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What Is Pilates?

 

What is Pilates? An innovative system of mind-body exercise evolved from the principles of Joseph Pilates.

 

Pilates dramatically transforms the way your body looks, feels and performs. It builds strength without excess bulk, creating a sleek, toned body with slender thighs and a flat abdomen. It teaches body awareness, good posture and graceful movement. Pilates improves flexibility, agility and economy of motion. It can even help alleviate back pain.

 

Professional dancers have known the benefits of Pilates for decades. Top athletes including the Chelsea football team use it for strength, flexibility, and injury prevention. Hollywood celebrities and supermodels use it to maintain beautiful physiques.

 

All classes are closely monitored, in a friendly and fun environment. The exercises are developmental so you progress through the various stages of exercise as your strength and stamina increases. Pilates is a non-competitive exercise, however group classes do provide that extra motivation. Various pieces of equipment are also used in the classes such as stretch bands, overballs, foam rollers and magic circles.

 

The Benefits of Pilates

 

Mind-body workout

 

Pilates tunes your mind with your body. By emphasizing correct breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and complete concentration on smooth, flowing movement, you gradually become aware of how your body feels, where it is in space, and how to control its movement. The quality of movement is valued over quantity of repetitions. Proper breathing is essential and helps you execute movements with maximum power and efficiency. Last but not least, learning to breathe properly can reduce stress build strength and gain long, lean muscles and flexibility

 

Build strength and gain long, lean muscles and flexibility

 

Conventional workouts tend to build short, bulky muscles - the type most prone to injury. Pilates elongates and strengthens, improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. A body with balanced strength and flexibility is less likely to be injured.

 

Develop a strong core building on the principles of Joseph Pilates

 

Pilates exercises develop a strong "core," or center of the body. The core consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine. Control of the core is achieved by integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle.

 

Create an evenly conditioned body and prevent sports injuries In conventional workouts

 

Weak muscles tend to get weaker and strong muscles tend to get stronger. The result is muscular imbalance - a primary cause of injury and chronic back pain. Pilates conditions the whole body, even the ankles and feet. No muscle group is over trained or under trained. Your entire musculature is evenly balanced and conditioned, helping you enjoy daily activities and sports with greater ease and less chance of injury.

 

Learn efficient patterns of motion

 

Pilates exercises train several muscle groups at once in smooth, continuous movements. By developing the correct technique, you can actually re-train your body to move in safer, more efficient patterns of motion - invaluable for injury recovery, sports performance, good posture and optimal health.

 

Confident and safe

 

No other exercise system is so gentle to your body while giving it a challenging workout. Many of the exercises are performed in reclining or sitting positions, and most are low impact and partially weight bearing. Pilates is one of the safest forms of exercise and is used in physical therapy facilities to rehabilitate injuries.

 

Challenge

 

Pilates is also an extremely flexible exercise system. Modifications to the exercises allow for a range of difficulty ranging from beginners to advanced.

 

Sign up for our Pilates class, please fill in our friendly booking form for Pilates here.