Pilates Questions

MegaFitness asked:

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The Pilates exercise and Pilates equipment as we understand it was created by Joseph Pilates.

Pilates was a character and a pugilist who lived in England at the beginning of the 20th century. At the onset of World War 1, he was placed under forced internment along with various German nationals in Lancaster, England. There he taught fellow inmates the concepts and exercises that he had developed during 20 years of self-study and practice in yoga, Zen, and old Greek and Roman bodily regimens.

The exercises are a methodical routine which is intended to develop your body’s constitution with balancing, stretching, strengthening and breathing. Devotees testify it can dramatically reshape hips, thighs and backside, improve upon abdominal strength and muscle length and benefit vertebral alignment.

Pilates exercise can not only dramatically alter the way your body looks, but also the way it feels and performs. The exercises set free natural hormones called endorphins in your body which fight pain, stress and relieve depression.

Yoga

Pilates based his teachings on other exercise methods from all round the world, amongst them the mind-body formats of yoga and Chinese martial arts. Resolved to overcome his own ailments, he began to investigate anatomy as well as Eastern and Western forms of exercise, together with Yoga, weight training, gymnastics and acrobatics.

In many regards the conditioning is comparable with yoga, although some declare it is superior to yoga overall since it strengthens the body naturally, improving posture tone and resilience through stretching. The core difference is that whilst yoga requires moving from one static pose to the next without repetitions, Pilates exercise flows via a succession of movements that are more dynamic, systematic and anatomically-based. It’s a well-choreographed yoga workout that moves gracefully between static poses and more flexible moves, that are both challenging and relaxing.

Equipment

After a few years, Joseph Pilates was transferred to a different camp where he worked as a nurse/caretaker. It was here that he started developing equipment that would permit his patients to exercise whilst in a prone or sitting position; thereby avoiding heavy strain on the heart and lungs.

This early equipment was made by using springs from beds and rigging them, using timber, so as to allow the confined patients to benefit from movement and resistance.

Although there are more than 500 different exercises described in the Pilates routine, the basic exercises can be performed on a simple floor mat. The exercises can also be performed in your home using ordinary fitness equipment.

Nevertheless there are many pieces of equipment that may be used to advance the benefits of the exercises. Some exercises are performed on specialized Pilates equipment including the Reformer, Cadillac and Ladder Barrel.

Some Pilates equipment, like the classic Pilates Circles, proffer spring resistance, others like the Spine Supporter, offer support, and a diversity of unique exercises for the entire body can be performed on each piece. Often, a purely mat-based practice is a genuine and successful workout by itself, but if you have the occasion to explore some Pilates equipment under the tutelage of a qualified professional, do so.

The most common piece of equipment in any Pilates studio is the Reformer (a movable carriage for pushing and pulling). However a fully equipped specialist gym would have other spring and gravity based resistance equipment, e.g. Reformers Circles, Cadillac/Trap Table, Wunda Chair, Pedipull Barrels and Ladder Barrel

Attire

Unlike other forms of exercise, you are unlikely to get too hot when practicing, so clothing should be light and stretchable. Most people practice in bare feet as you are unlikely to slide on the floor mat.

Fitness

Although you should always follow advice from your doctor before starting any fitness routine, a Pilates workout is measured and controlled with no sudden jarring actions and, unlike many fitness programs, Pilates exercises are not based on the principle “more is better”. The moves are very simple and slow, perfect for any fitness level and very likely to be appealing to beginners.

How quickly you get fit depends on several intrinsic factors: your existing degree of fitness, how quickly you understand the concepts, how often you do the workout routine and even how committed you are to continuing.

Pilates exercise is also said to ward off varicose veins, haemorrhoids and low back pain and helps to boost self esteem, maintain fitness levels and prepare the body for the physical demands of motherhood.

You’ll probably find that many fitness centres and YMCA’s offer Pilates classes, mostly in mat work. Fitness balls are available anywhere exercise equipment is sold, from all the big discount stores, to fitness stores, gyms and studios, and of course, online.

