Understanding Pilates Exercises

Pilates exercises are one of the most popular workouts today. This is an exercise that was developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920's and has been growing in popularity ever since. The amazing thing about pilates exercises is they can be done by anyone. This includes everyone from athletes, to senior citizens, to women trying to get their pre-pregnancy body back. Pilates focuses on six core principles which are: centering, control, breathing, precision, concentration and flow. In the subsequent paragraphs, each principle will be discussed, respectively.

The founders of pilates believe that all of the body's energy comes from the center, so that is where the exercises are focused. Control is another principle that is important for this method of working out. People who perform pilates are supposed to have complete control of their movements and the muscles that are being worked.

Breathing is also important to this practice. Joseph Pilates thought that it was very important for people to have good breath control. He encouraged people to synchronize their exercises with their breathing because he believed that is how people get the best results.

Precision is another major theme in this method of exercising. Practitioners have to be aware of their every move and make sure that they are doing it correctly. They also have to make sure that the body's alignment is right. Concentration is something that must occur when someone is performing pilates. A person has to divert his or her full attention to the movement that he or she is doing. If a person is fully concentrating on the move that he or she is doing, the best results will be obtained.

Flow is also very important to have while performing these exercises. Flow describes how well each part of the body is working together. In order for the person to get the most out of his or her workout, every movement must flow together.

There are many health and fitness benefits that come along with performing pilates exercises. One of the benefits is a total body workout. The problem with many exercises is they only target one or two major muscle groups; pilates targets the muscles of the entire body. Another benefit of doing pilates is it can help a person lose weight or maintain a healthy body weight. This method of exercising has been applauded because it can help create a longer and leaner look. Pilates also helps a person have more energy throughout the day. It helps the body create more energy by improving circulation and stimulating the muscles.