What is Pilates?
You may have seen all the commercials on TV talking about Pilates, or seen some advertisements in magazines, but what is Pilates? Is it some form of Yoga, a form of aerobics, or something completely different?
Pilates is an exercise system which was created by Joseph Pilates to improve his own body. He studied many different forms of exercise, Yoga, and eastern forms of meditation and exercise to design his plan. His system was designed to work on increasing range of motion and increasing core strength, by using a series of exercises, carefully planned breathing techniques, and proper thinking. Joseph first tried his system on his own body correcting many of his own physical challenges. He then started working with injured Army personnel in hospitals to help them recover from their war injuries. As he saw the benefits it gave to both himself and others, he further developed the program and started teaching it to the public.
Pilates uses a system of stretches, poses, and breathing to deeply work the core muscles of the body. You can do a complete workout in your home using just your body as your resistance, and your floor as your only piece of equipment. For more advanced work there are many pieces of equipment which have been developed including arcs, barrels, and the reformer. While some people believe it is critical to use these pieces of equipment, Joseph Pilates himself claimed the added equipment was not to improve the ability of the exercises, but to actually make them easier for people needing further assistance.
Pilates does appear to have many of the attibutes of Yoga, where breathing, stretching, and creating core strenght are also included. Pilates is a little more intensive, covering 100′s of positions and techniques. Where it is uncommon for Yoga to include other equipment, it is very common in Pilates. Pilates has been modified to use exercise balls, and even for Pilates Water programs.
Pilates is not an aerobic activity, and does not help you burn fat. The only fat burning advantage it will give you is the minimal gains in muscle as you develop your core strength. You may see some gains in metabolic rate through the more efficient breathing, giving your body more oxygen to work with. If you wish to lose weight you may want to investigate the Winsor Pilates Program which integrates a low calorie diet, Pilates, and more activity to help you reduce your body fat and weight. This program was the innovation of Mari Winsor, and is one of the most popular programs.
What is Pilates main benefits to you? You will gain a longer, leaner looking body. Your core strength will increase. You will gain in range of motion and flexibility. You learn to breathe deeply increasing your body’s usage of oxygen, which helps increase energy and pushes toxins out of your body. Pilates can be a great part of your physical fitness program, to help improve your health and wellbeing.
