What is Pilates?
the practice of physical exercise is essential for health and quality of life, when it comes to the subject in question, the benefits of Pilates stand out for several reasons. With the increased demand for this modality in gyms and clinics, Pilates has become a real success..
In the 90s, Pilates became popular in Brazil and is currently practiced by a large number of people. The method was created by Joseph Hubertus Pilates, born in 1883 in Germany. During his childhood, Pilates faced a series of health problems, which motivated him to dedicate his life to studies and physical exercises, with the aim of developing a healthy and strong body.
Joseph Pilates, the name behind the method that bears his name, was responsible for designing the exercises and based his technique on six fundamental principles. These are the following:
- Concentration: It requires mental focus to perform each movement with full awareness.
- Control: It involves mastering the movements, following them precisely and deliberately.
- Precision: It seeks to perform the exercises accurately and correctly, valuing the quality of the movements.
- Center: Emphasizes strengthening the core region of the body, known as the “powerhouse“, to ensure stability and support during training.
- Breathing: The Pilates technique prioritizes deep, coordinated exercise to synchronize movements and promote adequate oxygen flow.
- Fluidity: Try to perform the exercises with smoothness and continuity, seeking a fluid and harmonic movement.
- Thus, Pilates emerged as a comprehensive activity, which is not limited to the physical trainingbut also addresses the mental health. The extensive list of advantages offered by this practice encourages people who wish to adopt healthier lifestyle habits.
Types of Pilates
- The Pilates method came to stay, due to its indisputable effectiveness and its name came to have a very high commercial value. For these reasons, new styles and variations began to emerge. Find out more about each of them below:
- Classic or Original Pilates:
It aims to preserve the technique bequeathed by Joseph Pilates, remaining faithful to his Principles, language, values, equipment e philosophy.
- Contemporary Pilates: It adapts to each individual, applying the exercises according to their characteristics and specific skills.
- Functional Pilates: Functional Pilates involves performing exercises that use easy mobility equipment or just the own bodydiffering from the conventional training of strength e muscular endurance.
- Aerial Pilates: It’s an innovative approach that builds on the traditional Pilates method. This technique is performed in inverted suspension, allowing an alternation between fortification e relaxation. As in the conventional Pilates method, the main focus is the abdominal centerknown as “powerhouse“, which plays the role of stabilizing musculature and generator of energy for movement.
- Power Pilates: It is a variation of the Pilates method, especially recommended for those who wish to burn calories and exercise more intense and energetic. Some of the main features of this modality are the absence of rest intervals between exercises and power flexibility. practice it anywhere, including at home.
- NeoPilates: In 2010, NeoPilates was developed, which combines the principles of Controlegia with the fusion of three techniques: Pilates Method, functional training and circus activities. NeoPilates is a playful and challenging approach, which uses unstable foundations to promote body work.
- Benefits of Pilates
The practice of physical activity plays a fundamental role in promoting health and improving quality of lifewhich is a key factor for increase longevity.
Pilates is a widely recognized practice, with scientifically proven benefits, which consists of performing movements designed to strengthen and rehabilitate the body.4. Particularly, this practice has been recommended for the elderly, aiming to promote muscle strengthening and resistance, since this age group is more likely to face limitations resulting from aging, lack of physical activity or pathological conditions..
Main benefits of Pilates:
- Improves posture and balance: O postural realignment it’s at balance improvement dynamic results are achieved due to the strengthening of the core musculature of the body involving the principles of breathing, concentration e centralization of force in abdominal strengthening.
- Injury prevention: Injury prevention is an advantage of Pilates. When we are properly lengthened and strengthened, we reduce the likelihood of getting injured. That protection is beneficial both for athletes and individuals who practice physical activities regularly and for those who do not have the habit of exercising.
- Increases body flexibility: a person with good flexibility can enjoy greater mobility, being able to easily bend over to reach objects in different positions (above, to the side or below), lift objects without difficulty, no pain or risk of injurywalk and exercise with higher quality.
- Promotes quality sleep: Pilates can be an effective strategy in the treatment of sleep disorders, presenting itself as a physical and mental training. Through its principles, it promotes feelings of tranquility, well-being and body awareness. In addition, the exercises in the method are gradually increased in overload until they reach an ideal level, being performed with few repetitions, which results in a improvement in sleep quality.
- Helps in the fight against hypertension: During Pilates practices, the blood circulation is significantly improved. Therefore, people suffering from hypertension can include this form of exercise as part of their lifestyle changes for check the disease.
- Increases disposition: although the chronic tiredness can have several causes, it is important to emphasize that the lack of exercise and movement is one of the main ones. Pilates can contribute to fight this tiredness, providing more energy and vitality.
It is important to note that elderly people who practice Pilates demonstrate an increase in muscle resistance, an increase in respiratory capacity and an improvement in the synchronization of diaphragmatic breathing, resulting in a reduction in respiratory rate and an improvement in body muscles..
How to do Pilates?
- Start gradually: start slow and increase the rhythm and frequency slowly. If you start with excessive intensity, doing activities too abruptly, you are more likely to give up.;
- Choice of environment: A crucial tip is to select a Pilates studio close to your residence, college or workplace, according to the time chosen for the practice. It helps to reduce laziness related to displacement.
- Establish a routine: to keep the body in movement with Pilates, practice it two to three times a week is more than enough, according to most professionals.
- Seek professional guidance: It is important to remember that the start of any physical activityincluding Pilates, requires the consult a professional qualified before and during the exercise.
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Source: cuidadospelavida.com.br