Pilates Benefits The Mind And The Body Without Strain

Joseph Pilates, the man who created the Pilates group of exercises was a sickly child. He suffered from rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever. But his poor health became his inspiration. At age 14, he took the solution to his fitness problems into his own hands by engaging in exercise and body building.

Pilates emphasises the core postural muscles which provide support to the spine and keep the body balanced. It teaches proper breathing and creates awareness of the breadth.

The Benefits of Pilates

Pilates yields numerous health benefits, from flexibility to muscular and mental coordination, such as:

*Toned and lean body.

* A stronger and healthier back.

* Improved muscle strength.

* Restored postural alignment.

* More efficient respiratory and circulatory systems.

* Increased joint range of motion.

* Less incidence of back pain.

* Lowered stress levels.

Pilates exercises lengthen and strengthen all the muscles down to the deepest core, whilst making sure that the body is correctly balanced and aligned.

Mat work, in particular, demonstrates the point that the body is the only tool needed to achieve physical fitness. There really is no need to exercise strenuously and possibly cause injury to your body. With Pilates a good work out does not need to leave you exhausted and sore. Some of the exercises can be carried out in as little as 10 minutes so it is a great time saver as well, compared to other fitness methods.

How you choose to practice Pilates is up to you. You can follow a program from a book, DVD or video or attend a class in you local area. The advantage of going to a class is that you will get instant feedback from the instructor who will tell you if your body alignment is incorrect. This way you will get maximum benefit in the shortest time.

The benefits of Pilates are numerous and with continued practice, the movements can be mastered and the benefits from a strengthened body to a calmer mind, clearly felt.