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Pilates is one of the most popular fitness trends around. The fact that it was created in the 1920s by, Joseph Pilates, has in no way diminished its popularity. In fact, it’s getting more and more popular while other trends such as Zumba seem to be showing signs of waning.
For starters, Pilates is excellent for rehabilitating the body. In fact, Joe, created Pilates to help invalids at the hospital get stronger and healthier. People who do Pilates regularly have reported becoming stronger, more flexible and less prone to illness.Here we expose some benefits that Pilates can offer you to enjoy better health.
How you can benefit from Pilates
Help with fat-burning
Now you’re most probably thinking, “That’s all well and good but will Pilates make me lose fat?The answer is both yes and no. That’s because weight loss is dependent on two factors. Calories consumed and calories expended. To achieve fat loss, you must use more calories than you consume.
You will definitely burn calories during your Pilates session but how many calories you burn is anyone’s guess. Calculating calories burnt during Pilates is an imprecise science. Unlike running or other cardio methods, Pilates is not cardiovascular by nature unless you are at the advanced stages.Pilates is more about strengthening your core muscles, making you more supple and moving your body through a full range of motion.
It will never be as effective as high-intensity interval training, Tabata or an Insanity workout but Pilates has its benefits. People who are obese, overweight or have led extremely sedentary lives for years, will find Pilates much easier than conventional cardio.
It is a low-impact, low-intensity way of working out. You will not be gasping for air or sweating buckets. You will be getting stronger, more flexible and exercising daily. Slow and steady wins the race.
Many people quit their fat loss quest because they train themselves too hard. Pilates You will not face such issues. All you need to do is clean up your diet, find out the daily calorie requirement for your body and aim for a deficit of about 500 calories.
• Improved posture and mobility.
Health experts have long recommended the benefits of Pilates since, in addition to the sense of well-being it offers, it can also help in most cases to improve posture and reduce muscle imbalance.
.Pilates builds a strong core
With detailed training and precise control over the smaller muscles of the lower abdominal region and the lower back, Pilates exercises can improve your core stability.This can have many beneficial effects including improvement of pelvic stability, reduction in lower back pain, increased bladder control and strengthening of the pelvic muscles.
• Stress Reduction
Movements in Pilates exercises are slower and controlled which helps to improve the core stability producing an effect of a state deeply relaxed which is related to the feeling of euphoria that is experienced after having done a Pilates class. These classes are often small with no more than 5 to 6 people at a slow pace in a relaxed atmosphere that adds a sense of relaxation during class.
.Muscle strength, greater flexibility, and body balance.
If you want to build muscle mass and increase strength you need to add traditional resistance training.However, this does not mean that Pilates exercises do not have benefits when it comes to building muscle. By building a stronger midsection, you are creating the basis to perform movements that involve large muscle groups like legs. Strengthening your midsection will offer you better support for the execution of these exercises.The stabilizing muscles have the main function of serving as a support for the rest of the structures involved in the exercise.
The inability to stabilize the body during strength training can reduce the amount of weight you can use. For example, the military press works directly on the shoulders and triceps. The lower back muscles, however, help stabilize the trunk, and if they are weak, then the amount of weight you can use is reduced, regardless of the strength of your shoulders and triceps. This then reduces the effectiveness of exercise in the muscles.
In sport-related activities such as golf, it improves performance factors: power, posture, balance, mobility, stability, coordination and endurance. In fact, Pilates workouts allow golf players to hit the ball over longer distances and improvement in golf swing by an increase in strength, posture and coordination.
According to Pgatour.com, most of the golf professionals the likes of(Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam, Rich Beam) use Pilates as a way to improve their physique and the performance of the game. Golfers of all levels claim that consistent Pilates practice improves their game and reduces pain and injury.
Unfortunately, many athletes don’t realize this and have taken Pilates as another fad or fancy stretching routine or something that only serves for ballet dancers.
• Recommended for people with fibromyalgia
Pilates can also provide many benefits in both sexes. Even understanding that most men seek more development or gain muscle strength, Pilates practice can be an excellent complementary activity.
Conclusion
Some people may prefer a harder workout such as Tabata while some will like the fluid yet powerful Pilates moves. It all depends on the individual. Different courses for different horses.Whatever the case may be, Pilates definitely can help you to lose weight as long as you maintain a caloric deficit and a healthy diet. Should you decide to start training with Pilates, be consistent and dedicated to your workouts. Patience and persistence are key to losing weight and gaining strength. There is no app for fat loss. You have to work at it.
