Uncovered After 80 Years of Dormancy, Pilates is Far From Dead.
In a way, he's a lot like Edgar Allen Poe. The famous writer had been deceased for many years before he miraculously cracked super-stardom, his once-buried work revamped from the ashes to be relished by millions and millions of literature fans.
Well, Joseph Pilates is not Edgar Allen Poe. The German immigrant is hardly a household name in 1999, but just like Poe, some thirty-two years after his death, his lost treasures are now being discovered as genius works of art.
You've seen the countless infomercials in the middle of the night, boasting this piece of exercise equipment and that toning apparatus. They usually get a famous retired athlete like Joe Montana to endorse it and swear by it. You'll actually watch for a minute and a half before realizing that you just wasted 90 seconds of your life.
But the word is out that the Pilates Method is different. This one actually works.
That's why, if you look around, Pilates studios are cropping everywhere throughout the United States. Many health clubs are offering Pilates classes on a regular basis and more and more Pilates machines are filling household closets where those dusty sets of golf clubs used to rest.
Upon arriving in New York City from Germany, Mr. Pilates primarily created his method of fitness to benefit the dance community, as it was a success along Broadway in the 1920's. The exercises provided dancers with that much-needed agility and grace.
Now, in New York City alone, there are about 40 different studios where the Pilates Method is taught with more cropping up every day.
But the Pilates Method has not been restricted to just exercise outlets. All kinds of hospitals, clinics, and health centers are pulling in these machines to treat patients with spinal injuries, back ailments, and shoulder cuff problems, just to name a few.
The Pilates Method is essentially an exercise that combines toning and stretching, utilizing a series of rhythmic movements to achieve balance and grace. It does not have the effects of heavy free weights or Nautilus machines. The exercises you perform are very smooth and controlled and require specific movements from isolated muscle groups.
The common Pilates apparatus, called the Universal Reformer, looks almost like a magic carpet. Depending on the exercise, your body weight will rest on the padded platform, which moves along the base of the machine through a series of pulleys. The motions are performed with cables and a series of different handles, depending on what motion you're performing.
These exercises are not performed in sets, really. It is a long, continual motion that will target balance and flexibility, every bit as much as it targets strength and conditioning. You can do an exercise for nearly a half-hour, if you'd like.
What's interesting about Pilates is that there are no weights involved. No adjusting the resistance, no sliding that pin down a couple of plates. The resistance is you! When your pulling the cables in toward your chest, the weight that your pulling is simply your own body weight. And the magic carpet takes away the use of gravity during the exercise; only your specific muscles being worked is what creates any sort of movement and stability.
Aside from toning up the torso, the Pilates Method also helps you achieve healthy breathing and relaxation while vastly increasing stamina.
With the benefits seemingly unlimited, perhaps the Pilates Method is a wise choice for an alternate route if you're becoming worn out from those pounding aerobics classes or squeaky Nautilus machines. Or perhaps you're always one to jump on the latest fitness craze, and for thousands of Americans and patrons worldwide, Pilates is certainly that.
Apollo Supplements.com - http://www.apollosupplements.com - Copyright ApolloSupplements.com - MuscleMaster, Inc.
When I was a young boy, emerging muscles were the... Read More
There are some major key parts to a successful body... Read More
It's an unfortunate reality that throughout the years there has... Read More
If you design your nutrition plans to maximize muscle growth,... Read More
Strength training is exercise that uses resistance to strengthen and... Read More
Embarking on a dumbbell exercise program? Then examine two well... Read More
Q: I've heard you mention that you don't need tons... Read More
I had an hour long conversation with Pavel Tsatsouline on... Read More
Becoming familiar with the muscles that make up your body... Read More
You may be wondering, "How can I possibly do resistance... Read More
Now that we have a trainer, our next concern is... Read More
You might sometimes wonder whether your dedication and sacrifice will... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
If you're looking to get fit and into shape, home... Read More
The aim for beginners to weight training must be to... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
By the time you finish reading this you will have... Read More
Becoming familiar with the muscles that make up your body... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
I know what many of you are thinking reading the... Read More
In my 3 decades of training experience I have identified... Read More
Whenever I go to the gym and tell a friend... Read More
Adding muscle seems to be a mystery to most, yet... Read More
The crunch exercise is the backbone of abdominal training. It... Read More
It is clear that certain traits are handed down to... Read More
These are not the reasons we do Lactate Threshold Training.What... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Until I started following a routine to eat, my gains... Read More
Anabolic steroid use appears to be on the rise. With... Read More
Ah summer time, it's one of my favorite seasons and... Read More
Another critical factor to be aware of, is the efficient... Read More
Effective Chest Training, Like Everything Else, Begins With The Proper... Read More
Before I talk about one of the most productive and... Read More
Before wasting your money on a pile of bodybuilding supplements... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Before I talk about one of the most productive and... Read More
It is clear that certain traits are handed down to... Read More
A consensus has arisen within the bodybuilding world over the... Read More
Embarking on a dumbbell exercise program? Then examine two well... Read More
Chaos is the scientific study of orderly disorder. It offers... Read More
Over the years there has been a surge of different... Read More
In one of my recent articles, I spoke about the... Read More
Supersets give you the most bang for the buck. They... Read More
WHY WEIGHT LIFTING?What's the one thing that you can do... Read More
Try asking people how to gain weight and you'll likely... Read More
It's an unfortunate reality that throughout the years there has... Read More
Becoming familiar with the muscles that make up your body... Read More
Welcome to article number five in our 5-part series "Bodybuilding... Read More
Every bodybuilder and weight trainer will have his or her... Read More
I know what many of you are thinking reading the... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
As experts says, "NO PAIN, NO GAIN." This specially applies... Read More
Efforts to expand the limits of human strength and endurance... Read More
L-glutamine remains the supplement of choice for many bodybuilders. It... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
One of the most time consuming and frustrating parts of... Read More
For those who are not familiar with my name, I... Read More
Are you a Baby Boomer? If you were born between... Read More
You've decided to join a gym, but you're not sure... Read More
Are you looking for a simple and effective way to... Read More
Get Fit At Home With Ailsa : Get Rid of... Read More
Tip 1 - Tummy Toner - In addition to your... Read More
1. Eat smaller more frequent meals - not only is... Read More
Visualization can play an important part in gaining weight and... Read More
In the health, fitness, and nutrition world, achieving optimal or... Read More
Other articles in this series looked at a number of... Read More
Muscle Building & Bodybuilding |