One of the hottest new fitness trends has hooked celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Cindy Crawford, and Sarah Jessica Parker. These gals have killer abs for a reason Their devotion to Pilates might have a little something to do with it.
Discover what Pilates is all about and how it might benefit you.
Developed by Dr. Joseph Pilates in the 1920's, Pilates is a type of exercises designed to strengthen and stretch key parts of your body. What you may not know is it was originally created as a way to rehabilitate prisoners of war and eventually evolved into a great exercise routine for anyone wanting to get fit. A typical Pilates class emphasizes the "core" areas of your body - the hips, glutes, lower back, and abs. These core muscles are extremely important to your keeping your body in alignment and decreasing your risk of injury as you age. Pilates works to ensure your core is strong enough to take the pressure off your knees, back, and shoulders.
It is Pilate's emphasis on the mind-body connection that separates it from a boring workout on the treadmill. Joseph Pilates actually called his practice "controlology" because of the effect on the body through the six principals: centering, concentration, control, breath, precision and flow. In Pilates class, you really need to pay attention to how your body is moving since you are constantly moving to a certain rhythm. Since the strength of your spine is stressed during class, students report a greater awareness of how their body is aligned when they're doing normal activities. For example, you might make a conscious decision to sit up a little straighter when at work, which will help to relieve neck and lower back pain.
Pilates exercises are done on either a Pilates workout mat, a floor mat, or on special Pilates equipement developed by Joseph Pilates himself. Each piece of equipement uses pulleys and the resistance of the users own body weight, along with a graduated series of springs and settings.
Pilates devotees are quick to gush about the results they see in their bodies. People report losing inches around their waist and hips, increasing their flexibility and muscle mass, and decreasing their back pain.
Due to the increasing popularity of Pilates, classes are very easy to find! You can jump on the Pilates bandwagon by checking out classes at your local gym or health club. No matter what kind of shape you're currently in, a Pilates class can benefit anyone. You're guaranteed to get a great workout that will improve every part of your body!
You may want to speak to a pilates instructor and/or observe a class so you can see what is involved physically. Then speak to your doctor before going ahead. It's a terrific workout, but certainly one you would want to speak to your doctor about before trying.