Geschatte leestijd: 4 minuten“The whole country, the whole world, should do my exercises,” Joseph Pilates once said. Now that Pilates studios and classes are popping up everywhere worldwide, it seems like the wish of the founder of Pilates is starting to come true.
It’s no wonder: this form of exercise not only makes your body tighter and leaner, but it also protects and strengthens it.
As a sickly child, Joseph Pilates spent his time developing exercises that made him stronger. During the First World War, he used these exercises to help injured soldiers strengthen their muscles and become mobile again. In 1926, he opened the first Pilates studio in New York City, and more than eighty years later, Pilates is one of the most popular – and most accessible – forms of exercise.
The basis of Pilates
There are two types of Pilates. The most common type, which you can do almost anywhere, consists of a series of floor exercises that you do on a training mat.
In this form, you mainly use the weight of your own body as resistance, but you can also use resistance bands and the Pilates Magic Circle, a flexible circle made of rubber or thin metal, which you can order from many online sports stores.
The second type of Pilates uses two machines called the Cadillac and the Reformer, which use a whole system of springs, levers, and cables to strengthen and condition your body.
In both types of Pilates, all movement comes from the core (known as the core or powerhouse), which also includes the muscles around your torso and hips. The exercises are sometimes performed slowly, sometimes a bit faster, but all exercises are precise and concentrated.
Whether the training is done quickly or slowly, everything is focused on control. Pilates is a workout for body and mind; everything is done with a purpose.
The benefits of Pilates
Pilates exercises give you lean, toned muscles without the muscle bulk that weight training gives you. Your muscles become long and lean, like those of a dancer.
But the exercises do more than make you look good on the outside. Pilates exercises strengthen your entire core, where isolation exercises like crunches only train the abdominal muscles.
Pilates strengthens the transverse muscle, the deep abdominal muscle that forms a kind of band in your body. A strong transverse abdominal muscle gives you more endurance for almost all other physical activities, whether you’re swimming or running on a treadmill.
The benefits of Pilates are also noticeable outside the gym. A stronger transverse abdominal muscle protects your lower back and improves your posture. You keep your abs and sit up straight at your desk, in the car, and at the dining table.
Dancers have known the benefits of a strong ‘powerhouse’ for a long time. When a ballerina sits down, she sits up straight. She has trained her inner muscles for so long that that posture has become natural for her.
Although the focus of Pilates exercises is on the core, the rest of your body also benefits. Pilates has some exercises for your lower body that give you long, lean thigh muscles and tight buttocks. In addition, exercises like push-ups help strengthen your chest and arms (which tightens your bust if you’re a woman) without making you very muscular right away.
Who Pilates would be good for
Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise with a very high potential for strength and tightness. People of all athletic abilities – from the occasional exerciser to the hard trainers – can benefit from Pilates.
Pilates can be part of a weight loss program, but then you also need to do cardio training.
Pilates instructor Kristin McGee says, “My ideal workout is four to five cardio sessions per week, 30 to 45 minutes each time, combined with two to three one-hour Pilates classes per week. Pilates helps make your body tighter, leaner, and more defined, while cardio burns the fat to show off your muscles.”
Injured athletes and dancers, and also those people who, for example, have had a car accident, often use Pilates as part of their recovery. Qualified Pilates instructors know their way around human anatomy and can assist in the recovery process by having a client do specific exercises that help the body recover.
In addition, the benefits of Pilates are also noticeable with lower back and neck pain. If your general practitioner refers you to a Pilates studio, that may be seen as physiotherapy and reimbursed by insurance.
You don’t have to wait until you’ve suffered an injury to get in shape, of course. See the exercises as precautions. Pilates helps protect your body. When your core is strong, you’re less likely to get injured.
And if you have a partner who’s constantly hunched over a desk, or who does injury-prone sports, take him or her to the Pilates studio. Pilates isn’t just for women; professional footballers use Pilates to strengthen their bodies and core to help them absorb the impact of full-body tackles without ruining their knees.
Find a good Pilates studio, class, or instructor
Personal or small group sessions at a Pilates studio are ideal. Large classes – which can’t take into account your personal preferences – at the gym on the corner are better than nothing, but they’re not the best option for beginners. In larger groups, it’s difficult for the instructor to keep an eye on you.
Pilates involves very specific movements. If you don’t do them correctly, you can injure your lower back or neck.
If you’re completely unfamiliar with Pilates, you might consider taking a few private lessons. Look for an instructor or personal trainer who is trained for this.
In the Netherlands, you can find Pilates studios and Pilates instructors using the search function on FITsociety.
Pilates at home
If you’re a bit further along, skilled in the basic techniques, and know how to adapt certain movements to your needs, you can take a larger class or try out a DVD at home.
Don’t limit your training to the studio or gym. Pilates is portable, you can take it anywhere and do it anywhere.
All you really need is something to support your spine, like a training mat or a carpet.
If you need extra resistance, you can use Thera Band, Flex Bands, and the Pilates Magic Circle, all of which are easy to store and carry in a backpack.
You can find all the items at most sports stores and online sports stores.
