Learn about Pilates

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

Every Pilates studio, health club, spa and fitness facility has its own training classes and programs. If you have a limited budget, it is a good idea to join a group class. This is a great, relatively economical place for beginners to start, and have fun. Using standing, sitting and recumbent positions, the instructor guides students through the various stretches and movements.

Ideally, group mat Pilates classes have a manageable student-teacher ratio, not more than fifteen students per teacher, so the instructor can monitor each individual’s form and progress. Separate classes are held for beginner, intermediate and advanced students.

With the coming of smaller, less-costly equipment Allegro, more and more fitness clubs are adding group Reformer classes to their program. Ideally each participant has some experience on a Reformer prior to joining a group class.

Students work through a sequence of Reformer choreography at the appropriate level in unison, with the Pilates instructor monitoring for safe and proper form.

The most effective way to learn, practice and perfect Pilates performance is to go for a personal training session, in which the instructor devotes undivided attention to a student’s specific needs. These sessions usually begin with a warm-up on the mat, but a variety of Pilates equipment can be explored as well.

Club and studios have Pilates classes themed around specific props like the balance ball, resistance band or the Pilates circle/ring. A small prop can add variety and a challenge to a group mat class, and expands the programming possibilities for a facility.

Some clubs and studios offer Pilates classes designed for those who golf, play tennis, or swim in the summer, while programs for skaters and skiers are popular in the winter.

Studio and clubs are also offering a blend of Yoga and Pilates as “Yogalates” or “Piloga”. Similarly, cycling and Pilates are being blended for a unique hybrid “Cyclates” program.


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