Pilates Videos Their Advantages
Posted on 6 May 2007 | No responses
Pilates is an exercise technique invented by Joseph Pilates, a German National, who when he was arrested in France during the first world war for being an enemy alien, invented a low resistance type of exercises which was later coined after him, Pilates. Joseph Pilates First used springs from beds to make the first machine for Pilates. He alter moved to The United States and opened his own Studio. Ever since then Pilates was on its uphill climb, and now there are a variety of Pilates videos that teach you at home rather than at a studio.
First of all the advantage of any Pilates video is its adaptability. You can do it anywhere that has a DVD player and a television. Especially for those people who don’t like going to the gym, the Pilates video is really in improvement for those that want to exercise in the comfort of their own home.
The disadvantages however, of a Pilates video are its lack of a tangible instructor. The instructions given on the DVD can hardly be enough of a substitute for an actual certified Pilates instructor. All the troubles all the questions and the probable injuries cannot all be covered by a single video, only a real instructor could do that.
So if you really want to do Pilates videos at home, it is advisable to first consult with an instructor, or probably take gym Pilates classes, just to orient yourself with the procedure, and then going on ahead to do it at home.
Winsor Pilates is one of the derivations of Pilates that has itself on video. This is a form of Pilates modified by Mari Winsor and claims to give results in 1 month, provided that you use it three times a week. Most people who have used it actually claim that it gives results in just two weeks.
Most people like Winsor Pilates, because, like other Pilates Videos it can be done in one’s own home. In addition most people nowadays, even if they do, do Pilates at homes till don’t have enough time to exercise. One satisfied user, after using it intermittently for 2 years, testifies to a healthier core, and higher body strength, although no weight loss was observable, provided his discontinuous usage, there we’re still good results from its usage.
The other good thing about Pilates videos is that as you progress in using it and using it continuously, meaning you’re not lazy, you tend to memorize all the routines as you go. So when you’ve memorized all the routines, you don’t really have to strain you neck so much by looking at the TV. Another thing about Pilates videos is their economy, you wont have to pay monthly payments or gym memberships, all you need is the video and you can use it for as long as you want, or until you want to move on to another form.
Most Pilates exercises and Pilates videos are low intensity, you can’t expect anything to strenuous form something that can be done for physical rehabilitation. For most people, low intensity workout for great results is already a great deal and would take it without so much as batting an eyelash, but for those muscle buffs who want a heavier workout, Pilates videos aren’t for you.
About the author:
Authored by Michael Bens – For more great information on how to lose weight, get in shape, and live healthy, visit Gabae Weight Loss for great resources, training and motivation!
Written By: Michael Bens
The Benefit of Pilates
Posted on 28 April 2007 | No responses
Pilates can benefit your overall health and sense of well-being in many ways. I have been doing Pilates for three years and I have seen for myself how challenging, yet effective it is.
Recently, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic muscle and soft tissue pain syndrome. One of my osteopathic doctors told me that if I hadnt been doing Pilates (and yoga), I would not be able to get on and off the examining table. As a matter of fact, when patients come to see him because of pain, he often recommends Pilates as a method of treatment.
While it certainly helps with physical problems, you will find many other positive rewards when you start integrating Pilates into your exercise program.
#1 Benefit of Pilates Strong Core
Pilates focuses on strengthening your deep abdominal muscles, your back and your butt. This results in greater pelvic stability and less likelihood that you will sustain an injury in your back. You will also enjoy having a flat, toned and sleek tummy.
#2 Benefit of Pilates – Improved Posture
Pilates works to lengthen the spinal compression that you might be developing, especially as you grow older or spend long hours hunched over in front of a computer. Many of us spend a great part of the day with our shoulders slumped forward. Pilates encourages you to lengthen the back of your neck and to slide your shoulder blades back and down. This encourages better postural alignment and allows you to stand and sit straighter and taller.
#3 Benefit of Pilates Increased Strength and Flexibility
When you are doing Pilates, you are simultaneously strengthening and stretching your muscles. This gives your joints greater range of motion and also helps prevent the likelihood that you will get injured.
