Is Pilates right for you? How can it benefit you? I can think about 50 ways Pilates exercises have affected my body and life. Here a few ways Pilates can help you and see if you think these benefits can help you have a more full and productive life.
Whole body Fitness
Pilates does not over-develop parts of the body and neglect others, it works the body as an integrated whole. Pilates promotes strength and balanced muscle development as well as increasing flexibility and increase range of motion through the joints. Pilates pays particular attention to the core and full body fitness but also includes the breath & the mind providing a level of fitness that is difficult to find elsewhere.
Pilates Adapts to Many Fitness Levels & Needs
You may be a senior, just beginning your new fitness journey, an elite athelete or just somewhere in the middle, the foundations of movement through Pilates apply to you. Building from the core, focusing on proper alignment, the mind/body approach helps make Pilates available to all. There are thousands of possible exercises and modification and Pilates can be adjusted and tailored to an individual's needs.
Strength without Bulk
Functional fitness is the key in Pilates, we are building toned muscles that work with you throughout your day. Building bulky muscle mass for show is not the name of the game in Pilates, the goal is to create long, lean muscles and that is possible through eccentric contraction. Eccentric contraction allows the muscle to lengthen as its resists a force and accounts for the long, strong muscles Pilates is known for.
Posture & Alignment
Having good alignment supported by a strong core in turn gives you great posture! Good posture is a position that allows the body to move freely through life. Pilates gives harmony and strength in turn, the body expresses itself through beautiful posture to those who practice Pilates on a regular basis.
Increased Energy
Did you know that the more you exercise, the more energy you have and the more you feel like doing and moving? Pilates stimulates the spine and muscles, gets the breath and circulation moving, and floods the body with the good feelings you get from exercising the whole body.
Promotes Weight Loss and Long, Lean Appearance
Practicing Pilates on a regular basis will change your body appearance by creating long, strong muscles and give you a leaner look. Pilates improves muscle tone, balances musculature, supports beautiful posture and teaches you to move gracefully and with ease. The combination of these qualities of Pilates will help you look and feel very fit.
Being asked the question often "Will Pilates make me lose weight?" The question has to be answered honestly, if you want to lose weight, the formula for weight loss remains the same:
Burn more calories than you take in.
Pilates is a full-body fitness method, the exercises can help you do that and combined with aerobic activity, Pilates becomes a great weight loss and body conditioning tool.
Increases Awareness-The Mind/Body Connection
The key concepts we use to integrate the body and mind in Joseph Pilates' Contrology, as he called it, were the Pilates principles of:
-centering
-concentration
-precision
-breath
-flow
These are the secrets of Pilates practice where the total attention paid to each movement brings the complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.
Flexibility
Your muscles are only as strong as they are flexible and in Pilates we work toward a safe increase and stretch of the muscles and range of motion within the joints. You will find that your body will be able to stretch and bend to meet the flow of life and that... is a very realistic goal!
Where to Learn Pilates?
Instruction in Pilates is easy to come across these days and because it is so popular it is practiced all over the world! That said, it is important to start your practice and training with a live certified instructor in a Studio or gym setting so that your practice is safe and precise.
It is my hope that this article has inspired you, informed you on the benefits of Pilates, and how it may help you live a fuller, more vibrant life.
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