The Benefit of Pilates

Pilates can benefit your overall health and sense of well-being in many ways. I have been doing Pilates for three years and I have seen for myself how challenging, yet effective it is.

Recently, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic muscle and soft tissue pain syndrome. One of my osteopathic doctors told me that if I hadn't been doing Pilates (and yoga), I would not be able to get on and off the examining table. As a matter of fact, when patients come to see him because of pain, he often recommends Pilates as a method of treatment.

While it certainly helps with physical problems, you will find many other positive rewards when you start integrating Pilates into your exercise program.

#1 Benefit of Pilates ? Strong Core

Pilates focuses on strengthening your deep abdominal muscles, your back and your butt. This results in greater pelvic stability and less likelihood that you will sustain an injury in your back. You will also enjoy having a flat, toned and sleek tummy.

#2 Benefit of Pilates - Improved Posture

Pilates works to lengthen the spinal compression that you might be developing, especially as you grow older or spend long hours hunched over in front of a computer. Many of us spend a great part of the day with our shoulders slumped forward. Pilates encourages you to lengthen the back of your neck and to slide your shoulder blades back and down. This encourages better postural alignment and allows you to stand and sit straighter and taller.

#3 Benefit of Pilates ? Increased Strength and Flexibility

When you are doing Pilates, you are simultaneously strengthening and stretching your muscles. This gives your joints greater range of motion and also helps prevent the likelihood that you will get injured.

#4 Benefit of Pilates ? Longer and Leaner Muscles

Many strength-training exercises focus on working only one body part at a time, which leads to a compressed, bulky muscle. When you do Pilates exercises, you are working your entire body and you elongate the muscle as you move it with precision and control. The result ? your body has a longer, leaner look.

#5 Benefit of Pilates ? Improved Mind Body Connection

Pilates is not a mindless activity. There is a very strong focus on deep breathing. You do certain moves as you inhale, while others as you exhale. This fosters a greater awareness about how you can integrate deep breathing and movement into positive body control.

#6 Benefit of Pilates ? It is Safe for Everyone

Pilates is a gentle, low impact workout. In every class, you are given a modification to address your own unique level of strength, flexibility, and fitness. With the proper instruction, it is safe for seniors, for those who are physically challenged, and also those who are recovering from injuries.

If you've ever wondered about Pilates, why not give it a try? You can see for yourself how Pilates can make a positive difference in your mind, health ? and, of course ? your body.

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.

---

Positive Energy

Cultivating positive energy: Most of us who study Yoga have... Read More

Are You Willing To Follow Eight Yoga Exercises For the Lower Back?

EXERCISES FOR BACK RELIEFMany people believe that rest is best... Read More

Stress - How To Manage Effectively

Stress is very common in all walks of life and... Read More

Can a Yoga Prop Help Prop Up Your Practice?

Some people may wonder if using a yoga prop can... Read More

Yoga Your Way To A Happy Vacation

Yoga Your Way To A Happy VacationThere have been many... Read More

Yoga and Low Carb Diets

Yoga is an ancient system of movement designed to generate... Read More

Yoga: A Beneficial Exercising Regimen

Yoga is an ancient proven tradition that exists for thousands... Read More

The Benefit of Pilates

Pilates can benefit your overall health and sense of well-being... Read More

Some Tantric Exercises to Increase General Well-Being and Sexual Abilities

A healthy anal and genital area is of great importance... Read More

What is Self Mastery? - Part 1

Self Mastery, alone, sounds like a selfish term; but if... Read More

A World of Infinite Opportunities

Many people feel that there is a limited amount of... Read More

Hatha Yoga

One of the many subsets of the 5000 year old... Read More

How to Find the Right Yoga Teacher?

I am often asked by beginners about how to evaluate... Read More

The Benefit of Yoga

The benefit of yoga practice goes far beyond the actual... Read More

Paths of Yoga I

With dozens of Hollywood celebrities following in their Guru's lotus... Read More

Hot Yoga - Bikrams Twenty Six

Even though the world population has shifted from mainly rural... Read More

How to Use Yoga DVDs and Videos to Round Out Your Practice

I absolutely love using yoga DVDs and yoga videos during... Read More

Yoga and Pregnancy

Every woman wants to have a healthy baby. Yogic practices,... Read More

Secrets of Teaching Yoga

What you are about to read applies to teaching, in... Read More

Yoga for Fun and Profit

Stress levels around the world are on the rise. In... Read More

The History of Pilates

In order to understand the basics of Pilates and why... Read More

Total Concentration(samadhi) of Mind

A true Yogi(practitioner) is one who has acquired self-knowledge and... Read More

Child Yoga ? What is All the Fun About?

Many adults have taken up yoga, but yoga has not... Read More

Om Yoga Meditation: Why Yoga?

The following is an excerpt from the book "Om Yoga:... Read More

What is Self Mastery? - Part 4

Now, let's cover the last component of self-mastery, which is... Read More

Yoga is Self Improvement

After five thousand years of written documentation, Yoga may well... Read More

Basic Yoga Poses (Asanas)

In most forms of Yoga there are three components to... Read More

Yoga and True Self

The great sage Patanjali in his work Yogasutra codified all... Read More

Which Type of Yoga is the Right Choice for You?

You finally made the decision to practice yoga, but which... Read More

True Essence of Yoga

Yoga is the most prestigious field of spiritualism. People think... Read More

Discover How Yoga Will Help You Reach Your Goals ? Part 2

At this point, let's break down the major components of... Read More

Eating Disorders And The Use Of Yoga In Prevention And Treatment

It was not so long ago that eating disorders, such... Read More

What is Self Mastery? ? Part 3

The next large component of self-mastery is mental health, and... Read More