The basic ideology of the Pilates Exercise is the use of the body’s mental ability to improve movement, efficiency and muscle control, which is also why they say that Pilate exercise somehow improves one’s mental state.
Pilates also makes you aware of proper posture, due to the exercises that you do, it also develops the muscles in the back and abdomen, further contributing to your good posture. Pilate exercise also uses breathing techniques, which further increases mental focus.
And probably one of the greatest focuses of Pilates is flexibility strength of the muscles. It is this ideology that made Pilates popular among dancers when it first started out.
Many Pilates enthusiasts and users have testified to the effectiveness of Pilates. With regular classes, the bodies become well balanced and stronger. Some say that after each workout, you can instantly feel the difference it has made to the parts of the body, mainly the legs, back and abs. Aside from increased strength, there is also the topic of weight loss, this is what most people aim for when they do Pilates exercises, and this is achieved indeed when you do Pilates.
Aside from the ones above other results of Pilates include increased energy levels, higher endurance, better flexibility, great abdominal workouts, and overall physical well being. Pilates exercises are also used for the rehabilitation of physical injuries, because of it's low intensity level and focused form of exercise. Some doctors say that it is best for the treatment of injuries on the limbs.
Pilates Equipment: The Basics:
Pilates is nothing without its equipment, from the simple mat to the complicated trapeze. Pilate equipment is what produces the resistance that your muscles overcome, and these resistances are what make your core strong. Here is an overview of the basic Pilates Equipment:
Reformer:
The reformer is probably the most popular Pilates Equipment; it is used by a lot of Pilates practitioners, and can be seen on almost every Pilates Studio in the world. It is basically a sliding carriage that has foot bars, jump boards, leg and arm pulleys. These features allow the exerciser to work on different parts of the body with the same machine.
There are two types of reformers, spring reformers and gravity reformers. A Spring Pilates Reformer makes use of springs for resistance, it is usually used while lying on the back and pulling with your arms or pushing with your legs.
The Gravity Reformer has the same concept of push and pull, but instead of springs, it makes use of the person’s own weight. The person is diagonal in position in order for the gravity to pull down on him/her, creating the resistance needed for the exercise.
Cadillac:
The second type of Pilates equipment is the Cadillac or the trapeze table. This Pilates equipment looks like a cage, without the bars though, just the frames, and attached along the bars are springs, straps, and extra bars that are used for several types of exercises.
For example, for the legs, you can lie down facing the opposite direction of the strap that you are going to use, and then putting the strap around your leg, you pull it down, and the resistance goes through your thighs.
Another way to use a Cadillac is to sit down, this time facing the strap that you are to use, and then holding the strap in your hands, pull on it while simultaneously lying down, then sit back up again. This works on your abdomen.
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One other Pilates equipment is the Wunda Chair, which looks like a bench only slightly higher; it has two bars on each side with spring attached to it. One exercise that can be done is to push on the bars while standing or sitting on the bench, or standing or sitting on the floor.
Mats:
Pilates has a series of mat exercises that improve certain parts of the body, therefore, the Pilates Mat is definitely a must have Pilates equipment. Mat exercises are usually taught as to groups.
These exercises focus mostly on the trunk and hip, to strengthen them, and on the spine and hips again for flexibility.
The mat is probably the least expensive of Pilates equipment, but it is also the most limited. The mat is basically for back protection and doesn’t offer any form of resistance for the user. Still, mat exercises are very good ones, especially for those on a budget.
These are only few of the most common exercise equipment that you may see in a Pilates studio. However, there are other equipment that you might be able to use at home, like barrels, Pilates balls, and Pilates rings. These are however, not part of the original Pilates equipment that Joseph Pilates designed initially, but rather a derivation and application of the different Pilates techniques from other types of exercises.
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