By Emma L Forsyth
Pilates is a fitness system developed in the early 20th Century by Joseph Pilates, a German who emigrated to the US. Pilates called his method Contrology. He believed that mental and physical health are inter-related.
Pilates focuses on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced.
There seems to be a great misperception about Pilates. A lot of people think it can be boring and not challenging enough, this could not be further from the truth. Pilates when done properly, especially on Pilates machines can be extremely fulfilling and much more intensive than some people believe it to be.
One of the many benefits of Pilates is the increased amount of strength that one can achieve in the 'core' of the body. The term core refers to the muscles in and around the area of the abdomen and the back. A lot of people suffer from non-specific lower back pain due to their lifestyle, the biggest culprits being sitting incorrectly at their desks and slouching in front of the TV. Pilates increases core strength, restores postural alignment and creates a stronger, more flexible spine to help combat this lower back pain. Engaging your core muscles through all Pilates exercises is very important and breathing is another essential aspect of practising Pilates. Pilates breathing should be done with concentration, control and precision. Proper and effective breathing not only oxygenates the muscles it can reduce tension in the upper neck and shoulders and purge waste gases from the body.
Pilates exercises tone and build long, lean muscles without bulk and demand intense focus. Many clients love that they are not able to think about anything other than the exercises in a class. It gives them some definite 'me' time which is especially important with so many peoples lives getting more and more pressurised and stressful. Pilates reduces stress, relieves tension and boosts energy through deep stretching.
Many people are not aware that there are Pilates machines and are surprised when they find this out and that there are classes done on them. Exercising on Pilates apparatus is resistance training using springs to provide additional resistance. This helps build strength, develop proper alignment and posture and increase flexibility.
I think women in particular should become more aware of the importance of resistance training. Why do resistance training? Well some of the many benefits are -
• It builds muscle strength and tone. Humans lose 5 pounds of muscle every decade after age 30.
• Resistance exercise can slow down or even reverse the aging process by building muscle mass and strength.
• It's been shown to build bone, this is very important in reducing the risk of Osteoporosis and Osteopenia
• Resistance exercise raises your metabolic rate, an important factor in losing weight. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism and you burn more calories all day long. Generally speaking for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day. That can really add up.
• A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of resistance training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did.
As if these benefits were not enough -
• Pilates is said to help with PMS cramps and mood swings
• Pilates strengthens your body and helps prevent future injuries. It helps to condition the whole body, not just certain muscles.
• Pilates during pregnancy has been claimed to be a highly valuable and beneficial form of exercise but as with all exercise during pregnancy care and proper guidance is necessary.
• Pilates can be customized to suit everyone from rehab patients to elite athletes
• Pilates improves performance in sports (golf, skiing, skating etc.)
In relation to Pilates I would say forget what you think you know about it and give it a go. You may well be surprised at how much you like it and benefit from it and how quickly you see results and changes to your body. Ring the Pilates studio or practitioner before you go and ask them about their specific Pilates classes, as they can change depending on where or who you go to. Some people may want a more relaxing class whilst others like the feeling after the class that they have worked their body pretty hard. With the huge range of benefits from Pilates it is no surprise it has grown in popularity so much as a fitness system in recent years.
Pilates focuses on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced.
There seems to be a great misperception about Pilates. A lot of people think it can be boring and not challenging enough, this could not be further from the truth. Pilates when done properly, especially on Pilates machines can be extremely fulfilling and much more intensive than some people believe it to be.
One of the many benefits of Pilates is the increased amount of strength that one can achieve in the 'core' of the body. The term core refers to the muscles in and around the area of the abdomen and the back. A lot of people suffer from non-specific lower back pain due to their lifestyle, the biggest culprits being sitting incorrectly at their desks and slouching in front of the TV. Pilates increases core strength, restores postural alignment and creates a stronger, more flexible spine to help combat this lower back pain. Engaging your core muscles through all Pilates exercises is very important and breathing is another essential aspect of practising Pilates. Pilates breathing should be done with concentration, control and precision. Proper and effective breathing not only oxygenates the muscles it can reduce tension in the upper neck and shoulders and purge waste gases from the body.
Pilates exercises tone and build long, lean muscles without bulk and demand intense focus. Many clients love that they are not able to think about anything other than the exercises in a class. It gives them some definite 'me' time which is especially important with so many peoples lives getting more and more pressurised and stressful. Pilates reduces stress, relieves tension and boosts energy through deep stretching.
Many people are not aware that there are Pilates machines and are surprised when they find this out and that there are classes done on them. Exercising on Pilates apparatus is resistance training using springs to provide additional resistance. This helps build strength, develop proper alignment and posture and increase flexibility.
I think women in particular should become more aware of the importance of resistance training. Why do resistance training? Well some of the many benefits are -
• It builds muscle strength and tone. Humans lose 5 pounds of muscle every decade after age 30.
• Resistance exercise can slow down or even reverse the aging process by building muscle mass and strength.
• It's been shown to build bone, this is very important in reducing the risk of Osteoporosis and Osteopenia
• Resistance exercise raises your metabolic rate, an important factor in losing weight. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism and you burn more calories all day long. Generally speaking for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day. That can really add up.
• A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of resistance training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did.
As if these benefits were not enough -
• Pilates is said to help with PMS cramps and mood swings
• Pilates strengthens your body and helps prevent future injuries. It helps to condition the whole body, not just certain muscles.
• Pilates during pregnancy has been claimed to be a highly valuable and beneficial form of exercise but as with all exercise during pregnancy care and proper guidance is necessary.
• Pilates can be customized to suit everyone from rehab patients to elite athletes
• Pilates improves performance in sports (golf, skiing, skating etc.)
In relation to Pilates I would say forget what you think you know about it and give it a go. You may well be surprised at how much you like it and benefit from it and how quickly you see results and changes to your body. Ring the Pilates studio or practitioner before you go and ask them about their specific Pilates classes, as they can change depending on where or who you go to. Some people may want a more relaxing class whilst others like the feeling after the class that they have worked their body pretty hard. With the huge range of benefits from Pilates it is no surprise it has grown in popularity so much as a fitness system in recent years.
Emma Forsyth. Owner Pilates Plus Dublin, Qualified SPX and Piloxing Instructor, Wellness Coach.
http://pilatesplusdublin.com/
Extolling the many benefits of exercise in people's lives. Particularly focused on the importance of resistance training for women, such as Pilates and Pilates based fitness systems.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emma_L_Forsyth http://pilatesplusdublin.com/
Extolling the many benefits of exercise in people's lives. Particularly focused on the importance of resistance training for women, such as Pilates and Pilates based fitness systems.
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