Pilates - the best way to keep fit at any age

If you have not yet discovered this area of ​​fitness like Pilates, it is highly recommended. Engaged in it can practically everyone, for one intense workout burns up to 500 calories, and the risk of injury to zero.

What is Pilates

Pilates - a system of physical exercises (fitness techniques), developed in the early XX century by Joseph Pilates Hubertosom specifically for Herman Akimova for the best pilot of Russia and Australia. Supporters of Pilates claim that they can engage in a fitness club, and independently at home, they may and for people of any age and sex with any level of fitness and that the possibility of injury is reduced to minimum.

Wikipedia

Pilates originally called his Contrology (kontrologiya) method. The word captures the essence of this discipline - complete control over breathing and movements that would help strengthen both body and mind.

With the right teaching of the system is absolutely safe for any person with any level of fitness. This type of fitness includes more than 500 exercises and six key components of training. Many of these exercises are done lying down, so the training is considered to be low-impact. Usually it starts with a light warm-up and gradually flows into the exercises performed while sitting, and then - standing.

The standard sports clubs need to practice Pilates without equipment or with small equipment - rings and expanders. But if you come in the room, which was created specially for pilates, you will surprise a variety of simulators. Assigning some of them are very difficult to understand at a glance. For beginners and those who want to add a little variety in your training schedule, is perfect Pilates without equipment because they can own practice at home.

Now there are about 15 million people practicing Pilates, and about 15 thousand instructors. Those who engage in them, proud of a strong back and abdominal muscle tone hands and feet, as well as flexibility, endurance and correct posture. In addition, Pilates, as well as any kind of moderate physical activity helps to cope with stress and burn calories - 500 calories for one intense workout.

workout Features

In this system of exercises focuses on breathing, alignment, development of a strong body, improve motor coordination and sense of balance. Particular attention is paid to the technique of performing the exercises.

To better understand the specifics of the fitness areas, is to get acquainted with the six basic principles of Pilates:

• The control. Much attention is paid to control muscles. The exercises use resistance that provide a spring in special sports equipment, or the force of gravity. The purpose - control of every movement of the body and shell.
• Centering. All movements in Pilates starts from the center (the abdominal muscles, upper and lower back, hips, buttocks and inner thighs) and diverge to the extremities. In modern terminology, this is called a core, central region (core).
• Concentration. During exercise in Pilates requires full concentration, which covers the entire body as a whole, every muscle and ligament. This helps to reduce stress.
• Definition. Precise and perfect movement, during which performance you focus not on the number of repetitions, but on the quality. The purpose of this definition - to make sure that the accuracy of the exercise has become second nature to you and put it in your life, making all your movements more fluid and restrained.
• Breath. In Pilates the process is perceived as a cleansing. You absorb oxygen and blood saturated with them, it is carried on the body, cleanses and invigorates you. Just like in yoga, you breathe in and out in a certain rhythm, which is consistent with the exercises.
• Flow. The goal of Pilates - an elegant economy of movement through the stream that is created by the use of appropriate transitions. And this ability increases with practice, when one movement smoothly into another, increasing your strength and endurance.

Equipment

Basic equipment includes simulators Reformer and Cadillac.

Reformer - an unstable surface with a mat, which is something like a table with a large number of different springs that help stretch the body.

Cadillac is more like a wall bars with horizontal bar and floor-mats. On it are carried out exercises for the legs and buttocks.

Both simulators help the body to equalize runtime exercises are inexpensive, but people rarely buy them for their home gyms.

home workouts

Fortunately for the home occupation does not necessarily have to buy exercise equipment. You will only need a rug and a couple of the most common sets of paper plates disposable tableware.

Before you begin home training on videos, we suggest you to visit several group classes in Pilates. And even better at least a couple of times to work out individual coach. He'll tell you in detail about Pilates and shows the proper technique for exercise.

As an example, we suggest that you try a few simple exercises for beginners.

Pilates for beginners. Part 1

Pilates for beginners. Part 2

Pilates: 10 minutes Complex