YOGA PILATES HOME FITNESS

Regardless of your level of experience with fitness exercises, there is no doubt you have heard of Pilates. The purpose of Pilates Exercises is to stretch and to strengthen your body. That is why Pilates is so popular with most contortionists and ballet dancers. If done properly and over a lengthy period of time, you’ll start to see those lean muscles that you see on dancers!

But just because people are using Pilates for physical improvement, and weight loss, it doesn’t mean that a Pilates exercise is a cardiovascular exercise. Pilates is a low intensity exercise. Most instructors recommend Pilates with aerobics and other forms of exercise for best results in terms of personal fitness and weight loss.

The Pilates Exercise was invented by Joseph Pilates, a German National, as a self exercise. Pilates was born a fragile child, sickly and asthmatic, so he took to exercise to improve his body. When he was a bit older, he was living in France, and was arrested as an enemy alien. During his internment, he was assigned in the medical facilities of the prison and this is where he put Pilates into use, as rehabilitation exercises for the sick.

Since then the Pilates exercises has gained its reputation for helping improve the overall physical state of the body. Pilates exercise is a series of breathing techniques combined with stretching and a simple machine. Pilates exercises designed to improve the body’s core. This includes the muscles in the abdomen, back, and buttocks. Some say it is better than yoga overall because it strengthens the body through improving posture strength and flexibility through stretching. The machines used in Pilates, are there to challenge the body, by making it stay in certain positions while moving the other parts in differing directions, thereby training the body to endure strain, thus increasing strength.

The basic Ideology of the Pilates Exercise is the use of the body’s mental ability to improve movement, efficiency and muscle control, which is also why they say that Pilate exercise somehow improves one’s mental state. Pilates also makes you aware of proper posture. Due to the exercises that you do, it also develops the muscles in the back and abdomen, further promoting good posture.

Pilate exercise also uses breathing techniques, which further increases mental focus. Probably one of the greatest focuses of Pilates is flexibility strength of the muscles. It is this ideology that made Pilates popular among dancers in the beginning.

Many Pilates enthusiasts and users have testified to the effectiveness of this program. With regular classes, the bodies become well balanced and stronger. Some say that after each workout, you can instantly feel the difference it has made to the parts of the body, mainly the legs back and abs.

Aside from increased strength, weight loss is what many people aim for when they do Pilates exercises. Other benefits of Pilates include increased energy levels, higher endurance, better flexibility, great abdominal workouts, and overall physical well being.

Personally, I do Pilates at my local gym. I enjoy it very much and it is something you have to make time for out of your busy schedule. To be honest, sometimes I dread going to Pilates because it is hard work. Even while I’m in the class, I sometimes feel “What did I get myself into?!” because it is somewhat hard work. But let me tell you, it is worth it! Because I feel GOOD every single time after I do Pilates. Your muscles are totally relaxed because they worked hard during the session.

I’ve been doing Pilates in conjunction with home exercises and other gym classes like Body Pump, Body Combat, Body Attack and Yoga for many number of years now. And I have seen a significant improvement in my physique and muscle definition. I wasn’t born with the perfect body like some lucky people are, so I worked hard for what I have now. It’s not perfect, but I’m happy with it and I’m proud of it.

If getting to a gym is not a viable option for you, due to time constraints, family commitments, distance etc, then don’t use these as an excuse to sit on the couch. It really doesn’t take that much to do something and while changes won’t happen overnight, you will certainly see results in the long run. How much of a result will depend on how persistent you are with your exercises.

I’m no personal trainer, but I have my mum doing steps and dumbells at home now. She is in her 60s, always saying she wanted to get stronger but like anything else, the first step is always the hardest. There is nothing stopping her, the only hurdle was a mental one. So last Christmas, we bought her some 0.5kg dumbells and set her a routine, starting with just 10 reps each arm everyday. She has been consistently doing that because the goal we set was so easy and achievable. By the way we got her pretty looking dumbells just like these ones pictured here, which she adored and so she would pick them up and use them. So it’s just about what will motivate you. If it is a nice Nike/Addidas top that will get you moving, then get one, it will be a worthwhile investment. For the guys, if it is a sexy poster on the wall, then put one up! I hope you get the point.

To your success in health and in life!

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