Last Updated on January 11, 2021 by Jason Fiore
Pilates has existed for many years. It was created by Joseph Pilates who was a fitness trainer.
As a method of exercising, Pilates is done to flexibility, and core strength so that the body can develop in a balanced and uniform manner.
Want to know more?
Keep reading.
Who Developed Pilates?
Pilate method was invented by Joseph Pilates during the early 1920s. In those days, Pilates was used as a rehabilitation procedure for wounded soldiers who fought at the world war 1. After some time, however, it was discovered that Pilates could help people become more fit.
Eventually, the fame of this new invention for fitness spread and people began to appreciate the results it yielded. Today, Pilates has evolved so much that even the modern man can be transformed by it.
Is Pilates For Everyone?
Pilates offers benefits to people with different configurations. This is one thing that makes the fitness approach very unique. Anyone including athletes, women, seniors, men, and dancers can do Pilates.
People of various ages and health conditions can start the exercises and still enjoy a ton of benefits from doing them. You can also start if you wish. However, you must check with your doctor first and receive professional advice on how to go about it.
Pilates workouts can be modified, and this is exactly what makes it possible for anyone and everyone to do. If a certain workout will be too strenuous for you, your instructor will simply adjust the routine to fit your needs and you’re good to go.
What Benefits Does Pilates offer?
- Improved posture
- More strength
- Flexibility
- Toned muscles
- Better shape
An interesting thing about Pilates is that Joseph Pilates did not create to help people achieve lean muscles, lovely shape, or great abs. The original goal of the Pilates method was to improve the entire body, boost vitality, and help people live healthier lives. The flat abs and toned muscles that people end up getting after doing the workouts are simply the natural resultant effect of working out for a healthier living.
Pilates and Core Strength
What are the core muscles? They are the bridge separating the legs from the upper torso. The core areas include the deep muscles located in our abdomens and backs.
Your core is where your stability comes from during exercises and other activities. They support your spine and protect your organs from injury.
There is no Pilates without core activation. Core engagement is the pillar of Pilates workouts. The more you practice Pilates, especially on an aeroPilate reformer, the more your core muscles will develop and become strengthened.
This is how the exercises help people to heal back pains and make their torso very stable. Some aeroPilates reformer reviews can testify to this.
Because your trunk is stabilized, all the pressure on your back becomes relieved and as such, you can move your body freely.
When it comes to Pilates exercises a lot of focus is placed on proper bone alignment and adequate spine support from core muscles.
Pilates exercises help create flat abdominal muscles, and this is only possible because the workouts are often tailored to enhance flexibility and engage core strength.
Every muscle has to be properly aligned during workouts so that one can get the best from the exercises. This means that the stomach muscles do not only need to be strengthened, they also have to work harmoniously with one another to build your strength
The Six Principles of Pilates
The Pilates method was created based on 6 vital principles. No Pilates workout is complete without these fundamental philosophical foundations. They are:
- Breath
- Control
- Flow
- Concentration
- Centring
- Precision
In Pilates, quality is always more important than quantity. This is why there aren’t so many repetitions for one move. Rather, you’ll be advised to do a single exercise very correctly as the workout tends to produce better and faster results this way.
Joseph Pilates also emphasizes the importance of proper breathing during Pilates workouts. When you breathe fully, you induce your circulatory system to cleanse your body, remove toxic substances from your blood, and also refresh your cells. Good breathing and proper circulation also revitalize organs and supply energy for healthy living.
What Makes the Pilates Method Unique?
When you consider the 6 tenets of Pilates and the method’s emphasis on torso stability and core muscle engagement, you’ll realize that Pilates is truly a unique fitness system. Strengthening your core is a very good way to remain strong and constantly on your feet as you live life.
However, many workouts may not necessarily focus on building strength in that area. Pilates, on the other hand, recognizes the importance of this, and even makes it a crucial approach that beginners have to learn once they start doing Pilates.
Pilates is also unique for the fact that it seeks to improve the way people’s bodies move, both inside and outside the studio. Joseph never designed Pilates to merely help people look good. It was more about helping people to move with grace, efficiency, and ease even while training.
But before this can happen, the body needs to be flexible, strong, controlled, and balanced. It is to ensure this that Pilates is taught and practised with the 6 principles in mind.
Pilates is one of those exercises that give you strength without a lot of mass. It aids muscle growth and body development, though this comes as a result of teaching your body to work harmoniously and move efficiently. At the end of the day, you feel and look healthy.
Mat Pilates vs Equipment Pilates Workouts
You can do Pilates workouts on your mat or a Pilates machine. Pilates on floors and mats are easy to do, obviously because you don’t need machines to do the exercises. Exercises that involve equipment, however, can be somewhat harder.
Though they’re almost the same with mat Pilates, Pilates workouts on machines offer more resistance and variations because they come with strings and levers. A Pilates reformer is the most popular equipment for Pilates workouts.
Conclusion
Pilates is no doubt among the best fitness systems available today. If you’re thinking about starting, then surely go for it. As a beginner, consider getting a private instructor or join a small Pilate class for beginners to enjoy the best of the exercises.