#4 Benefit of Pilates Longer and Leaner Muscles
Many strength-training exercises focus on working only one body part at a time, which leads to a compressed, bulky muscle. When you do Pilates exercises, you are working your entire body and you elongate the muscle as you move it with precision and control. The result your body has a longer, leaner look.
#5 Benefit of Pilates Improved Mind Body Connection
Pilates is not a mindless activity. There is a very strong focus on deep breathing. You do certain moves as you inhale, while others as you exhale. This fosters a greater awareness about how you can integrate deep breathing and movement into positive body control.
#6 Benefit of Pilates It is Safe for Everyone.
Pilates is a gentle, low impact workout. In every class, you are given a modification to address your own unique level of strength, flexibility, and fitness. With the proper instruction, it is safe for seniors, for those who are physically challenged, and also those who are recovering from injuries.
If you’ve ever wondered about Pilates, why not give it a try? You can see for yourself how Pilates can make a positive difference in your mind, health and, of course your body.
About the Author
Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.
Written By: Della Menechella
Exercise Free Pilates Winsor With Resistance Band
Posted on 20 April 2007 | No responses
Happy Birthday Me 
Have you ever tried exercising free Pilates Winsor with the use of the resistance band? What kind of feeling have you earned? These are just among the questions surrounding the techniques involved on how to exercise free Pilates Winsor with resistance band.
For those who are interested to learn the basic techniques to exercise free Pilates Winsor with resistance band, then this article will provide the information for you.
The Requirements
Repeat Those Steps
Everybody is admitted to exercise free Pilates Winsor with resistance band. However, there are certain rules involved to exercise free Pilates Winsor with resistance band. For example, those who just begin to exercise free Pilates Winsor are entitled to do one set of eight to twelve repetitions of each exercise free Pilates Winsor with no weight for two to three times per week, with at least one day of the rest between workout. The rules to exercise free Pilates Winsor that are given to the intermediate involve doing two sets of eight to twelve repetitions by using light-medium weight for two to three times a week with at least one day of rest between workouts. On the other hand, to those who are advanced exercisers, to exercise free Pilates Winsor, they must do two to three sets of eight to twelve repetitions by using medium-heavy weights for two to three times a week with at least one day of rest between workouts.
Warm Up is Needed
Additionally, those who will exercise free Pilates Winsor must make sure that they warm up with five to ten minutes of cardio and stretching and cooling down with a long stretch. Aside from that, to exercise free Pilates Winsor with the use of the resistance band everybody must make sure that they drink plenty of water, and the mode to exercise free Pilates Winsor is done as an addition to regular cardio exercise to create best results.
Move Intricately
To exercise free Pilates Winsor with the use of the resistance band is to undergo much intricate movements. The remarkable movements involved to exercise free Pilates Winsor with the use of the resistance band are composed of Chest Press, Unilateral Fly, Push Ups, Rear Delt, Lat Pulls, Unilateral Lateral Raise, Overhead Press, Shoulder Rotation, Tricep Extensions, Tricep Extensions 2, Bicep Curls, Squats, Lunges, and Outer thigh. Those major movements to exercise free Pilates Winsor with the application of the resistance band have its own distinctions and respective sets of steps. For example, the first method to exercise free Pilates Winsor with the use of the resistance band, which is known as Chest Press, is so simple. To exercise free Pilates Winsor with this type you just need to place the resistance band under a step or ball and lie facing up holding the handles in each hand. To exercise free Pilates Winsor with this method you need to contract the chest to push arms up and repeat for two to three sets. As simple as that!
About the Author:
Evan Chloe, author, is a fitness specialist who writes articles for http://www.bodybuildingdirect.com
Written By: Evan Chloe
Winsor Pilates, a Great Addition to Your Exercise Routine
Posted on 12 April 2007 | No responses
If you turn on the television after midnight you’ll notice that the infomercials for diets, fitness equipment and exercise tapes are becoming more and more popular. Do any of these systems really deliver what they promise? Winsor Pilates is one of the many exercise systems advertised through infomercials, and one of the biggest sellers. With celebrity endorsements from the likes of Daisy Fuentes and Madonna, it’s hard to resist the infomercial and not pick up the phone.
