Posts Tagged ‘body alignment’

Pilates is Better For the Benefits

August 17th, 2011

The benefits of Pilates are well known and wide spread. Have you tried the Pilates craze yet? Have you personally seen the benefits of Pilates?

Pilates is designed so that you perform a sequence of exercises that focus on the movement itself and not on the amount of repetitions that you perform. Pilates is comprised of over 500 different types of exercises, many based on the principles of yoga and dance.

So what is so beneficial about the trendy exercise? Well, to start with, consistent practice of Pilates will help you to improve flexibility, lengthen your muscles, enhances your ease of movement, improve the general tone of your muscles, help you to develop a better posture and body alignment, and establish an improved overall sense of well being.

Pilates helps you to develop a more aware sense of the movements of your body and your breathing. With the focus on concentration on your breathing and the precise movements in the exercise taught in the method of Pilates, you will also begin to develop a better sense of relaxation and improved sense of physical and mental well being.

Pilates has been used for years in many rehab and preventative medicine venues. Dancers, athletes, and even those recovering from a variety of injury find Pilates to be a gentle form of exercise that can typically be managed by the majority of folks. It can help those injured to get back in the saddle again and on the road to recovery. Pilates is even used by expectant moms and even those new moms recovering from delivery.

Again, because of the slow, gentle and methodical movements of Pilates, moms find it useful as they begin to regain control of their body. It also helps to keep the joints flexible and the muscles strong.

Another benefit of Pilates is the fact that it can help you develop a great balance in between flexibility and strength. Without a good balance between the two then your body simply is not in the most harmonious relationship.

A favorite Pilates’ benefit is that it is a known stress reducer. If you passionately follow the breathing methods and the slow structured exercises of Pilates, then you can’t help but to begin to slow your breathing and subsequently your mind as you engage in the practice of Pilates. Watch the stress melt away as you give your mind over to the concentration of the Pilates’ method.

There are many who already recognize the benefits of Pilates. Men, women, teens and even senior citizens can find the benefits of Pilates to be helpful in improving their general health. So perhaps if you give it the old college try, then you too can jump on the band wagon and enjoy the benefits of Pilates.

Increase Muscle And Lose Fat By Doing Pilates

May 9th, 2011

Pilates is a body fitness system that was developed in the twentieth century by J Pilates. He named the method The Art of Contrology, which references the way the motions promotes the use of the mind to control the muscles. It is an exercise system that centres on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine.

Pilates can aid in losing weight by toning your body and conditioning your muscles. Large people that need to lose weight may find it to be a great alternative to regular conditioning classes at the local gym.

There are 2 ways of doing pilates. Either on a mat on the floor or you can use the reformer machine. Both techniques requires trained pilates instructors to teach you individually or as part of a larger group.

This type of pilates exercise is great for older people as well as improving balance and flexibility and also great if you have arthritis or any other joint immobility problems.

In pilates exercises a totally new awareness is discovered while using the body mind connection to be able to perform the movement properly. The movements focus on strengthening the powerhouse muscle groups: your lower back, abdomen and buttocks and help you tone and lose weight in these areas as well.

The best part of all is that whatever your current fitness level or your muscle strength, any normal person can do pilates. It is a very safe method of exercise. The movements are based upon dance and yoga exercises and emphasises body alignment as well as body awareness the same way dance exercises do.

To keep your muscles flexible is of great importance if you are overweight. The more lean muscle mass of your total body composition you have, the more fat mass you will burn on a daily basis. If you don’t have the discipline to workout by yourself and lift weights to keep your muscle mass from disappearing completely, pilates is a great alternative.

If money is the option, mixing both might be what would fit your budget and your schedule to tone and shape your body effectively. Pilates is not for anybody who is trying to build size or increase muscle mass in any larger volume. Pilates is usually performed over hour long sessions.