What is Pilates?

Pilates is a type of exercise and workout that has become popular due to an increase of people participating in the exercise on social media. 

According to WebMD Pilates was created by a man named Joseph Pilates from Germany. Joseph had his own studio in New York City, which brought a lot of attraction to dancers who were seeking a way to recover from injury. 

Pilates is much different than any other exercise, like yoga for example. Pilates is very core centered and requires a lot of highly controlled and steady movements while other forms of workout focus more on cardio or specific muscles. 

Not only has Pilates had more traction throughout the years but it has gained new fans that want to workout differently. There are many people out there who don’t like the “traditional” workout for many reasons but Pilates has actually made more people want to workout. 

Not only does it provide a different feeling and comfort from any other fitness exercise but there are many different types of Pilates. These include: 

• Classical Pilates: Traditional order of exercises developed by Joseph Pilates.
• Mat Pilates: Use of a yoga mat to focus mainly on strengthening the core, very ideal for those with back pain.
• Reformer Pilates: The use of a reformer machine that adds a level of resistance to traditional Pilates exercises, is more advanced and intended for burning calories and losing weight. 
• Contemporary Pilates: Modern wellness concepts to improve from the classical method.

  

Vogue has talked about how Pilates has changed people’s perspective on fitness. People who fear or dread going to the gym have found to love Pilates because of not only the exercise but also the environment.

Pilates is very versatile in the sense that anyone can do it and you don’t need to be good at something already because you can alter it to your liking and benefit. For those who fear heavy weights or weights in general, Pilates is perfect because it doesn’t require any weights and uses much easier equipment. 

With many options to modify the exercise and equipment, Pilates can be adjusted to suit each  person’s individual goal and abilities. It might seem a little intimidating at first because of all the equipment but it’s a very welcoming environment. 

Not only does Pilates focus on your whole body but a big essential part of it is mindful breathing. Mindful breathing is incorporated into every Pilates class because it facilitates correct muscle activation and increases the safety of the exercises.

Pilates really emphasizes the idea of not holding your breath during the exercise because it places an increased strain on the cardiovascular system according to Studio Pilates.

There is no age limit for Pilates; everyone is welcome to try Pilates as it is very beneficial for your own health and well being. Here are some of the mental and physical benefits of Pilates:

• Improved core strength 
• Improved posture and flexibility 
• Injury prevention 
• Improved balanced, coordination, and quality of life 
• Reduced stress and anxiety 

Pilates is a great source for someone who wants to get into their new fitness journey this year!