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so how does pilates 'work'?
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jms137
Posted 2007-04-08 1:15 PM (#82736)
Subject: so how does pilates 'work'?


Hi there,

I'm a complete beginner. I am trying to start some Pilates because my core muscles are weak as jelly and I'm sick of getting back twinges and spasms whenever I lean over a little for longer than a little while. Unfortunately I'm working out in China and there is no Pilates class or tutor here. All I have is: Jonathon Urla's 'Pilates in the City' beginner and intermediate dvd, Miranda Bass's pilates book and an exercise mat.

I've done the dvd a few times and find Pilates extremely weird. At first I cannot understand how it builds any strength whatsoever.

My question is that I find plenty of sites and books on amazon which are full of routines and photos, but which book can explain exactly what is happening? How does Pilates work? What is it doing to me? Miranda's book explains the moves well but doesnt go deep into explaining the theory.

My current theory is that some pilates exercises basically involve one part of the body moving while the rest has to stay completely still and aligned. in order to acheive this while it looks like nothing is happening apart from e.g. a leg moving up and down, in fact in the trunk the core muscles and stabilizers are working like mad to acheive this. (as Jonathon says in his video, the important thing is keeping the body stable, not moving the leg) So basically you have a set of exercises with different angles and stresses to work all the stabilization muscles, rather than the big power muscles. you also learn to move fluidly and keep a tight centre even when just a limb is moving. Lastly I would like to say that (in my vast 2 week experience) Pilates does not seem to be designed for cardiovascular fitness, weight loss or (external)muscle building. it seems to be a very subtle and cleverly designed injury prevention system for athletes and dancers, but which is perfect for those whose bodies are being jellified by the atrophy of modern life (like me).

Is my theory correct? if feels like that's what pilates is doing!

thanks
john



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OrangeMat
Posted 2007-04-08 4:02 PM (#82745 - in reply to #82736)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'?


Hi, I'm not familiar with the DVDs and books that you've mentioned, but I've got a pretty good working idea about how pilates is supposed to "work". And yes, you're pretty much on target about the isolation and stabilization part of it. The book I pretty much relied on for my early pilates exercise years was Brooke Siler's "The Pilates Body". I found it to be extremely helpful in understanding what was supposed to be going on inside my body as I barely moved my arms and legs.

As for cardio, no, you're not really going to work up much of a sweat, not in a traditional sense. But you're burning fat with the strength work (doesn't matter whether it's internal or external; though when you think about it, do you really have any muscles on the outside??).

Sounds like you're on the right track, keep at it, and hopefully in a couple of weeks you'll start to see some tangible results, such as better posture and being less prone to injury -- all very good things to shoot for!

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OptiMystic
Posted 2007-04-09 3:34 PM (#82855 - in reply to #82745)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'?


OrangeMat - 2007-04-08 4:02 PM
As for cardio, no, you're not really going to work up much of a sweat, not in a traditional sense. But you're burning fat with the strength work (doesn't matter whether it's internal or external; though when you think about it, do you really have any muscles on the outside??).


You might not have external muscles, but the internal (visceral) fat is what you want to worry about the most:

A couple of quotes from and article on a medical news site:

Visceral fat is not the fat that lies just under your skin, that type is called subcutaneous fat. Visceral fat is deep inside.

The more visceral fat you carry around the higher your chances of developing insulin resistance (leading to type two diabetes), heart disease and other metabolic syndromes.


They have been exploding the myth of the healthy stocky physique.
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OrangeMat
Posted 2007-04-09 3:49 PM (#82858 - in reply to #82855)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'?


OptiMystic, you do realize I was being facetious about the "external muscles" thing? But yes, I am aware of the types of fat we carry and where they are in our bodies, and also how the different types make us more or less prone to disease. Goes along with the apple-shape vs. pear-shape bodies, I believe (i.e. having more body fat in the hip and thigh area is "healthier" than carrying it around your middle).

Thanks for the article.

