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Why
Pilates?
Originally used to rehabilitate bedridden
patients during World War I, Pilates has now
become a popular form of exercise for dancer,
gymnasts, and even some of the top Hollywood
actors. Pilates is essentially a body
conditioning routine that boosts overall fitness
of mind and body. The Pilates method comprises
of different mat exercises or those that require
equipment to strengthen body muscles and toning.
One reason why people are so attracted to this
form of exercise is that it can be used to
enhance flexibility, endurance and co-ordination
without increasing muscle bulk. Also used widely
to build up the ‘powerhouse’ of the body or
‘torso’, people doing plates regularly are too
happy with the health benefits they derive from
it. It increases blood circulation and women are
inspired to do Pilates to get their bodies back
in shape. What more! Those who do Pilates
exercises regularly are less prone to injury and
usually have a better posture as well. With
myriad of benefits that come with Pilates, it’s
not difficult to guess why Pilates is gaining so
much popularity. We owe a lot to Joseph H.
Pilates, the founder of the Pilates exercise
method, who was influenced by other exercising
methods across the world including Yoga and
Chinese martial arts. He strongly believed that
there is a strong connection between mental and
physical health and therefore developed the
Pilates method that was aimed at improving
overall health. If you are keen on learning the
Pilates style of exercising, this article can
help you get started on this healthy and
invigorating hobby.
Getting started
From couch potatoes to fitness freaks, Pilates
is for everyone who has a passion for exercise.
As a Pilates enthusiast, you can choose to do
Pilates in the form of mat exercises that are
quite popular and all you need is a bit of
training and a floor mat to get started. On the
other hand, Pilates can also be done using
different machines that help you to tone your
body using the principle of resistance.
Due to the ever-increasing popularity of Pilates, there are plenty of classes out there
that can help you learn the Pilates techniques.
If mat work is what you are looking for, you
will come across several fitness centers and
YMCAs that offer Pilates classes for beginners.
Another option is to attend private classes
offered by Pilates instructors that usually
combine both mat work and machine work to give
you the best results. In case you are planning
to join a health club that gives you an access
to Pilates machines, make sure that you exercise
under the guidance of a qualified Pilates
instructor who can teach you the right method of
doing each exercise.
Although Pilates classes are springing up
everywhere, you need to choose one carefully.
Agreed, Pilates is hot and you just can’t wait
to start off in one of the classes in your
neighborhood. But the sad part of some of these
classes is that they provide inadequate
instruction. In an effort to cash in on the
popularity of Pilates, many gymnasiums and
health centers send their staff to attend
weekend courses and later claim of having
qualified personal trainers who can teach
Pilates. The fact is that they are not qualified
and learning Pilates from such trainers can lead
to injury. The best way is to find a trainer who
is certified by a group that is known for
offering extensive and rigorous training
programs for Pilates. With so much of training,
these trainers become a Pilates expert in the
true sense. Pilates trainers can even modify the
exercises just to make sure that novices can
learn it easily without getting hurt.
When following the Pilates mat program, you
need to perform one exercise after the other in
a set sequence that Joseph Pilates had designed.
While beginners are required to do only certain
basic exercises, those undergoing advanced
training are given exercises that require
advanced positioning.
To get the most out of your Pilates workout,
you need to do it the right way at the right
time. Follow these simple tips and enjoy the
most rejuvenating experience following a Pilates
workout.
Staying
focused is the key
– It’s important that you synchronize your
breathing rhythm with the body movements and
this can be achieved through various techniques
that are taught by qualified instructors. They
also teach you to concentrate on muscles and as
such on every exercise you are doing in order to
unite your mind and body. This will alleviate
stress and anxiety keeping your body fit and
strong at the same time. Staying focused is
critical for the getting the most out of Pilates
exercises.
Wear
comfortable clothes
– As any other form of exercise, Pilates
enthusiasts also need to choose their clothes
wisely and ideally go for the ones that are of a
comfortable fit. Most prefer to wear shorts or
tights along with a tank top or T-shirt to be
able to attain the right postures required in
Pilates exercising method. Pilates does not
allow you to wear shoes while exercising. Stop
exercising if there is pain or discomfort.
Maintain
a rhythm
– Its pointless to perform Pilates exercises if
your movements are quick and jerky. Although
movements need to be strong, you must ensure
that they are slow and seem almost like a dance.
This is how Joseph Pilates wanted it to be when
he worked with dancers before designing the
movements that are known everywhere as Pilates
exercises today.
The best part about Pilates exercising is that
you don’t have to sweat if you don’t want to
however, you can speed up the exercises to
attain the require heart rate. Pilates is all
about strength and flexibility, and you can
therefore pair it with an aerobic form of
exercise of your choice to get the best results.
Many Pilates enthusiasts have combined their
Pilates exercise regime with swimming or brisk
walking for better health and fitness.
Pilates is extremely popular because of its
diversity. For many, the idea of doing fewer
repetitions of several exercises is far more
appealing than doing lots of repetitions of
fewer exercises that makes the whole ordeal very
monotonous. Joseph Pilates wanted to promote an
exercising method that people could do on their
own once they received formal training from an
expert Pilates trainer. This gave them the
much-needed freedom to follow an exercise
routine that could be done anywhere anytime.
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