Pilates Exercise Will Change Your Body
If you are looking for a lithe, dancer-like body, then Pilates may be the ultimate form of exercise for you. The objective of Pilates is to increase strength and flexibility without adding bulk.
Joseph Pilates developed his exercise system in the 1920s. Joseph was a frail child who wanted to become strong, so he started focusing on body conditioning at a young age. Eventually Pilates became a nurse and invented a way to help condition patient’s bodies by utilizing bed springs—this was the original Pilates apparatus.
What developed from treating patients was the Pilates apparatus and system that we know today. Rather than enduring a lot of repetitions, Pilates instead requires fewer movements but with more precision of form. Pilates especially works the “powerhouse” muscle group of the body: the buttocks, abdomen and lower back. If these are problem areas for you, then Pilates could be the way to go. Pilates requires a certified trainer on hand who will ensure that your form and breathing are correct.
FIND PILATES EQUIPMENT
The original users of the developed system that we now know were dancers like Martha Graham and George Balanchine. Dancers require not only strength, but flexibility, agility and balance—Pilates enhances all of this. Additionally, Pilates doesn’t merely work on the muscles, it also requires mental focus and correct breathing in order to gain the ultimate benefits, so it is a body/mind exercise system.
One form of Pilates includes a special apparatus that features springs and rolls. There are ropes or strings and via resistance of the springs, you build strength and flexibility. The mind is engaged with concentration and breathing. Again, resistance is key. One tends to be stretching and flexing while utilizing the Pilates apparatus, elongating the body and adding strength and flexibility to the muscle groups. Concentration and focus increase through the mind requirements of this exercise method.
BENEFITS OF PILATES
One of the most important areas exercised by the Pilates method is the abdomen. Abdominal strength increases tremendously. We don’t realize how important abdominal strength is until we have it and then lose it. When the abdomen is conditioned, we tend to stand more erect, less slouched. We use the abdomen all day when we are sitting, standing, walking and exercising. Remember that the abdomen is part of the “powerhouse” muscle group, which also includes the buttocks and lower back.
If you are seeking a form of exercise that requires graceful precision of form, if you want your body to be long and slender like a dancer’s physique, then Pilates is probably an ideal form of exercise for you. In addition to the bodily aesthetic considerations, Pilates is also excellent for developing strength in a weak lower back and abdomen; the “powerhouse” muscle groups are strengthened greatly through Pilates sessions. The mind gains concentration and focus. Pilates is the ultimate exercise system for invoking grace.
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By Jennifer Blue: Jennifer Blue currently writes from Los Angeles. She infuses her passion for fashion into writing, illustration and costume work.
