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Pilates Exercises Are Excellent Toning Exercises For Your Entire BodyPilates exercises have many, many delightful attributes....
Develop my flexibility, rev up my strength, improve my body leanness, litheness, shape and alignment.... Make me fitter, more supple and more toned, all at one go.... Could you get any better bargains than these? With such great accolades, I'm sure you want to know more about Pilates?
Pilates is the brainchild of Joseph Pilates, who developed the exercise method that emphasised on growing abdominal strength and body control. He also created several pieces of equipment known as Pilates machines to enhance the results of the exercises. Pilates combines the essence of Yoga, dance, gymnastics and a lot of original exercises that distinguishes it from other forms of exercises. The exercises are done on a mat (or Pilates mat exercises) or on one of the Pilates machines. You don't have to worry about using machine. You can still do a satisfying Pilates workout at home with just a simple exercise mat. I love Pilates exercises! They're wonderful toning exercises that gently stretch and strengthen my body. Though the exercises are not aerobic workouts, they can be quite physical in nature since I need to perform the exercises with controlled precision and with full concentration on the mind, to achieve good results. And because I stretch my muscles as I strengthen them throughout the sequence of the exercise, there is no fear of being not warmed up properly. I never need worry about overextending or possibly injuring myself. Even if you suffer from debilitating health problems such as scoliosis, fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis, you'll find relief and improved functioning with Pilates. Also, the gentle effectiveness of Pilates makes it ideal for individuals recovering from surgery or an injury, the elderly and in its modified form, for pregnant women . All Pilates exercises initiate from the muscles of the abdominals, lower back, hips and butts. This is the band of muscles that circle your body just below your belt line and is termed the body's core (or powerhouse). When performing the exercises, you constantly work from the body's core and lift up and out of this region. Balancing, stretching, strengthening and toning exercises all play a part in how Pilates develops your body's core. The exercises help me to adjust my posture to make me feel taller and look trimmer and they don't build big, bulky muscles but increase strength where it's needed. The exercises also stretch and lengthen any muscles that become too short and tight. The natural result is increased flexibility and joint mobility.
I've a sense of well-being and am greatly rewarded with many benefits when I consistently do Pilates exercises.
When I do Pilates, I've its 8 principles in mind and I gain much understanding that helps me to achieve better results. Let me now take you through quickly the 8 principles:
Centering teaches me how to pull my navel in toward my spine. This simple exercise deeply engages my abdominal muscles and in the process they're being strengthened. The result is that the strengthened abdominal muscles transform my posture and alleviate back pain . All Pilates exercises are done with this centering concept. Pilates exercises are focused on torso stability which is good for the health of my spine. The focus on stability makes it an excellent exercise for rehabilitation. Control as in controlling my body's every movement is the most basic in Pilates exercises. It concerns with the initiation and ending of each movement; the transition between exercises and my overall attention to detail while working out. When I do the exercises in a controlled manner, I train my muscles to hold in a lengthened manner. Over time, my muscles will grow long and lean and strong. Won't you like that?
Precision is more or less similar to control I mentioned above but it also has the element of increased awareness for my body. This is relevant when I initiate any movement since I need to know exactly where that movement starts and where it ends. All Pilates exercises have exact definitions of where my body should be at all times. This refers to how much movement I can have when doing Pilates. I need to move my body to its fullest length, hence increasing the range of motion or flexibility of my limbs. If my muscles are tight, I can feel an increase in flexibility after doing a few sessions of the exercises. Fluidity essentially means "flowing movement". This concerns with moving my body freely and at the end of each movement, to finish with control and precision. This manner of moving brings flexibility to my joints and muscles and teaches my body to elongate and move with even rhythm. It also helps to integrate my nervous system, muscles and joints which results in my body moving smoothly and evenly. When doing Pilates exercises, the emphasis is on focusing my form, so I need my mind to concentrate. I cover this subject under "The Pilates Breathing" below.
A unique exercise program, Pilates works by incorporating particular breathing methodology that promotes the cleansing benefits of deep breathing and challenges my body by pushing it to achieve balance, strength and flexibility - the 3 crucial components of a good toning exercise program. I want to delve a bit more on the breathing methodology which Pilates advocates. It's a method that banks on deep inhalation and full exhalation that exercises my lungs and increases my lung capacity, bringing me deep relaxation. Breathing the Pilates way while doing the exercises is not easy; but when I do it, I experience more effective workout as the breathing helps to maximize my body's ability to stretch, and through this release of tension, it's easier for me to achieve my optimal body control. The Pilates Breathing Methodology Stand in the relaxed posture with feet parallel and hip-width apart, navel gently pulled to spine, spine and neck long, shoulders down and relaxed. Place both hands on both sides of your lower ribs, above your hips. As you breathe in, push your diaphragm down and try to push out your ribs against your fingers. Focus on moving the lower part of your chest and keeping the upper part of your chest relaxed. As you breathe out, pull your diaphragm up into your chest and feel your lower rib cage contract.
After doing Pilates exercises for just a matter of few weeks, I began to feel the strength in my muscles and my movements became more controlled, responsive and agile.
I stood straighter as the exercises gently realigned and improved my posture. I had more energy than before. A couple more months into the exercise, I felt my muscles losing their tightness and my flexibility increased tremendously. Muscle soreness vanished and a lingering lower back pain was gone!
I found myself enjoying Pilates more and more.
Guess what? You don't need to be fit before you start nor do you need to be an expert. All that you need is your commitment. In return, you will see the following results:
Brooke Siler's Pilates book titled "The Pilates Body - The Ultimate At-Home Guide To Strenthening, Lengthening and Toning Your Body, Without Machines" is a good start, really. To go superbly with the book, grab Brooke's famous Pilates kit titled "The Pilates Body Kit" .
The book is my best investment in Pilates exercises as through it, not only I know how to do the exercises, I achieve excellent results realigning and reshaping my body as well. Have a look at the review I've written.
I want you to know first hand what you'll be entitled to when you purchase and use the book as your guide to do Pilates exercises. The kit is my best guide in correctly doing the Pilates exercises vide audio CDs and flash cards printed with each exercise pose. I treat the kit as a good lead that prompts me to do correct exercise movement - if I don't quite get the description from the book, I refer to the kit for more help. Viola! The book and the kit work superbly to deliver me results! Try them. They're powerful start for a beginner in Pilates.
If you're a beginner in Pilates, I've samples of Pilates exercises here for you to follow. Take the move to do them and you'll feel you've created a new you with improved body shape and suppleness! And you'll enjoy the feel of strength, body leanness, litheness and increased bursts of energy! Pilates Ball Exercises If you're looking for something challenging and fun to do, here's a treat of Pilates ball exercises for your enjoyment!
Pilates Exercise Video If you prefer a video to a book as your guide to do Pilates exercises, then I'll show you how to choose a good video to suit your purpose. Enjoy your Pilates exercises!
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