The website for Mari Winsor's Pilates program claims that you can lose 10 inches in two weeks. Client testimonies on the website claim 10 to 30 lbs. of weight lost using the Winsor Pilates method. The question remains whether these are marketing claims, or whether Winsor Pilates is truly that effective in weight loss.
History
A German, Joseph H. Pilates, developed a method of exercising in the early 20th century adding his twist on a combination of yoga, Zen meditation and martial arts. In 1912 he moved to England, teaching self-defense to detectives of Scotland Yard. He was interned during World War I and used his self-developed exercise techniques to ward off the influenza epidemic for himself and those with whom he worked. He moved to the United States in 1926, married, and began teaching his "Pilates" to dancers, instructors and eventually the general public until his death in 1967. In the early 1990s, Mari Winsor added her modern twist to traditional Pilates to create Winsor Pilates.
The Difference in Winsor
According to Winsor's website, when she first opened a fitness studio in 1990, she taught a form of training that she had developed called Dynamic Sequencing. After getting certified as a Pilates instructor, she combined her method with the traditional Pilates method. All exercises are performed in a particular sequence to target specific muscle groups in an efficient manner. Winsor also added some cardio to the method in an attempt to give exercisers a more well-rounded workout.
Benefits of Pilates
A 2006 Turkish study, published in "Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies," found that performing modern Pilates mat exercises three times per week for five consecutive weeks improved muscular strength and endurance in the abdominals, muscular strength in the lower back, and flexibility in the back. However, no change in body weight or fat percentages occurred. "The Journal of Applied Research" published a study in 2005 examining the difference in muscle activation by electromyogram when using conventional weight equipment, Pilates with resistance and Pilates without resistance. Although conventional methods showed greater strength gains, Pilates elicited more improvement in muscle endurance. Researchers also stated that Pilates is a more efficient workout and is safer on the joints.
Downfalls
Although some of the studies used Pilates methods similar to Winsor, none of them used the Winsor version. To date, no studies have been conducted showing that Winsor Pilates aids in weight loss.
Suggestions
Because Winsor Pilates incorporates a cardio aspect, it is possible that more weight loss could occur by using this method than the traditional Pilates method. Because it increases muscle tone, and because greater muscle mass causes more calories to be burned at rest, suggests that it could lead to an increase in calorie usage by the body and lead to weight loss. If you are looking to succeed at losing weight with Winsor Pilates, incorporate a healthy diet with your workout routine.
References
- Balanced Body Pilates
- "Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies"; Effects of Pilates Exercise on Trunk Strength, Endurance, and Flexiblity in Sedentary Adult Females; B. Sekendiz, O. Altun, F. Korkusuz, S. Akin; 2007
- "The Journal of Applied Research"; Muscle Use During Exercise: A Comparison of Conventional Weight Equipment to Pilates With and Without A Resistive Exercise Device; J. Petrofsky et al; Jan. 2005
- Winsor Pilates DVD
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