Pilates Review in the Health Guide
A technique that seeks perfection, working in a profound and safe manner, adapted for the eternal quest between mental control and the body
The alignment of the body, relaxation, alignment of the posture, muscular balance and rehabilitation, finally, a body flexible, strong and healthy. All of this can be achieved through the Pilates technique, a word, a concept that, perhaps, you have been hearing in the last years, specifically because of the fame that Pilates has acquired between notable personalities, who have opted to practice it and the results are visible to the naked eye. Now you will understand why this method goes beyond from just a beautiful body.
What is Pilates?
It is a form of exercise focused on improving flexibility and muscle strengthening, without causing bulkiness or stress, to balance the body and, the same as with yoga, energize muscles. Sometimes, it is also has effects on an emotional level.
“The science, the art and the coordinated development of the body, mind and spirit, through natural movements, under strict control of the conscience,” thus Pilates is so defined by its creator Joseph Pilates, when creating the technique based on the physical and mental preparation more than 80 years ago. The first apparatus he conceived: an adapted hospital bed.
Normally the sessions take place in studios with sufficient space (they utilize from six to seven special machines); while the floor exercises are more common and are the ones most offered in gyms, for toning.
It is necessary to explain that Pilates is not forceful movements, nor resistance, but of exercises of tension and stretching of extremities, where the force originates from the abdomen and the torso. Each movement has a specific function. To avoid injuries to muscles and joints, during the class you are on your back, seated, kneeling, or in an inclined position.
The results are noticeable in the short term and exhausting sessions are not necessary. Pilates also burns calories, but if you want to loose weight, it is necessary to maintain an appropriate diet and get aerobic exercise in addition.
Pilates can be practiced by men and women of all ages, from 15 years to 65 or more; thanks to it, the flexibility can last until old age.
ADVICES FOR PRACTICING PILATES:
1.- Wear comfortable and loose clothing that allows for the proper execution of the movements.
2.- Practicing Pilates is recommended daily or at least three times a week.
3.- Learn to breathe correctly, depending on the movement.
4.- If you have been injured, this is an excellent rehabilitation technique.
5.- Sessions should be taught by professional Pilates instructors, who have special certification and training.
6.- After having a baby, it is a suitable method for re-firming the parts of the body that need it most.
7.- If you are looking for a firm, toned, and stylish figure, Pilates is the best option.
