Pilates is a fitness program that was developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s. The system is geared toward developing core body strength and using apparatus to train and tone the body. Zone Pilates is a style of this exercise that was developed more recently.
Pilates History
Joseph H. Pilates was born in Germany in 1881. Throughout his childhood, he suffered from a number of ailments. This led him to develop an interest in physical fitness, with a view to strengthening the whole body. Drawing on his background in martial arts, yoga and Zen meditation, he developed a system of exercise that involves using the mind and the body simultaneously. He opened his first studio in 1926, and this became popular with the dancers from the near by New York City Ballet. In 1945 he published "Return to Life Through Contrology," which outlined his fitness system, and eventually some of his former students began to open their own studios. It wasn't until the 1990s, however, that Pilates became really popular.
In the Zone
Zone Pilates is intended to make the exercise system simpler and more effective. This style of Pilates uses of a sculptor and a foot mat. The sculptor is a padded circular bar that makes it easier to tone your muscles while keeping your body in the correct position. The mat has markings on it so that you can position your feet correctly.
Target Areas
Zone Pilates is so named because it focuses on three target zones on the body. Zone one includes the arms and shoulders. Zone two includes the abdominal and powerhouse muscles as well as the body's core. Zone three includes the buttocks and thighs. The exercises designed for each zone strengthen the body and tone the muscles.
Advantages
One of the main advantages of the Zone Pilates program is that you can use it in the comfort of your home. It is a relatively basic system in which you work a different zone each day. The program usually comes with an instructional DVD and costs around $20 to $30.
Effectiveness
Though there are currently no available studies that focus specifically on zone Pilates, a study from Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida, showed that Pilates mat exercises improve upper and lower body flexibility and lower back and abdominal muscle endurance. Another study from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, showed that Pilates improves the conditioning of core body muscles. As zone Pilates uses many of the same movements as the form of Pilates in the studies and focuses on specific areas, this suggests that it would be equally effective for toning and strengthening the target muscle groups as well as the core body.
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