Pilates exercises teach you to be aware of your breathing and the alignment of your spine. The goal is to strengthen your “core” muscles—abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks. All exercises in Pilates begin with stabilizing the core muscles and transferring that to the movement of your arms and legs.

The Pilates system encompasses over 500 different exercises. Joesph Pilates, the founder of the method, started with a collection of just 34 that were worked on a mat on the floor. The exercises are designed to be performed in a specific order. Finishing the complete workout is essential.

Pilates exercises work your whole body, rather than targeting a specific set of muscles. It’s about working the entire body in synergy for overall fitness, rather than developing a few bulging muscle groups.

Pilates stretches, lengthens, and improves your balance with each exercise you master. It encourages you to focus mentally and increases your strength as well as your flexibility. You may find your Pilates exercises spilling over into your everyday life in the form of improved posture, coordination, and economy of movement.

Every Pilates exercise includes unique instructions for proper breathing. You should begin each breath deep within your core muscles and push it outward from there. This is not as hard to master as it sounds. Soon your breathing and movements will always be in sync without you having to think about them.

You can complete a typical Pilates exercise routine in under an hour. It usually consists of at least thirty different exercises that flow into each other smoothly without pausing. Many of the Pilates exercises require only an exercise mat and proper instruction, so you can easily do them at home.

The Pilates exercise method is gentle but challenging and sculpts your body while increasing strength, flexibility and stamina. Pilates cultivates an awareness of your body in your everyday movements that translates into improved coordination and posture.

About The Author

Sharon Sweeny is a creative copywriter, specializing in gardening and self sufficient, do-it-yourself lifestyles. She divides her free time among her garden in Minneapolis, alternately juggling half a dozen creative projects and blogging on gardening while pondering the exact location of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota.

Want to get the best writing for today’s internet? Whatever niche or market you are in Sharon Sweeny will help get you noticed. Work with a professional who gets the job done right and on time with no excuses.

1. Control
2. Centering
3. Precision
4. Breathing
5. Stability
6. Range of motion
7. Opposition
8. Flowing movement

The combination of these principles along with the use of the “core” muscles of the body distinguishes Pilates from other fitness methods.

The “core” muscles of the body consist of the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks. Joseph Pilates, the inventor of the Pilates method, called these core muscles the “powerhouse;” modern Pilates instructors refer to them as the “core.” The Pilates method believes that strengthening this group of muscles leads to increased coordination and endurance. Other benefits include better posture and a lean, well-sculpted body.

Control. The Pilates principle of muscle control is at its very foundation. Even the smallest movement is controlled and refined until the body can perform it without engaging the mind.

Centering. This principle contends that energy exerted from the center, or “core” of the body should coordinate the movements of the extremities. This is the “powerhouse” the body relies on in everyday movement. All Pilates movements radiate from the body’s center.

Precision. Every movement in Pilates has a purpose. The focus is on doing a single precise movement rather than many sloppy ones. All parts of every movement are given equal importance to the success of the workout.

Breathing. Joseph Pilates, the founder of the method, asserts that correct breathing techniques are everything. “If you follow no other instructions, learn to breathe correctly,” he said. Breathing is an integral part of every Pilates exercise.

Stability. Much emphasis is placed on holding your core muscles stable while moving your arms and legs in different directions. This stability translates into more core strength and coordination in everyday life.

Range of motion. Pilates trains you to control your movements though the entire range of motion, whether it is small or large. (Range of motion is how much you can comfortably lift your arm or leg.) Range of motion usually increases after only a few Pilates sessions.

Opposition. Pilates uses the body itself to create resistance. While working one group of muscles, another unrelated group will be worked in opposition to it. This creates synergy between muscle groups, strengthening all of them.

Flowing Movement. The Pilates routine flows from one exercise or movement into the next using appropriate smooth transitions. This flowing nature helps build strength, stamina and coordination.

The central goal of the Pilates fitness method is to attempt to create a fusion of mind and body. This in turn allows your body to move with economy, balance and grace in your everyday life without thinking about it.

About The Author

Sharon Sweeny is a creative copywriter, specializing in gardening and self sufficient, do-it-yourself lifestyles. She divides her free time among her garden in Minneapolis, alternately juggling half a dozen creative projects and blogging on gardening while pondering the exact location of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota.

Want to get the best writing for today’s internet? Whatever niche or market you are in Sharon Sweeny will help get you noticed. Work with a professional who gets the job done right and on time with no excuses.