Introduction to Pilates

Regular gyming can get a bit monotonous and boring. Thus more and more people look for ways to add some excitement and variety to their fitness routine. If you want to think beyond the standard weight training and cardio program, you should take a good look at Pilates.

What is Pilates?

Pilates (pronounced: puh-lah-teez) was developed by Joseph Pilates during the First World War to help rehabilitate returning war veterans. It has over 500 controlled exercises that engage the mind and condition the total body. It builds flexibility, strength, endurance, and improves your mental and physical well-being. Pilates involve a fair blend of strength and flexibility training done on mats and specially designed exercise apparatus.

Breathing, concentration, muscle control and precision of movement are central principles of the Pilates. For decades, it has been the exercise of choice for gymnasts and dancers, and now loads of celebrities like Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah, Jennifer Aniston & Hugh Grant also favor pilates. People who do pilates regularly feel they have better posture, are less prone to injury, and experience better overall health.

There are two ways to exercise in pilates. The first is the mat exercises which are designed so that your body uses its own weight as resistance. The other method uses a variety of apparatus to tone and strengthen the body. Most of the exercises done on the various pieces of Pilates apparatus are resistance training exercises since it makes use of springs to provide additional resistance. Using springs results in "progressive resistance", meaning the resistance increases as the spring is stretched. Some of the apparatus used in a modern Pilates studio includes the Reformer, Cadillac, Barrel and Chair. There are also many props used in Pilates including the Magic Circle, small weighted balls, foam rollers, large exercise balls, rotating disks, and resistance bands.

What are the principles of Pilates?

The principles of Pilates are:

• Concentration: Pilates demands intense focus. It believes in keeping the mind focused at all times during the exercise. Mindful control of movement enhances body responsiveness.

• Relaxation: Pilates is not an aggressive form of exercise. It promotes working in the session with proper relaxation and no tension. During exercise, only the muscles needed for the activity should be recruited, while all other muscles remain relaxed.

• Breathing: Full and thorough inhalation and exhalation are a part of every Pilates exercise. Deep, coordinated, conscious diaphragmatic patterns of inhales and exhales initiate movement, help activate deep muscles and keep you focused. Pilates attempts to properly coordinate this breathing practice with movement, including breathing instructions with every exercise.

• Coordination: Pilates teaches to use the body in a way that works all body parts in sync.

• Flow: Pilates comprises of smooth, continuous motion between exercises through the use of appropriate transitions rather than jarring repetitions. It aims for movement that is slow and graceful as well as efficient and accurate.

• Centering: Pilates exercise intends to physically bring the focus to the center of the body, the powerhouse area between the lower ribs and pubic bone (encompassing the abdomen, lower back, hips, and buttocks). All energy for Pilates exercises is said to begin from the powerhouse (also called "The Core") and flow outward to the limbs.

• Control: Every Pilates exercise is done with complete muscular control. This means no sloppy, uncontrolled movements.

• Precision: Each movement has a purpose and there is an appropriate placement, alignment relative to other body parts, and trajectory for each part of the body. The focus is on doing one precise and perfect movement, rather than many half-hearted ones. The goal is for this precision to eventually become second nature, and carry over into everyday life as grace and economy of movement.

Many people stick to pilates because it's diverse and interesting. The moves are low-impact, and repetitions are few. Pilates also increases joint motion, heightens neuromuscular coordination, corrects muscle groups, and enhances mobility. For this reason, many people also turn to Pilates for relief from muscular pain.

If you wish to integrate a Pilates workout it is best to check with a private instructor or a Pilates studio first. Always begin with a beginner Pilates workout even if you feel you have a more advanced fitness level. You'll be astonished by Pilates and what it can do for your body.