About Pilates Workouts

Pilates is a type of exercise regime that incorporates different types of movements combined with breathing patterns to help the body become stronger, more flexible and more balanced. It can be used alone to improve body composition or as a part of professional sports training, physical therapy or various mind-and-body programs designed to decrease stress. From 1991 to 2005, the number of people in the U.S. who practiced Pilates jumped from 1.7 million to 11 million.

History

Pilates was invented by Joseph Pilates, a German performer and boxer who was forced into an English internment camp during the outbreak of World War I. During his time at the camp, he taught physical fitness exercises to fellow camp members and began to develop a series of exercises that used a mat and incorporated his knowledge of yoga and various Greek and Roman workouts for athletes. When he was transferred to a second camp he began assisting with the physical rehabilitation of people who were sick or injured. To help them convalesce, he created a series of exercises that used bands and springs. He called it "contrology." Pilates' mat exercises and the "contrology" workout became the basis of the mat and reformer Pilates that more than 14,000 fitness professionals use today.

Principles

To help exercisers focus on getting the maximum benefits from his method, Joseph Pilates created eight principles that need to be followed during all movements in his method. These are concentration (full attention to the exercise), control (use of muscle engagement, not momentum), centering (primary movements from the core), breath (coordinated breathing with each movement to deepen focus), flow (fluid motions), precision (exact movements), relaxation (movement without tension) and stamina (improved muscle endurance over time).

Mat Pilates

Mat Pilates uses a mat that is similar to a yoga mat but with more cushion. The exerciser executes each motion either lying on the floor or sitting on the mat in a variety of different positions. A typical workout begins with "the hundred', a breathing exercise that focuses on the core through 100 outward breaths. Other exercises focus on the abdominal region, as well as the quadricep, hamstring, gluteus maximus, abductor and adductor muscle groups. A class can range in length from 20 to 90 minutes and includes exercises that both strengthen and lengthen the muscles.

Reformer Pilates

Reformer classes are conducted through either one-on-one sessions or small, group classes. When using a classic Pilates reformer, exercisers lie down on the carriage, a moveable cushion on a wooden frame. After a warm-up that focuses on breathing and engaging the core, exercisers use an adjustable foot bar and various straps to perform advanced exercises that strengthen the entire body, particularly the abdominal region. Reformer workouts can vary greatly in length depending on an exerciser's fitness level and are typically much more expensive than mat classes, due to the individual attention that an instructor must pay to ensure that exercisers perform each movement safely and accurately.

Benefits

Pilates has proven to create a variety of physical benefits. Because of the deep emphasis on breathing, exercisers can develop better lung capacity and circulation. Exercisers also become stronger and more flexible, particularly through their abdomen, back and upper legs. The low-impact stress on the bones can increase bone density and joint strength with a relatively low chance of injury. Its focus on balance can help prevent falls, particularly for the elderly. Those who use Pilates as a form of stress relief can also benefit from lowered blood pressure.