Pilates for health and wellness
Perhaps you've heard of or wanted to try the Pilates Method (now often referred as Pilates). Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900's as a way to help injured soldiers strenghten their bodies during rehabilition.
Pilates, for those properly able to participate, has tremendous
physical and mental benefits: stronger muscles, more
flexibility, better posture and balance. Through Pilates, whether a class "on the mat" or using a
machine with an instructor, you can experience a
stronger abdomen, back, neck, shoulders and pelvic region,
to name a few—not to mention the improved
mobility and flexibility reported often from participants.
Pilates combines both eastern and western thought toward a program that delivers great overall results without all the repetition of weight training, sit-ups, etc. And with the focus of Pilates on proper mental focus, technique and breathing, it's a great workout for reducing stress and anxiety, while increasing an overall sense of wellness and well-being. All in all, Pilates is very effective overall in terms of its mind-body benefits.
And like walking or running, Pilates done on the mat can be a great " anytime, anywhere" exercise—all one needs is comfortable clothing and a soft surface (carpeting works just fine). Many people practice Pilates in their hotel room on a business trip by popping a pilates DVD into their laptop or in-room DVD/CD player. Finally, there are simply a great variety of exercises that form Pilates, and they can easily be utilized and modified for a range of experience and challenge, from beginner to expert.
Some tenets of Pilates
In Pilates, the focus is on " the core"—your trunk, including the abdomen and pelvic region. A variety of generally slower, deliberate movements are performed (not unlike yoga, but the "poses" are performed in very different ways). The movements in Pilates are done in a very controlled fashion. There is an emphasis on entire body movements, but Pilates will often emphasize and isolate particular groups of muscles: the abdomen, glutes and thighs, shoulders and triceps.
The controlled movement is key, and proper breathing is essential. It requires concentration, and in an on-the-mat class, this is often helped and encouraged by an instructor who gently reminds participants of proper alignment, breathing, and focus. Some Pilates classes will include or utilize a stretchband in some portions of the class or a video for added variety, stretching or resisistance.
Common Pilates terms
In a mat class (or on a Pilates video) you may hear a few terms quite often. Here are a few of the important terms (simplified, only so you can recognize them). These are not full explanations of Pilates exercises, just brief explanations of terms for familiarity.
Neutral pelvis: Neutral pelvis is the position from which many Pilates excercise movements start. You are on your back, and are to maintain the natural curve of your spine while you perform an exercise. This natural curve, where the pubic bone and hip bones are parallel to the floor, is called neutral pelvis. Your lower back at the base of the spine should not be completely flat against the floor, nor should it be arched beyond what occurs naturally. Your instructor can help you initially to "find your neutral pelvis" (a phrase you may hear a lot in class).
Hundreds: Hundreds is a Pilates motion that involves lying on your back with your legs off the ground around 90° (also called "tabletop" position) while you raise your arms off the floor repeatedly in small quick motions.
Roll up: Another common Pilates exercise whereby, lying on your back, you very slowly raise your upper body and torso. It's a little like doing a sit-up very slowly with your arms at your sides.
Single-leg stretch/double-leg stretch: From "tabletop" position, you extend one (or both) legs from around 90° to roughly 45° and repeat.