Pilates Workout: Discover its benefits and more

Regular physical activity and or exercise has been proven to help in staying healthy. The long list of its benefits runs from keeping the blood flowing and improving muscle strength, to reducing fat in your body. Plus, exercise can go a long way in helping you retain your physical and mental health. However, there are a lot of different exercises that you might want to consider to find the one or the combination that works for you. A Pilates workout can be a great option. If you go for this, the first step to take is to thoroughly understand its benefits and what it can do for you.

What is Pilates

First, we need to know what exactly Pilates is. You may find Pilates similar to yoga. However, the two aren’t the same. You might consider doing the Pilates vs yoga comparison to get a better view of what the former is.

A Pilates workout gives you a range of exercises that essentially helps to strengthen your core, while also toning and improving your flexibility at the same time.

One thing to take note of, though, is that Pilates might seem simple. Once you start to do it, you might realize that each movement requires a lot of concentration and precision^[1]. However, this doesn’t mean that this exercise is not beginner-friendly. With practice, you’ll be able to master the moves and maximize their overall benefits.

What is Powerhouse?

Having to talk about the Powerhouse^[2] is a way to understand Pilates. This is a specific part of your body that begins at the pelvic floor and extends upward to the ribcage. You can think of the powerhouse as your body’s center. This is the area that most Pilates moves will focus on.

As you go through the Pilates movements, you’ll find that a lot of them focus on your core. These movements target your powerhouse muscles which involves core stabilization. When the powerhouse is strengthened, your movements will also be strengthened.

How it works?

Pilates is a technique that mainly focuses on subsequent exercises. In most cases, there will be a specific order in which you should do these exercises – one after the other. This is because they often build on top of each other.

Pilates mostly uses slow movements^[3]. While you perform these exercises, you’ll be instructed to focus on breathing and to practice a high level of control over your core and abdominal muscles. The thing is, you don’t need to do high-intensity movements with Pilates. Instead, you need to focus on perfecting the posture and the way your body has to move.

How to get started

At first, things may feel a bit overwhelming. If you have an idea about yoga poses to achieve weight loss, you might find that Pilates is very different. Instead of raising your heart rate and making you sweat, these workouts are rather slow-paced and focus on toning conditioning, and flexibility.

However, you shouldn’t push yourself too much if you are just starting. Instead, you can start slow and look for a beginner-friendly exercise routine that can help until you get used to how a Pilates workout works.

Pilates exercises that strengthen the core

When it comes to working on your core, there are different Pilates exercises that you can add to your program. Some of these include:

• Leg raise
• Single leg stretch
• Crunch
• Plank
• One leg circle
• Toe taps
• Pilates bridge
• Side leg lifts

These are all Pilates moves that work on your core. Some of these also target your Powerhouse muscles as well as other muscle groups throughout your body.

Benefits of Pilates

Once you get started with Pilates, you’ll notice that this type of workout comes with numerous benefits. These benefits don’t only extend to your physical well-being, but can also help you cope with stress and even relieve symptoms of certain psychological problems.

Moreover, flexibility is one of the core benefits of Pilates. Doing your Pilates routines regularly will significantly improve your flexibility. It can also help to improve mobility and strengthen your core muscles which provide support to many areas of your body. A good Pilates workout will help you achieve balanced muscle power on both sides of your body giving you greater control over your muscles.

Pilates vs Yoga

While Pilates may differ from yoga, there are also some aspects in which these two are similar. For example, both could potentially help with a fast metabolism and weight loss.

When you do yoga, you must hold the poses for a while before doing the next position. With Pilates, some techniques require you to do specific positions. For example, certain resistance movements may involve your legs or arms. These can strengthen your core and your abdominal muscles.

Tips for Beginners

Patience is crucial if you’re just getting started with a Pilates workout. It takes time for most people to adapt to Pilates and its different exercises. If you don’t manage to get to that level of precision right away, don’t worry. Just keep practicing and try to incorporate Pilates into your daily routine.

Some people may turn to Pilates as a complementary workout to help them with weight loss and strengthening their core. Taking products like the Phenocal weight loss supplement can be a part of your program to ensure you achieve your weight loss goals. This formula can speed up results and allow you to witness your visible goals in front of the mirror.

Takeaway

Pilates is a workout method that’s been trending for a long time, and people who get interested is increasing. There are several types of Pilates workout programs that you can follow. When choosing the type that suits you, you must keep your goals, expectations, and limitations in mind. It will not only help you understand the right one for you but also allow you to enjoy your workout sessions. Doing the right Pilates will get you close to achieving your health goals.