As there are many exercise methods and routines that fitness experts recommend, one can actually get confused as to what exercise method would be fit for him. There are special exercise methods made especially for rehabilitating patients; specific exercise routines engineered for athletes and sports enthusiasts; and certain exercises for people who want to stay fit and healthy to maintain a healthy lifestyle. At that, it is up to each person whether which aspect of his body system he wants to focus on. An exercise method, called Pilates, was invented to increase strength and flexibility of the body. Plus, there is more to that.
Pilates was named after its developer Joseph Pilates in Great Britain during the World War I. He developed certain exercise methods and corresponding equipment which were designed to help World War I immobilized soldiers and patients’ rehabilitation and recovery. These exercise movements involve the combination of controlled breathing rhythm plus controlled body movements which are believed to relieve stress and relax the mind and body. Pilates is also said to unite the mind and the body as one needs to focus greatly on the movements all at the same time. It also increases blood circulation as you stretch your muscles and breathe properly.
Pilates is usually done as a mat exercise which focuses on strengthening your core (torso). It tones your body’s muscles and balances your heart rate. These can be achieved thru proper breathing while doing controlled movements. Always remember that Pilates is done to relax the mind and body and relieve stress and tension and at that, one should avoid doing quick movements. Controlled movements mean slow and focused moves accompanied by relaxed and proper breathing.
Pilates has many principles such as concentration, control, flowing movements, precision and breathing. Concentration means focusing your mind and whole system on what you are doing. This can be done thru emptying out your mind and not thinking about anything but doing the exercise routine right. Control means having the power over your body and directing its every move. Flowing movements mean doing consecutive moves without disturbing the momentum. These moves are the ones that stimulate balanced blood circulation. Precision means hitting the right target. When applied to Pilates as an exercise method, this means doing the right movement perfectly with the right breathing technique and doing the right body angles. Breathing when applied to exercise methods means doing the proper breathing rhythm while doing every exercise movement.
There are a lot of exercise techniques and methods that can be done to relax the mind and body, and Pilates is one method that promises more to that. Pilates is not only done by experts and rehabilitating patients, but also those who want to release stress and tension from work or school. It is also preferred by dancers and gymnasts as their everyday physical activities involve the exact same principles of Pilates. Moreover, Pilates proves to increase flexibility which makes these professionals prefer Pilates as their warm up or conditioning exercise routine.
