have arthritis or any other joint immobility problems.

Pilates will give you longer muscles and is not for anybody who is trying to build size or increase muscle mass in any larger volume. Pilates is performed in hour-long sessions and usually in special studios equipped especially for this. Although some fitness centers offer pilates on their aerobic and group exercise schedules this is usually the mat version unless the health club has a separate room set up for individual pilates sessions with an instructor.

Pilates is sometimes done slowly, especially at the beginner and intermediate levels. But if you want to burn calories and lose weight, you might want to create opportunities to do your Pilates with more zest.

Sources: Pilates, Pilates Method Alliance

Related Posts