Millions of people around the world have become true fans of the Pilates method. This sports discipline seeks the coordination between the body and the mind, achieving multiple health benefits.
Through concentration and correct breathing, the Pilates method develops a precise work of all the muscles , both the peripheral, common in physical movements, and the deeper, which is the most difficult to control. Specifically, Pilates can be practiced through floor exercises, as well as using Pilate’s machines.
Origin of the Pilates method
The Pilates method was created by Joseph Pilates, a German who during his youth was dedicated to boxing and who also worked as a self-defense instructor. In his endeavor to improve his fitness and that of his students, Joseph Pilates created a method that he initially called Contrology. The objective of this method was to achieve complete control of the body and seek coordination, even in the activities that are carried out unconsciously every day.
To start this new method, Pilates studied various disciplines such as yoga, tai chi or bodybuilding. And, also, he took Greek concepts about the training and conditioning of the Olympic athletes.
Likewise, and as a support to his research, Pilates used anatomy books to get to know the human body in depth and be able to mechanize the variants of the different muscles . In their study, the importance of controlling breathing at the time of developing the exercises emerged.
For this reason, originally, the Pilates method consisted of a sports practice focused on the work of postural correction that sought to achieve precise control of the body, in the healthiest and most efficient way possible.
And it is that, one of the bases of Pilates, is that through this discipline an attempt is made to achieve postural hygiene. The key to this discipline is to maintain a correct posture that does not damage the back and that is consciously put into practice in each of the exercises.
Main physical benefits of Pilates
Now that you know the origin of this famous method, if you have not yet dared to practice it, discover all the interesting benefits that Pilates brings to your physical and mental well-being. And, if you are looking for a sport in which the whole body works, Pilates is the method you need:
Tones the whole body
Muscle by muscle, through the Pilates method the entire body is toned. And it is that through Pilate’s exercises , the muscles contract, especially those of the back, buttocks and abdomen. In this way, stronger and more defined muscles are achieved.
Postural hygiene
Through floor exercises or those practiced through Pilates machines, it is possible to maintain a correct position of the back , contracting the stomach and positioning the shoulders correctly, which helps to preserve good postural hygiene.
Increase energy
Through Pilate’s exercises you get more energy, because in addition to learning to breathe correctly, these exercises improve circulation. In this way, you can make physical activity much more effective, and you will have more energy to face your day to day.
Helps to lose weight
If now that the year begins, you have decided that you want to lose those extra pounds, the Pilates method helps you achieve your goal. And it is that, when combining Pilate’s exercises with aerobic physical activity, the combustion of fats is stimulated, which causes weight loss and greater physical well-being.
