The pilates method
Origins
The method owes its name to a German nurse, Joseph Pilates. Taken prisoner during the First World War, the man invents a new gymnastics in his cell. Once free, he opens his first gymnastics studio in 1926. Since October 2000, the Pilates method is considered as a physical activity in its own right, taught and practiced all over the world.
Six exercises to train your abs
See also
The principle
Like yoga, the Pilates method is a global technique that aspires to "develop the body in a harmonious way, correct the wrong positions, and stimulate the spirit and the student".
All exercises (more than 500 in all) respect the following 8 key points:
-Breathing. You breathe deeply with the chest, especially avoiding swelling the abdomen. This technique strengthens the abdominals.
-Concentration. Every movement and every breath must first be thought of and must come from the center of the body.
-Control. Each gesture must be perfectly controlled, in space and time.
-The alignment. The position must always be perfectly straight and articulated.
-The fluidity. The body is almost always in motion, but the gestures are slow and are done using the deep muscles.
-The center of gravity. Whatever the exercise, it is important to pull in the belly to work the deep abdominals.
-The order. The exercises follow one another in a precise order.
-Relaxation. To stretch and relax the muscles that have worked.
Pilates consists in adopting positions and making movements in a precise order. The goal is to make all the muscle groups work alternately, sometimes in unusual combinations, focusing especially on the lower part of the torso (abdominals and buttocks). Most pilates exercises are done without complementary tools, apart from a mat. However, some teachers make use of some accessories:
-The ball. Large (for example 65 cm in diameter if you are 1m65 tall), it forces you to adopt a perfect position to maintain balance and not fall.
-The elastic o Rubber Band. It allows you to perform stretches and resistance exercises. -The circle. It should be placed between the legs to increase the muscles of the thighs.
-The sponge tube. A soft, thick and medium-length tube, which allows you to stimulate balance.
- And also ... in some specialized centers: the Reformer and the Cadillac, beds equipped with various accessories, or the Chair, a table that allows you to perform a large number of exercises.
Tips for a flat, toned and dry stomach
For who?
Pilates exercises are laborious, but gentle: without sudden movements or impacts. It is therefore a method suitable for everyone.
- To those who do not do sports as to those who do it intensively.
- To people who are stressed, tired or not very elastic, to pregnant women or immediately after childbirth, to the elderly, to the wounded in convalescence.
- To all those who want to stay fit without getting hurt.
In some cases (pregnant women, frail people), however, it is essential that the exercise be done under medical supervision.
The benefits
They are physical and psychic, as pilates:
- relieves pain by strengthening deep muscles and properly supporting the pelvis and back and improving posture.
- refines the silhouette by firming weak muscles and relaxing stiff ones.
- makes it more elastic by stretching the muscles and increasing the width of the joints.
- improves breathing, making it slower and deeper.
- corrects posture and teaches you to make the right gestures in daily life.
- limits the effects of aging by improving coordination.
- removes stress and causes true well-being and mental relaxation.