Pilates was developed as a rehabilitative program for injured dancers by Joseph Pilates. The basic premise is that by strengthening the core muscles and increasing flexibility the body will become toned and more coordinated. Dancers have used the system for years, and it is now catching on with the rest of the fitness community. Most users report increased flexibility, coordination, a lengthening of muscles and a much stronger “core”.
The floor exercises featured in the tapes all work together to strengthen the abdominal muscles and back, called the “core” in this system. Each movement involves these important muscle groups, and the results are fantastic. Not only do the abdominal muscles become more toned, but the entire midsection is strengthened. The results are less likelihood of injury and increased performance in other fitness activities. A stronger back is a less painful back. The pilates moves are also good for toning the legs and buttocks.
The moves are slow and deliberate, requiring not only physical exertion but concentration as well. Ensuring that you are performing the moves correctly actively involves the mind, causing us to focus on the movements of our bodies. This inevitably reduces stress. In this way, pilates is similar to yoga. Many users report feeling refreshed and relaxed after the workout, not tired.
Mari Winsor’s presentation of the pilates system is excellent. She is careful to explain each move in great detail so that the beginner can follow along and do the movements in proper form. Most beginners will be discouraged after their first session, but after the second or third the movements will not seem so difficult.
The exercises are useful and effective for core strengthening. You won’t see pounds just melt away, however, unless you combine the workouts with a sensible eating plan. Mari includes one for your reference, but you can use this system with the weight loss program you’re already on to help accelerate results.
Of course, you may want to check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. However, Winsor Pilates is non-aerobic but effective in toning and strengthening the core of your body and may help you lose inches as well. Winsor Pilates is well worth a try.
About the Author
Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.pilatesreviews.info a website specialized on Winsor Pilates, resources and articles. This site provides updated information on Winsor Pilates. For more info visit his site: Winsor Pilates
Written By: Jay Moncliff
Does Winsor Pilates Work?
Posted on 4 April 2007 | No responses
In dealing with Winsor Pilates, the usual question that we often hear is how does Winsor Pilates work? Well, many concerned people ask this question perhaps out of curiosity, or maybe they just want to prove something about it.
Anyways, when we ask does Winsor Pilates work, what is the common answer that we usually get? It’s almost positive, right? So in this article, I will merely tackle on the issues surrounding the question if Winsor Pilates really works.
The query, Does Winsor Pilates work? is always heard from the new Winsor Pilates beginners. However, we found so many backups to this question and those backups mostly came from the Winsor Pilates junkies.
The Explanation
The Winsor Pilates exercise is considered to be the revolutionary workout system with simple controlled movements. So to backup the question Does Winsor Pilates work? many claimed that with the help of the simple controlled movements of the Winsor Pilates every exerciser will definitely tone and tighten the entire body without having to use expensive exercise machines. The question Does Winsor Pilates work?, despite that above mentioned claim still continue to surface and even create certain impact to most people. For this fact, the query Does Winsor Pilates work? is generally answered by the Winsor Pilates videos. Many said, especially those who have experienced and seen the Winsor Pilates videos, that the query can be answered by the fact that Mari Winsor, because of the successful operations of the Winsor Pilates, is sought after by some of the biggest stars in Hollywood to help them quickly transform their bodies and attain incredible results.
However, there are certain claims from the Winsor Pilates clients regarding the curiosity Does Winsor Pilates work? that create a negative impact to most of the clients. This certain answer to the interrogation insists that the question in terms of weight loss does not really function as such. The reason to it states that the Winsor Pilates exercise is a slow paced exercise and does not really result to a maximum weight loss and this supports the question Does Winsor Pilates work? In view of this reason, many of the clients support that such question in terms of weight loss can be answered only if coupled with some of the Winsor Pilates supporting tools such the Win-in-10-Meal Plan.
For further support, the curiosity Does Winsor Pilates work? creates a general view on the Winsor Pilates exercise through the contrasting claims of the Winsor Pilates reviewers with their effort to find out if does Winsor Pilates work as somewhat like a successful fitness program and at the same time a not so successful program. So if you are really curious if does Winsor Pilates work, then there is no reason for you not to try it.