One of the advantages of going to a studio is that you will find it hosts a big family of health-minded people supporting each other in losing weight and improving fitness levels. Professional athletes and dancers, pre- and post-natal women, senior citizens, weekend warriors, and couch potatoes alike are enjoying his unique method of attaining physical fitness.

Conclusion

Pilates exercises improve the body’s core, which includes the muscles in the abdomen, back, and buttocks. Pilates exercises can be performed on a mat, with literally hundreds of beginner to advanced moves available in the repertoire for a well-rounded workout on the floor. Pilates exercise does not jar the joints and is particularly useful for those having a history of joint problems.

Pilates exercises also improve the mind’s ability to concentrate.

It is not necessary to join a gym or studio to benefit from the exercise, but if you do you will find a wealth of equipment and advice to assist you.

By: Kevin Phoenix

About the Author:

The Pilates Body: The Ultimate At-Home Guide to Strengthening, Lengthening, a...
by Brooke Siler
Amazon Price: $12.89
Customer Review: This book was recommended by my pilates instuctor. Good book. Now if I would only use it!

Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff
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Customer Review: A thousand thank yous to Mr. Johnson for being one of the very few self-help-book authors to base all of his recommendations on well-designed scientific studies. On this point alone, Mr. Johnson's book stands head-and-shoulders above nearly all other...

Pilates
by Rael Isacowitz
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Customer Review: I am a Pilates trainer for 10 years and really like the way this manual is sectioned off with mat and apparatus exercises comprehensively addressed. Rael is a master at his craft and he articulates this through his presentations live and through word...

American Desi asked:


how shud i follow the the session bcoz am doing it myself with dvds and books?

dangergirl7121 asked:


I want to do pilates to tone and sculpt my body. The two kits I am looking at both have different equipment. Which should I choose?

1-Karen Voight Body Sculpting System
* yoga mat
* 2 Vids and booklets
* two genie balls 5 lbs weights
* 65 cm stability ball

Pilates kit
* 3 flat and 3 circular bands for stretching
* 65 cm stability ball
* yoga strap – 8 ft
* yoga brick ( whats this for?)
* two hand grips
* Yoga mat
* Yoga chart

I’m a beginner so I’m not sure what equipment I will need. I know I definiately want the stability ball.

Mirmina asked:


I am 20 weeks pregnant and cant decide whether to take yoga or pilates classes.

sugarxpuff asked:


(i.e stomach, legs, ****?)

I weigh 93 pounds, but my fat is mainly around my legs, stomach and butt, so I was wondering if doing pilates will help tone my body to look slim.

Thanka a bunch =]
Without any equipment, it’s just at home.
I can do it 10 min. every day..is that enough? How long will it take to see results?

baby#1 due 11/04/09! asked:


I have about 10 more pounds of baby weight to get off and wanted to start running this year as my new years resolution.

Many people admire actors and models with lean abs and great bodies. In fact, they follow their lifestyle and undergo a series of gruesome exercises, like crunches and sit ups. These exercises are painful and the results are sometimes come after a long time. In the end, the process itself can cause painful backaches.

Still, there are exercises that can offer the same result, yet are easier to perform and less gruesome. The results are also astounding and can be seen immediately. Pilate Abs workout has this all. In fact, in one month, you can see the results. It is more enjoying and does not hurt or put your back at risk.

The Meaning of Pilates

When the influenza pandemic plagued Germany during World War I, Joseph Pilates introduced an exercise that can help patients recover. The exercise, later named after him, gave focus on light exercises which gave considerable results.

The only materials required to perform a Pilates exercise is loose fit exercise clothes. Other than this, no device is required. The exercise clothes allow you to perform the exercise freely since a lot of bending is needed. Tight clothes are not allowed since a lot of stretching is done. You can wear trainers but practicing pilates is best when done in bare feet. A pilates mat is also needed when performing the exercise.

Pilates exercise is primarily centered in improving the core parts of the body, like the muscles in the abdomen. The exercise also works for the back and the pelvis, which control the form and shape of the other body parts.

It is important that a Pilates abs workout be done whenever performing a workout. Pilates works with the inner muscles and works out the abdomen. Aside from this, there are many other Pilates abs exercises available.

