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Pilates - its benefits
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What is Pilates? An
innovative system of mind-body exercise evolved from the
principles of Joseph Pilates.
Pilates dramatically
transforms the way your body looks, feels and performs. It builds
strength without excess bulk, creating a sleek, toned body with
slender thighs and a flat abdomen.
It teaches body awareness,
good posture and easy, graceful movement. Pilates improves
flexibility, agility and economy of motion. It can even help
alleviate back pain.
Professional dancers have
known the benefits of Pilates for decades. Top athletes use
it for strength, flexibility, and injury prevention. Hollywood
celebrities and supermodels use it to maintain beautiful
physiques.
A miracle? Not really.
Developed from the rehabilitation techniques of Joseph Pilates,
Pilates is a safe, sensible exercise system using a floor mat or
equipment, that will help you look and feel your very best. No
matter what your age or condition, it will work for you.
The
Benefits of Pilates
- A refreshing mind-body workout
Pilates gets your mind in tune with your body. By emphasizing
proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and
complete concentration on smooth, flowing movement, you become
acutely aware of how your body feels, where it is in space, and
how to control its movement. The quality of movement is valued
over quantity of repetitions. Proper breathing is essential, and
helps you execute movements with maximum power and efficiency.
Last but not least, learning to breathe properly can reduce
stress.
- Build strength without "bulking up" - gain long, lean muscles and
flexibility
Conventional workouts tend to build short, bulky muscles - the
type most prone to injury. Pilates elongates and strengthens,
improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. A body with
balanced strength and flexibility is less likely to be injured.
- Develop a strong core - flat abdominals and a strong back
Building on the principles of Joseph Pilates, Pilates exercises
develop a strong "core," or center of the body. The core consists
of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to
the spine. Control of the core is achieved by integrating the
trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle.
- Create an evenly conditioned body and prevent sports injuries
In
conventional workouts, weak muscles tend to get weaker and strong
muscles tend to get stronger. The result is muscular imbalance - a
primary cause of injury and chronic back pain. Pilates conditions
the whole body, even the ankles and feet. No muscle group is over
trained or under trained. Your entire musculature is evenly
balanced and conditioned, helping you enjoy daily activities and
sports with greater ease and less chance of injury.
- Learn efficient patterns of motion
Pilates exercises train several muscle groups at once in smooth,
continuous movements. By developing proper technique, you can
actually re-train your body to move in safer, more efficient
patterns of motion - invaluable for injury recovery, sports
performance, good posture and optimal health.
No
other exercise system is so gentle to your body while giving it a
challenging workout. Many of the exercises are performed in
reclining or sitting positions, and most are low impact and
partially weight bearing. Pilates is so safe, it is used in
physical therapy facilities to rehabilitate injuries.
Pilates is also an extremely flexible exercise system.
Modifications to the exercises allow for a range of difficulty
ranging from beginning to advanced. Get the workout that best
suits you now, and increase the intensity as your body
conditioning improves.
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