Does Winsor Pilates Work? It is for you to find out!
About the Author: Evan Chloe, author, is a fitness specialist who writes articles for http://www.bodybuildingdirect.com
Written By: Evan Chloe
A Guide to Pilates Equipment
Posted on 27 March 2007 | No responses
There are endless options for exercise videos and equipment that you can buy to use in your home, if you are trying to shed weight and shape up. However, care must be taken that you do not concentrate on just one part of your body. The most popular of all equipment is the Pilates Reformer. It is a sophisticated system of springs, straps and pulleys. You can perform more than 100 exercises on this versatile piece of equipment.
There is a gliding platform on which one can sit, kneel, stand or lie on the front, back or side. There is a foot bar which is pushed and pulled by the user using the arms, legs, wrists and ankles to slide back and forth along the rails in a controlled manner.
The Pilates Reformer is recommended for establishing torso stability and postural alignment. The adjustable springs allow for progressive resistance, which helps to lengthen and strengthen the muscles.
The Reformer is a fixture in Pilates studios and gyms as well as places like rehabilitation clinics. A more economical, compact, and portable model such as the Allegro is available to cater towards group classes.
Prices are in the $2000-$4000 range for various models of quality Reformers.
Another popular piece of equipment is the Pilates Cadillac, which is also known as ‘The Rack’ and ‘Trapeze Table.” It is one of the most effective and versatile pieces of exercise equipment, and is a bridge between exercise and physical therapy.
The Cadillac is a raised horizontal table-top surrounded by a four-poster frame on which various bars, straps, springs and levers are fixed. Standard models include a push-through bar (which can be sprung from above or below), a roll-down bar, a trapeze or cross bar, arm springs, leg springs, thigh and ankle cuffs and even fuzzy hanging loops.
Several manufacturers have combined the Reformer and Cadillac to make hybrid models.
There is also Pilates Chair, also known as the Wunda Chair, for carrying out more than 75 exercises involving push-up-like moves with the arms. The price of a basic Pilates Chair starts at around $700 but can be more than $1200.
Pilates Ladder Barrels, consisting of ladder-like rungs and a rounded barrel-like surface, enable a multitude of stretching, strengthening and flexibility exercises. Professional-quality ladder barrels come in the $900 to $1500 range.
For mat workouts, there are Pilates Arc Barrels, which are upholstered arches that help support the back and shoulders. They are great rehabilitative tools for those recovering from stress, tension or injury. They range in price from $130 to $230.
The Pilates Spine Corrector has a sort of a whistle shape, with a semi-circular arch plus an angled step or seat. The unit is effective for stretching the spine and shoulders in a way that is safe, stable, and supported. Pricing is in the $300 to $450 range.
About the Author
Pilates Info provides detailed information about Pilates exercises, equipment, videos, classes, studios, certification, and more. Pilates Info is affiliated with Business Plans by Growthink.
Written By: Richard Romando
Fitness And Pilates
Posted on 19 March 2007 | No responses
People today are starting to understand the importance of good health, which is achieved through a well balanced diet, cutting out smoking and drinking, and incorporating some type of fitness program into daily life. While there are some excellent opportunities such as walking, swimming, tennis, handball, or working out in the gym, another option includes Pilates, which has taken our society by storm. In addition to being fun, Pilates is easy on the body while producing outstanding results.
Pilates involves a system of movement coupled with therapeutic exercise. This particular fitness program took Joseph H. Pilatu over 60 years to perfect. In addition to helping people look better by toning and firming the body, Pilates makes people feel better. Through precision toning and bringing balance to muscles at the joint area, this fitness method stimulates circulation by using muscular flexibility, proper musculoskeletal alignment, and range of motion.
Pilates also offers better body awareness while promoting coordination and creating new neuromuscular patterns. The result of this fitness program is a reduction or complete elimination of chronic pain and/or injury or re-injury. Joseph himself grew up with arthritis and asthma, making him feeble. His father was a prize-winning gymnast and his mother a practicing naturopath. Using a discarded anatomy book, Joseph studied and studied to better understand the various body parts. By the age of 14, he had learned how to develop his own body, so much so that he was hired as an anatomy model for other students to study.