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jms137
Posted 2007-04-10 12:08 AM (#82885 - in reply to #82736)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'?


ha ha 'external' muscles.. sounds funny now. i really meant that in my opinion pilates wont give you big pecs, delts, quads etc but will work the muscles which are 'underneath' the others e.g. transverse abdominus, multifidinus.

i may check out the book you mention.

i'm amazed that joe pilates worked all this out back in 1900 or whatever. the guy was way ahead of his time.
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OptiMystic
Posted 2007-04-10 11:33 AM (#82915 - in reply to #82858)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'?


OrangeMat - 2007-04-09 3:49 PM

OptiMystic, you do realize I was being facetious about the "external muscles" thing? But yes, I am aware of the types of fat we carry and where they are in our bodies, and also how the different types make us more or less prone to disease. Goes along with the apple-shape vs. pear-shape bodies, I believe (i.e. having more body fat in the hip and thigh area is "healthier" than carrying it around your middle).

Thanks for the article.



I wasn't sure whether or not you were being facetious (quick trivia question for the day - can you come up with another English word with all five vowels each used only once in alphabetic order?), but many people still seem to believe that skin folds outside the muscles is an accurate measure of body fat and that stocky guys that can flex their pecs and abs are in good shape. Yeah, it is the apple versus pear thing and a slightly overweight apple shaped body is actually at greater risk of related health problems than a slightly overweight pear. A guy here at my office has criticized BMI in the past because it doesn't take into account people like him with a short stocky build. He is rethinking that after a recent heart attack, and he isn't even 30 yet. Anyway, I am probably suffering from the "zealous recent convert" syndrome and wander in to discussions to offer health info that is new to me more often than I should, but maybe it will get someone to do some research, some thinking and some action...

Edited by OptiMystic 2007-04-10 11:35 AM
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OrangeMat
Posted 2007-04-10 5:54 PM (#82953 - in reply to #82915)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'?


OptiMystic - 2007-04-10 11:33 AM (quick trivia question for the day - can you come up with another English word with all five vowels each used only once in alphabetic order)

Heh, I didn't even realize that "facetious" fit that bill, cool! Have no clue about the word you're talking about...The only word tricks (trick words?) I know are a word that has three sets of double letters in a row, and a word that has three "U"s (not in a row!). Probably really easy stuff, but still, that's what I got!

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Nick
Posted 2007-04-11 2:51 AM (#82988 - in reply to #82953)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'?



20005001002525
Location: London, England
Abstemious-I win! Horrah for me!

Nick
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Jim Colyer
Posted 2007-04-17 2:45 AM (#83562 - in reply to #82736)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'?


A friend was telling me about Pilates. I still don't get it.
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OrangeMat
Posted 2007-04-17 6:27 AM (#83568 - in reply to #83562)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'?


Jim Colyer - 2007-04-17 2:45 AM A friend was telling me about Pilates. I still don't get it.

Don't know what your friend told you, but I took up pilates to deal with issues with my posture. I was having neck pain, lowback pain, all sorts of unpleasant stuff. What I got out of it was postural awareness, as well as proprioception, which is knowing where my body parts are in space. I also learned how to isolate muscles and engage them while moving other ones. All good things. Pilates teaches you how to move and use the body as one integrated unit, while still keeping awareness of the separate parts. Yoga does that as well, but there's so much more. The toning and strength benefits are just bonus.

Any health and fitness regime that grew out of therapy and healing for the body is a good thing. For me, I really don't need to know anymore.

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tourist
Posted 2007-04-17 6:40 PM (#83589 - in reply to #83568)
Subject: RE: so how does pilates 'work'



Expert Yogi

Posts: 8442
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Yeah - there is a lot of stuff you can look into and read about and intellectualize, but essentially, it is exercise. Exercise is good for your body. Pretty simple
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vibes
Posted 2010-05-14 6:00 PM (#122869 - in reply to #82736)
Subject: Re: so how does pilates 'work'?


Extreme Veteran

Posts: 574
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If what you say is right about pilates, it doesnt sound that clever a system at all but maybe exercises to make you more aware which is very beneficial anyway.
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