IMAGE Pilates

Pilates explained

In the 1920s, physical trainer Joseph Pilates introduced Pilates into America as a way to help injured athletes and dancers safely return to exercise and maintain their fitness. Since then, Pilates has been adapted to suit people in the general community.

Pilates can be an aerobic and non-aerobic form of exercise. It requires concentration and focus, because you move your body through precise ranges of motion. Pilates lengthens and stretches all the major muscle groups in your body in a balanced fashion. It requires concentration in finding a centre point to control your body through movement. Each exercise has a prescribed placement, rhythm and breathing pattern.

In Pilates, your muscles are never worked to exhaustion, so there is no sweating or straining, just intense concentration. The workout consists of a variety of exercise sequences that are performed in low repetitions, usually five to ten times, over a session of 45 to 90 minutes. Mat work and specialised equipment for resistance are used.

The Pilates method is taught to suit each person and exercises are regularly re-evaluated to ensure they are appropriate for that person. Due to the individual attention, this method can suit everybody from elite athletes to people with limited mobility, pregnant women and people with low fitness levels.

Classes are held in specialised Pilates studios, physiotherapy clinics or at your local leisure facility or community centre.
Health benefits of Pilates

The health benefits of Pilates include:
improved flexibility
increased muscle strength and tone, particularly of your abdominal muscles, lower back, hips and buttocks (the ‘core muscles’ of your body)
balanced muscular strength on both sides of your body
enhanced muscular control of your back and limbs
improved stabilisation of your spine
improved posture
rehabilitation or prevention of injuries related to muscle imbalances
improved physical coordination and balance
relaxation of your shoulders, neck and upper back
safe rehabilitation of joint and spinal injuries
prevention of musculoskeletal injuries
increased lung capacity and circulation through deep breathing
improved concentration
increased body awareness
stress management and relaxation.
Pilates suitable for everyone

Pilates caters for everyone, from beginner to advanced. You can perform exercises using your own body weight, or with the help of various pieces of equipment.

A typical Pilates workout includes a number of exercises and stretches. Each exercise is performed with attention to proper breathing techniques and abdominal muscle control. To gain the maximum benefit, you should do Pilates at least two or three times per week. You may notice postural improvements after 10 to 20 sessions.
Pilates and challenging your body

Pilates is partly inspired by yoga, but is different in one key respect – yoga is made up of a series of static postures, while Pilates is based on putting yourself into unstable postures and challenging your body by moving your limbs.

For instance, imagine you are lying on your back, with bent knees and both feet on the floor. A Pilates exercise may involve straightening one leg so that your toes point to the ceiling, and using the other leg to slowly raise and lower your body. You need tight abdominal and buttock muscles to keep your hips square, and focused attention to stop yourself from tipping over.
Types of Pilates

The two basic forms of Pilates are:
Mat-based Pilates – this is a series of exercises performed on the floor using gravity and your own body weight to provide resistance. The main aim is to condition the deeper, supporting muscles of your body to improve posture, balance and coordination
Equipment-based Pilates – this includes specific equipment that works against spring-loaded resistance, including the ‘reformer’, which is a moveable carriage that you push and pull along its tracks. Some forms of Pilates include weights (such as dumbbells) and other types of small equipment that offer resistance to the muscles.
Quality in a Pilates workout

Pilates consists of moving through a slow, sustained series of exercises using abdominal control and proper breathing. The quality of each posture is more important than the number of repetitions or how energetically you can move.

Books and videotapes are available, but seek instruction from a qualified Pilates teacher or Pilates-trained physiotherapist to get the best results.
Pilates and general precautions

Although Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise, certain people should seek medical advice before embarking on a new program, including:
people who have recently had surgery
pregnant women
people aged 40 years or more
people with a pre-existing medical condition such as heart disease
people with pre-existing musculoskeletal injuries or disorders
anyone who has not exercised for a long time
people who are very overweight or obese.

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Benefits of Pilates: It Makes S*x Better
When Pilates instructors say, "lift your pelvic floor," what they are really saying is "do Kegels," . Pilates moves like those strengthen your pelvic floor muscles to up your pleasure in the bedroom. "You have way better or***ms with Pilates. It's amazing for s*x," If you're trying to conceive with all of that out-of-this-world s*x, strong pelvic floor muscles can make pushing out a baby way easier. "while women are still in the delivery room, saying 'the baby flew out of our vaginas,'"

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Benefits of Pilates: It's Easy on Your Joints
Pilates' slow and controlled movements puts minimal impact on your joints. Bonus if you're using the Pilates reformer:

Benefits of Pilates: It Improves Your Sports Performance
"When you start focusing on your core, you realize that all of your muscles are connected through your core. Try doing lunges without your abdominals. You'll crumble over," "With a stronger core, you can run faster, your yoga is on point, and overall, the rest of your workouts improve,". Plus, by working in small groups or one-on-one with a Pilates instructor, you can learn moves that mimic and improve performance in your sport of choice.

Benefits of Pilates: It Can Ease Back Pain
A stronger core equals a better back, That's why those with chronic lower back pain who practiced Pilates for just four weeks experienced more relief than those who visited a physician and other specialists, says a Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy study. What's more, their pain stayed away for a full year post-Pilates. Researchers believe that by stabilizing the core's lumbar-pelvic (lower-back) region, Pilates alleviates stress on the area and ups mobility.

Benefits of Pilates: 8 Reasons Every Woman Should Try Pilates
When it comes to Pilates, most women either are die-hard enthusiasts or have never stepped foot in a Pilates studio. Are you in the latter group? Tons of research on the benefits of Pilates would suggest you switch camps. Check out the uniquely awesome power of Pilates. ...less

Benefits of Pilates: 8 Reasons Every Woman Should Try Pilates
When it comes to Pilates, most women either are die-hard enthusiasts or have never stepped foot in a Pilates studio. Are you in the latter group? Tons of research on the benefits of Pilates would suggest you switch camps. Check out the uniquely awesome power of Pilates. ...

Benefits of Pilates: It's Ah-Mazing for Your Abs
Pilates hits your core (or, in Pilates speak, your "powerhouse") unlike any other workout. In fact, after completing 36 weeks of Pilates training, women strengthened their re**us abdominis (the muscle responsible for six-packs) by an average of 21 percent, while eliminating muscle imbalances between the right and left sides of their cores, according to a Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise study.