What Makes Pilates Abs Exercises Very Popular?

More and more people are getting attracted to Pilates abs exercises because it is less painful and the results are visible within weeks. However, if Pilates exercise is not done regularly, results will likely come out later than expected.

Since the exercise targets the core muscles, your abs will develop even though you are not performing Pilates abs exercise. This means abs will develop twice faster compared to ordinary work outs.

So, if you want to have that ideal abs you so longed for, try Pilates abs workout. It’s faster, easier, and gives no back pain compared to ordinary workouts. Aside from the desirable results, you’ll also enjoy the exercise itself in the process.

By: Scott Nichols

About the Author:

The Pilates Body: The Ultimate At-Home Guide to Strengthening, Lengthening, a...
by Brooke Siler
Amazon Price: $12.89
Customer Review: This book was recommended by my pilates instuctor. Good book. Now if I would only use it!

Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff
by Jim Johnson
Amazon Price: $21.56
Customer Review: A thousand thank yous to Mr. Johnson for being one of the very few self-help-book authors to base all of his recommendations on well-designed scientific studies. On this point alone, Mr. Johnson's book stands head-and-shoulders above nearly all other...

Pilates
by Rael Isacowitz
Amazon Price: $12.24
Customer Review: I am a Pilates trainer for 10 years and really like the way this manual is sectioned off with mat and apparatus exercises comprehensively addressed. Rael is a master at his craft and he articulates this through his presentations live and through word...

The great thing about Pilates is you can do it at home in the comfort of your own personal studio. Or then again, you can do it at a gym with a lot of people where it gets to be a whole lot more fun, especially with those cutesy Pilates balls. Anybody who doesn’t recognize them will probably take them for some toys. Actually, there’s more to these balls than what most people understand. They can mean the difference between a really intense workout that brings maximum benefit and one that is simply for show.

Basically, a Pilates ball is something you can use to strengthen your posture and to get your muscles at an ideal alignment. The ball works by allowing you to strike a balance with your body with the use of your shoulders, arms, **** and legs. When you’re able to use that ball and keep steady, then you’re able to balance your whole system against gravity and this particularly targets certain muscles that are important for the success of the whole Pilates regimen.

Bouncing on the ball is even more effective in giving those muscles the real push and pull they need. Of course, you need to partner this with a good breathing technique so that you don’t run out of air and enable yourself body to relax. There are many other things that you can do with these balls such as rolling back and forth on them with your arms tucked under your chest and the ball. This basically works your abdominal muscles.

You can also use this ball to stretch your spine forward or even to the sides using the right position on this ball. One of the most important reasons for having a Pilates instructor is being able to ask questions every now and then on moves you might be unsure of. The balls are actually very powerful tools and unless you’ve had training with them yourself, you’re going to need the help of one who has. Ask your trainer for the techniques you can explore using this tool. There’s no limit to them and you can even diversify your Pilates ball exercises as long as you’ve gotten into the rhythm of them.

The point of having these balls is to give you a way of stretching those muscles while maintaining a perfect balance of your spine against the ground. It may sound easy but it’s actually very tough when you’re on there on that ball. That toughness also happens to be what gives your Pilates routine extra quality when you do it with the ball. And this is why they’re always preferred in the studio or gym.
Resource Box

By: Adrian Harvey

About the Author:

The Pilates Body: The Ultimate At-Home Guide to Strengthening, Lengthening, a...
by Brooke Siler
Amazon Price: $12.89
Customer Review: This book was recommended by my pilates instuctor. Good book. Now if I would only use it!

Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff
by Jim Johnson
Amazon Price: $21.56
Customer Review: A thousand thank yous to Mr. Johnson for being one of the very few self-help-book authors to base all of his recommendations on well-designed scientific studies. On this point alone, Mr. Johnson's book stands head-and-shoulders above nearly all other...

Pilates
by Rael Isacowitz
Amazon Price: $12.24
Customer Review: I am a Pilates trainer for 10 years and really like the way this manual is sectioned off with mat and apparatus exercises comprehensively addressed. Rael is a master at his craft and he articulates this through his presentations live and through word...