With Joseph’s knowledge and fine-tuning of this fitness method, he and his wife began teaching Pilates. The exciting thing about this fitness program is that by being developed around the natural movement of animals and other natural movements, millions of people are able to incorporate the program into their daily lives, finding they look and feel better. The bottom line is that whether using Pilates or some other type of fitness, you can tone the muscles, strengthen joints, and even reduce stress on the heart and lungs, giving you a longer, healthier life.
We now see people from stay-at-home moms to famous movie stars faithfully using Pilates with amazing results. In fact, if you want the most out of fitness, we recommend you combine Pilates with a cardio type of exercise such as biking, walking, or swimming. This way, you get the best of both worlds. Best of all, fitness can be done by people of all ages and expensive equipment is not needed to be successful. Therefore, if you are tired of looking and feeling bad, get involved with a good fitness program such as Pilates.
About the Author:
Jon Gransworth runs the website Depo Fitness which a site dedicated to promoting fitness related material and contains very recent fitness tips and gossip. For more details please visit http://www.depofitness.com
Written By: Jon Gransworth
The History of Pilates It All Began With One Sickly Child
Posted on 11 March 2007 | No responses
A look into the history of Pilates helps you understand the tremendous power that this form of exercise has to help strengthen and transform your body. Unlike yoga, which has a tradition that goes back thousands of years, one individual developed the Pilates Method at the beginning of the twentieth century.
In 1880 in Dusseldorf, Germany, a sickly baby named Joseph Pilates was born. As a young child he watched as his friends ran, jumped and played games activities that he could not do because of his frail, weak body. That is when the Pilates Method really began. Pilates was determined to find a way to improve his health and physical strength and stamina. He set off on a lifelong quest for fitness and exercise. Pilates not only overcame his physical frailties he mastered them. He became an accomplished yogi, boxer, gymnast, and skier.
During World War I, Pilates was interned in England where he worked as a nurse with injured war victims. Pilates was convinced that exercise could help rehabilitate their badly damaged bodies. Many of these patients were not able to move, but that did nothing to deter Pilates determination to help them gain strength and mobility. He rigged up their hospital beds with straps and springs and created a series of exercises to help move their joints through a greater range of motion. The exercises also helped his patients develop muscle strength, flexibility and endurance. Eventually, many of these people were able to get up and move around by themselves.
In 1923, Joseph Pilates and his wife moved to New York City where they opened up a studio and began working to rehabilitate injured dancers. Some of the most famous dancers that they worked with were George Balanchine and Martha Graham. Word of the dramatic results that came from using the Pilates method spread, and soon it became the exercise of choice for not only dancers, but also entertainment stars and professional athletes. For a long time, this unique form of exercise was limited to this elite community.
That has all changed. Now millions of people are familiar with the Pilates method of exercise. They have discovered for themselves that Pilates can help them gain the strength, flexibility, and balance of a professional dancer, without having to spend hours at the gym. They spend less time to achieve better results. No wonder it has become one of the hottest fitness trends to come along in years.
Now that you know the background of Pilates and why it was developed, you can realize how this powerful form of exercise can help you gain strength, flexibility, endurance, and the body of that youve always wanted.
About the Author
Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.
Written By: Della Menechella
A Brief Introduction To Winsor Pilates Exercise
Posted on 3 March 2007 | No responses
As the world continues to revolve on its own pace, many movements and developments come out and filled the entire cosmos instantly. These improvements create a titanic result to most of the people. One of those great improvements that ever came out and caught the attention of the whole humanity is the fitness industry.
It is undeniable that many people today have prodigious interest and intensity to fitness programs and one of the most popular fitness programs is the Winsor Pilates exercise. But what it is?
