Pilates has been around for quite some time now thanks to its creator, Joseph Pilates. Despite that fact and its proven effectiveness, people are still trying to determine what exactly it does. And, they are trying figure out if taking part in Pilates classes is the right decision for them in order to help them achieve their goals.
Toned – Okay, to be honest…there really isn’t a scientific definition for the word toned. But that doesn’t matter does it? I mean after all, we all have a similar idea of what toned means. We all have our trouble areas that we want to firm up and lose the jiggle. That is definitely something Pilates does. Pilates training requires you to make your muscles work thereby burning calories and ultimately getting rid of fat that causes the jiggle. Good bye lunch lady arms. ;0)
And the being toned simply means being healthier. The more muscle and less fat you have the easier it is on your body, your heart especially.
Strong – By using and working your muscles, they get stronger. You get stronger! And it’s not a case where you have to get loaded down with heavy weights to make it happen. It’s simply of matter of using the right amount of weight to add resistance to a Pilates move. By performing the exercise using the proper mechanics and techniques, you cause your muscle to work…quite possibly in a way they never have before!
Being strong is advantageous to bone health and simply being able to perform the activities of every day living. This get more important the older we get.
Flexibility – Pilates workouts help you become flexible. Now that doesn’t mean you can do the splits after one class just as you did when you were a kid. :0) What it does mean though is that after a short period of time, you start to notice that you are much more limber and you have a greater range of motion.
This benefit is so important because it helps you avoid getting injured. Injuries like muscle strains and pulls happen frequently because of the lack of flexibility.
So if your goals are to get toned, fit, and strong…like mine were, I have to say that taking part in Pilates classes is the fastest and easiest path to take to achieve them.
Jo Chris
