Pilates -
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Pilates?
Believe it or not, Pilates is not a new type of
exercise regime. In fact, it's nearly a century old.
Pilates was originally developed by Joseph H. Pilates.
Trained originally as a nurse, Pilates worked in England
during World War I and it was there that he developed a
series of exercises designed to help bed ridden patients
regain their strength. Named after its founder, Pilates
is a nearly century old practice that was designed to
strengthen the abdominal core of the body, to improve
the posture, and increase flexibility.
Today Pilates exercises use floor mat workouts as
well as other specific apparatus to tone your abdominal
area (core muscles) while also improving your posture
and increasing your overall flexibility.
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How does Pilates
compare to yoga?
Since
both Pilates and yoga are directed toward your overall
flexibility, these exercise genres are quite
complimentary to one another, although they do differ in
their techniques used to accomplish. Neither exercise
type is ‘superior' to the other. The right type of
exercise for you will depend on your flexibility, body
make up, and how you naturally move your body about.
Pilates
focuses on what is called your ‘core' muscles (abdominal
and gluteus areas), while yoga invokes more spinal
movement with exercises that stretch thigh muscles. Yoga
is more body position work and improving upon various
positions while Pilates is more dynamic in its exercise
movements. As you would expect both programs can be
quite effective and because of the differences in their
techniques they can be very complimentary to one another
as well.
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Why should I
take a private session?
Even if
you are a fit person, you may find that Pilates is like
any other form of exercise and the demands it will put
on your abdominal region. Your initial results will vary
depending upon how rapidly the new muscles groups
respond to the new demands put upon them. If you're not
familiar with this form of exercise, a private Pilates
session will be helpful as it allows the instructor to
spend more focused time with you teaching you the
precise movements and allows them to focus the exercises
on your unique physical attributes.
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What is the
difference between mat class and equipment?
Mat class or mat work is but one
component of an entire exercise program or group of
systematic exercises. Different types of equipment is
used to offer different exercise challenges and levels
for students as well as to provide different levels of
resistance during the Pilates exercise routines.
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Do
I need to be fit to start Pilates?
Not at all; with Pilates you can
begin at any level.
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When will I see results?
As with any exercise program you
get out of it what you honestly put into it. Pilates
will definitely deliver. If, however, you are not sure
what or how to implement and how to put into the
program, get with your local Pilates instructor to
determine your fitness level and what your goals are. As
always, consult with your physician before beginning any
exercise program.
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I
have an old back injury that frequently flares up any
time that I try to exercise. Can Pilates help me and can
I actually do it?
Many of
today's back pain problems result in a muscular
imbalance between the muscles of the lower back and
abdominal strength (more specifically the lack of
abdominal strength).
There
are many people that report excellent benefits from
Pilates. One of the main reasons is that the basis of
Pilates is to focus on building abdominal strength,
increasing flexibility and improving posture. When you
concentrate on all of these areas and improve their
strength and flexibility, these are known to help those
with back pain.
When
strengthening the "core” muscles, it only makes sense
that it will help to strengthen the back. It is very
important to remember that if you have a history of back
pain, that you check with your healthcare provider
before undertaking any new exercise program. You may
also find it helpful to take a few private lessons with
a certified Pilates' instructor who can help to develop
a program specifically designed for your physical
abilities. It is important to avoid re-injury of your
back so above all, practice safe Pilates.
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What should I
wear?
Comfortable, easy to move around in
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I am really out
of shape! Can I start getting into shape with Pilates?
Fortunately, Pilates is the perfect exercise for
beginners and experts alike. It offers a variety of
exercises for those at any fitness level. As with most
exercise programs, the Pilates exercises are organized
into beginner, intermediate, and advanced workouts that
can be adjusted based on your particular needs. Start
with the beginners' exercises and advance from there.
Pilates truly caters to all levels and can be adjusted
to your particular needs. Listen to your body, adjust
the exercises as needed and you too can benefit from the
practice of Pilates.
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My mother would
like to learn Pilates, but she is 70! Is this really a
good idea at her age?
Oh
dear! Of course not! If after checking with her
physician and getting her approval, even a mother of 70
could learn the practice of Pilates. With a certified
instructor and one that is willing to adjust exercises
based on your mom's needs, Pilates is a practice that
will allow your mom to go at her own pace and gain
strength and flexibility. Biggest thing to
remember…encourage your mom to go at her own pace…go
slowly…and I bet you will both be thrilled with the
results.
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Is Pilates the
only exercise I will need to do?
Pilates
isn't a cardio vascular type exercise routine. In other
words, it is not an aerobic exercise. So you should
consider adding an aerobic activity to your exercise
program in order to get the most benefits. To add
aerobic activity, consider activities such as swimming,
tennis, walking, running, kickboxing, or even a step
aerobic class at your local gym. Pilates is a great
compliment to your aerobic exercise of choice and vise
versa.
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Once I get
started, exactly how often should I practice Pilates?
That's a great question but the
answer is not so simple….it depends completely on your
personal health goals. When you first begin the practice
of Pilates, you should practice two or three sessions a
week to allow your body to learn the movements and to
allow your body to also get some rest in between the
sessions.
As you become more comfortable
with the movements, it is suggested that you increase
your practice session to three to four times a week.
Adding in a 30-45 minute cardiovascular program as well
as strength training will help you to see faster results
if that is what you are looking for.
It is also helpful to remember
that you can work Pilates movements into your daily
activities when you are walking, working, driving,
washing the dishes, vacuuming the floor, filing the
papers...it's when we all learn to incorporate exercise
movements into our daily life that we really begin to
see the real results.
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Can you over
develop your muscular strength?
The short answer is yes.
Balancing your strength is the key. The majority of your
muscle groups have a set of muscles that work (contract)
in the opposite direction. If one set of muscles groups
becomes much stronger than its opposing partner group,
it can cause alignment problems in your body and
eventually pain or discomfort. With Pilates (or any
exercise and flexibility program) balance between your
muscle groups is important.
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More Resources
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Pilates
Ball Workout
To
enhance your Pilates exercises,
consider adding a Pilates Ball
Workout for additional variety and
resistance. |
Pilates For Men
Is there a Pilates
for Men, designed just for you? The answer is yes! Pilates for Men was
specifically designed by Alisa Wyatt. |
Mari Winsor Pilates
Mari Winsor
Pilates represents results. Dynamic sequencing has proven to be a
successful component of this exciting exercise program |
Supreme Pilates
Simply by adding a bit of light resistance to your Pilates workouts, you
will increase your intensity and as such step up your aerobic activity
which will burn more fat |
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