Learn about Pilates. A Quick guide on Pilaties

Here is an article on Pilates you may find interesting and informative:
What is Pilates?

Pilates is an exercise program or series of exercises (designed by Joseph Pilaties back in 1920's) which are focused on building strength without building muscle mass, and building mental with physical fitness. Pilate exercises are meant to give stress on controlled movement in conjunction with correct form, and are supposed to engage the mind as well as the body.

Pilates can be performed by everyone young, old, strong, weak, flexible, inflexible sedentary or athletic. It has shown to be beneficial in rehabilitation from injury, and is therefore often recommended by physical therapists and doctors. Benefits of pilates include increased flexibility in the body, leaner muscles, improved posture and improved coordination which all leads to increased strength.

Doing pilates exercises two to three times a week is found to be sufficient. Like for any exercise program consistency is very important, similar rule applies for pilates. With good consistency you will get results within a short period of few weeks.

While choosing a pilates instructor take note of the fact as to which instructor emphasizes on positioning. If a instructors does a workout with you without checking your positioning, then that's not good a sign. Because positioning, breathing, concentration all are very important for getting the desired results, having an experienced and informed instructor by your side is a critical decision.

One can get acquainted with the different exercises from a video, but mostly a individual will not be performing the exercises correctly. A certified instructor who helps in focusing on form and breathing techniques is better to get one through the exercises.

Commonly yoga and pilates are believed to be the same thing. That's not the case, however, yoga and pilaties are somewhat closely related. In pilates one learns to control muscles, how to hold yourself properly while safely executing an exercise. But in yoga, one learns how to hold and engage your body in the various static positions.

Pilates isn't meant to make you lose weight. If you want to lose weight, you must change your diet in combination to performing pilaties exercises. Pilates are a series of strength building exercises primarily focused on torso strengthening. Pilates helps in getting your abs tightened. Different pilates exercises help tighten and strengthen all the torso muscles.

Now, a little on machine pilates. In machine pilates the instructor works individually with each exerciser. He makes up a schedule which best suits each individual for extracting maximum benefits. The instructor will help you move from one equipment to another. The exercising individual and the instructor pick and choose from more then five hundred exercises, mutually assessing specific, needs, desires and goals.

In mat pilates, a group of 5 to 10 people perform the same exercises simultaneously at the same pace. In a mat class, the instructor can only be able to give you specific instruction occasionally, as per your movement, and will direct the group as a whole. It is advised to do mat exercises only if you are without any injuries and are fit and pain. As no machine or apparatus is involved in a mat pilaties, one has to create resistance with his/her own body.