Pilates Exercises Method

There are hundreds, if not thousands of exercise methods that have been developed by health experts for the last century. A great number of exercises normally target goals on shedding pounds or gaining muscles which at sometimes can be contradicting. Aerobic exercises help develop cardiovascular endurance but great for building strength.

On the other hand, muscle building exercises work well in building strength but not really for increasing endurance. Worse, you can really become very thin when you run a lot or grow large when lifting heavy weights. For this reason, pilates exercises are accepted as whole body work-out since it provides a complete approach that tones the muscles and help lose weight.

Basically, pilates exercises were really used as therapeutic measures for bedridden patients or people who have limited mobility. The designer of pilates exercises himself – Joseph Pilates was a weak and sickly child who had to go through hours of physical training to make himself stronger. Joseph Pilates,a German, had a fitness philosophy asserting that the mind can control the body which is why pilates exercises were known then as Contrology.

Aside from performing pilates exercises that required focus and control all the time, Joseph also built some apparatuses that can complement the routines and tone the body. The two most well-known traditional pilates exercises apparatuses are the chair and the reformer. Such equipments can tone and align your body correctly although they really do resemble medieval torture equipments.

Pilates exercises are religiously performed by followers since it helps them increase strength, gain flexibility and significantly control body movements. The end result would be a toned muscles and a strong core that adequately supports the back. Actually, some of the first clients of Joseph Pilates were ballet dancers who needed to strengthen their injured muscles.

Presently, pilates exercises can be learned by joining health clubs or pilates organizations. Different forms of Pilates exercises have developed such as yogilates and Stott pilates which have their origins from traditional pilates. There are many books on pilates exercises as well as DVDs that you can buy in case you find the fee for a pilates class very expensive. Take note, always begin with the basic steps and consult your doctor first before doing pilates exercises.