Pilates Fitness Equipment
Pilates Fitness Equipment and Reformers
It is amazing how popular Pilates have become, and I must admit at first I thought it was just another fad, that would soon fade into obscurity, but boy was I wrong.
It was about 2002 when I jumped on the Pilates band wagon not by choice but forced on by a back injury I has sustains earlier that year. I was not able to do the more strenuous exercises like weight lifting running and biking, so a friend of mine suggested beginners Pilates.
The Pilates exercise system focuses on the core abs postural muscles which help keep the rest of the body balanced. This is key in providing maximum support for the spinal column.
In particular, Pilate’s exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, the two things that most people neglect. It aim to strengthen the deep torso muscles and promote proper posture.
The Pilates system was developed by Joseph Pilates who was half Greek and half German during the First World War. His main intentions were to speed up and improve the rehabilitation process for the physically and mentally injured veterans returning home from the war.
He believed physical and mental health were two critical components for healing and rehabilitation. Pilates developed and employed a few, precise movements emphasizing control, form and balance which aided wounded soldiers in regaining their physical and psychological health, by strengthening, stretching, breathing and stabilizing key muscles. Pilates created “The Pilates Principles” or system to maintain the entire body. Proper alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement.
I started doing the stretches and simple extension and balance ball to rehabilitate injured muscles. Well needless to say I was surprised at my recovery time and the effects these “simple” exercises had on my fitness and recovery time. So I continued with it, adding more Pilates Fitness Equipment and increased the intensity and level of difficulty of the moves, that was back in 02 when the whole pilates craze was still in its infancy.
By 2005 there was 11 million people enrolled in some form of Pilates class and over 14,000 instructors in the USA alone.
Fast forward to 2009 that number has more than tripled!
There are a lot of systems and programs claiming the Pilates name and it has grown and evolved into a major player within the health and fitness industry. When talking about Pilates equipment it should be noted that these should be a supplement to your work out and not a replacement. The equipment should be simple to use, simple to learn and encourage the same principles of Pilates.
The beauty about Pilates Fitness Equipment is that almost anyone of all ages can use it and benefit from it, regardless of your level of fitness, you start with simple movement and work your way up ad you get more comfortable with the movements, it a short time you will be develop strength, endurance, balance, muscle tone, good breathing and proper posture. Improved breathing and movement means better circulation and lubrication for the joints.
So start your Pilates strength training exercises routine today.
Get Fit Today
Edward Knight
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