If you stick with Pilates faithfully, it will dramatically change the way your body feels, looks and performs.
Pilates builds strength without having to worry about excess bulk. It will create a sleek, toned body that has a flat abdomen and slender thighs.
Pilates teaches good posture, body awareness and easy, graceful movements. It will improve you agility, flexibility and economy of motion.
It can also help to relieve back pain. Professional dancers have been using Pilates for decades.
Many of your top athletes use it for flexibility, strength and injury prevention. Supermodels and Hollywood celebrities use it Pilates to maintain beautiful bodies.
Is this some sort of miracle? No, not really. Pilates is an exercise system that is very safe and sensible and was developed by Joseph Pilates.
He developed the Pilates method for the rehabilitation of injured veterans returning from World War I.
You can either use a floor mat or other equipment and accessories which will help you feel and look your very best. Regardless of your condition or age, Pilates will work for you
Pilates develops a strong center of the body or core. This is composed of the deep abdominal muscles and the muscles that are closest to the spine.
The exercises help you develop core control while integrating the pelvis, trunk and should girdle.
Pilates will do the following for you:
- It will help build strength without -bulking up-.
- It will increase flexibility and agility.
- You will develop optimal core control.
- It will help create flat abs, slender thighs as well as a strong back.
- It is a refreshing workout of the mind and body.
- Pilates is challenging yet safe.
One of the great things about Pilates is that it is suited for just about everyone no matter if you are a couch potato
or a fitness buff.
Due to the fact that Pilates has gained a lot of notoriety recently, there are many classes available.
You will probably find that many YMCAs and fitness centers offer Pilates, mostly associated with mat work.
There are some Pilates instructors who offer private classes. These may be purchased either separately one class
at a time or in blocks of classes.
These sessions may combine both mat and machine work. If your health club has Pilates machines available to its members, make sure that you receive supervision from a qualified Pilates instructor.
As with anything, there are right and wrong ways of doing things and Pilates is no exception.
The fact that Pilates is hot right now and classes are springing up like mushrooms also has a downside. You may receive inadequate instruction.
As is the case with any form of exercise, you can cause injury to yourself if you have a certain health condition or you do not know exactly what you are doing.
Some gyms think that just by sending their personal trainers to a weekend-long course that they are qualified to begin teaching Pilates. This is not true and can lead to injury.
You want to find an instructor who has been certified by a group that boasts of a rigorous training program. This training program consists of several hundred hours of being instructed in Pilates ALONE.
They have the knowledge to modify the exercises so that a new student will not get hurt.