Pilates Mat Workout – Your Low Impact Path To A Tone Body
Many people will comment that they are unable to workout because of nagging injuries or a tight budget, however, this excuse is a thing of the past with a Pilates mat workout. A Pilates mat workout is low impact exercise with many benefits. First, let’s look at where Pilates came from. Joseph H. Pilates was a sickly child with many ailments who discovered at a relatively young age that exercise made him healthier and enhanced his overall fitness. While working as a nurse he presented some of these exercises to sick and elderly patients under his watch. The patients, some believed to be gravely ill, seemingly maintained their health and maneuver around better under Pilates’ care. Pilates exercise workouts would eventually catch on with dancers who used the exercises to rehab from injuries or prevent injuries. At some point, post 1980’s fitness fad, Pilates workouts started to gain momentum among the Hollywood elite, including various movie and pop music stars, for its role in producing a toned, tight and fit physique. Soap opera stars began crediting Pilates for their six-pack abs and within no time there were a number of VHS and DVD Pilates workouts available at retail stores, online and even in public libraries. Not to mention late night infomercials! Eventually Pilates grew into a cultural phenomenon with actors, musicians and professional athletes all incorporating Pilates routines into their cardiovascular or weight training regimen. Athletes in particular found Pilates to be beneficial because the increased flexibility eased up tight muscles and tendons, the culprit behind many sports related injuries like muscle tears. Anyone that has ever competed in a bodybuilding tournament knows how damaging a muscle tear can be. A simple Pilates mat workout several times a week may prevent career ending injuries like that and actually add longevity to an athletic career, or at the very least, ease up a bad back, thanks to Pilates core focus on the muscles in the abdomen, back and rear end. A Pilates mat workout is something you can do within the comfort of your own home, at your own convenience, with something as inexpensive as a video. The routine itself is like combining yoga and gym exercise. While a face-to-face consultation with a certified Pilates instructor is always recommended - the fact remains that these classes, on a regular basis for a decent length of time, are often VERY expensive! A Pilates studio is often faced with affording Pilates equipment and certified instructors, which only serves to jack up the price for a Pilates class. A Pilates mat workout requires three things. 1. You 2. A Television To Play The DVD 3. A comfortable mat for your workout |