The Basic Basics
The Winsor Pilates exercise, was said to be developed by Mari Winsor, one of the most sought after Pilates trainers by the biggest stars and celebrities in Hollywood. Being a unique form of exercise, the Winsor Pilates exercise has various things that make it distinct from many other fitness programs. The Winsor Pilates exercise is a complete set of Pilates program that will not only help the customers get toned and sculpted but also lose weight all at the same time when abiding by the Winsor Pilates exercise Win-in-10 Meal Plan. It is interesting to note that not all Pilates programs are conceptualized and treated to help the customers lose weight and inches. But you dont have to worry because this fact is not at all impossible with the Winsor Pilates exercise.
The Dynamic Sequencing
The Winsor Pilates exercise will help everyone to lose weight because the Winsor Pilates exercise is the only program that highlights an exclusive dynamic sequencing which is considered as the key to Pilates sytem. Mari Winsor with her Winsor Pilates exercise has tutored and improved her Pilates techniques over the past 15 years to acknowledge the proper order of exercises to aid the Winsor Pilates exercise clients maximize their outputs.
Virtual 3-D Training
As such, the Winsor Pilates exercise to further create a better result, introduced the Winsor Pilates exercise special video feature which is the Virtual 3-D Training which shows the Winsor Pilates exercise methods. Since it is important in every Winsor Pilates exercises and with the other Pilates exercises to be in correct position to attain the best posture, the Virtual 3-D training definitely introduces the correct positioning of the body by providing a distinct glimpse with graphics and special camera angles.
Balanced Kinesics
Finally, the Winsor Pilates exercise will give you a special blending of controlled kinesics that are assured to shape and sculpt long and lean muscles. So you better try it because without doubt the Winsor Pilates exercise is one of the excellent workouts ever created. Youll enjoy every minute of it!
About the Author:
Evan Chloe, author, is a fitness specialist who writes articles for http://www.bodybuildingdirect.com
Written By: Evan Chloe
Pilates Exercise: More Than Just a Core Workout
Posted on 23 February 2007 | No responses
It’s a common misconception that Pilates method exercise is really only good for strengthening and stretching the core muscles of the body. Many people use it to tone their abs and improve their posture but, in reality, Pilates can do much more than that. In fact, when combined with an aerobic “cardio” exercise component (e.g., jogging or Spinning) Pilates can provide you with a fantastic full-body conditioning workout! Pilates Exercises for Strength-Training
Many Pilates exercises are great muscle-toners that work large muscle groups beyond just the abs and lower back. The Plank position, for example, effectively works the chest and triceps muscle groups. Leg kicks work the glute and hamstring muscles very well. Free squats are one of the best lower-body exercises around, working the quadriceps, the hamstrings, and the glutes. And don’t think these are “sissy” strength-training exercises. Many of the world’s top martial artists practice them on a daily basis to toughen their bodies and reduce the chance of getting hurt.
Pilates Equipment
When it comes to workout equipment, it’s hard to beat Pilates devices like the Reformer and Wunda chair. Not only do they stretch and strengthen muscles — providing great full-body conditioning — but they “teach” you how to use the different parts of your body together efficiently. Efficient body movement is a key to great overall fitness, injury prevention, and high-level sports performance. Portable Pilates equipment like resistance bands and the Pilates circle are also effective fitness tools. They’re inexpensive, easy to travel with, and can easily be incorporated into many of your current muscle-conditioning routines for increased benefits.
Mind-Muscle Benefits
The muscle-control and mental-focus gained from doing Pilates on a regular basis can help you in all areas of fitness. This is one reason why so many professional athletes are now taking Pilates classes. Few exercise system help you to coordinate your mind and body as well as Pilates. The benefits of this coordination are increased strength, improved posture, alleviation of pain, improved mental focus, and (obviously) improved physical coordination… to name just a few!
Putting It All Together
Simply put, Pilates exercise is a highly-effective method of total-body conditioning. No, it won’t put slabs of new muscle on your body. But it will make the muscle you have look great, while providing an array of benefits that typical weight-training can’t give you. Throw in some good cardio training and you’ve got a complete solution for great fitness and health!
About the Author
Jamie Clark is a fitness expert, researcher, and “health nut” who enjoys Pilates exercise and writes for PilatesMethodExercise.com. For more great Pilates exercise articles visit: http://www.pilatesmethodexercise.com/blog/category/pilates-articles/
Written By: Jamie Clark