Pilates is a great type of exercise to increase flexibility and tone muscles, in addition to fighting pain, improving posture, increasing strength and, when combined with diet and the practice of other physical activity with high caloric expenditure, such as running or Muay Thay, for example, helps you lose weight.
Pilates is based on 6 principles:
- Center of strength, also called core, which are the abdominal muscles, which should be considered the focus of all exercises, since it promotes trunk stabilization; Concentration, since it is necessary to have total concentration in the performance of the movements to have the benefits; Movement control, with the aim of improving motor coordination; Fluidity of movement, so that there are no major impacts; Precision, which concerns the quality of the movement; Breathing, which must be synchronized with each movement performed.
All of these principles are fundamental for pilates to be practiced in the best way and, thus, can have several benefits. Pilates tones the muscles and makes it easier to stay in the correct posture daily, in addition to disguising the belly and stretching the body, making the silhouette more elegant, since one of the main groups worked on in this exercise is the core, that is, the abdominal muscles..
Pilates classes last approximately 1 hour and have a caloric expenditure between 200 and 400 calories depending on the exercises performed. The best professionals to teach Pilates classes are the physical educator and the physiotherapist with proper knowledge of the method. Find out which are the most suitable pilates exercises.
Pilates benefits
Pilates has countless benefits and can be practiced by the elderly, adults, children, teenagers and pregnant women. Some of the main benefits of pilates are:
- Increased concentration; Stress relief; Muscle strengthening, preventing injuries; Helps in the recovery of injuries; Promotes muscle toning; Improves balance and posture; Improves breathing; Decreases back pain and prevents urinary incontinence, in the case of pregnant women; increases flexibility; improves mobility and motor coordination; aids in weight loss; in the case of athletes, pilates can favor increased performance in other physical activities; allows children and adolescents to know the limits of their body.
Pilates requires that the mind and body are in tune, requiring a lot of concentration and control of breathing so that the movements are carried out in the correct way and can have several benefits. The pilates method allows you to work the whole body, with the most active muscles being those of the abdomen, glutes and back. Learn more about the pilates method.
How fast does Pilates lose weight?
A scientific article published in 2011 states that the practice of resistance exercises, such as Pilates, for an approximate period of 8 weeks is able to decrease liver fat by 13%.
Even if these numbers do not directly mirror the scale, regular physical exercise like Pilates helps you lose weight because it speeds up your metabolism and favors the formation of muscles, which increase caloric expenditure even when stopped. The results can be seen at the end of the first month of classes and the others will be able to observe their new curves in approximately 6 months.
If you want to decrease body fat and increase muscle you should watch the following video:
Other physical activities are also good options for losing weight. Enter your data below and find out how many calories you burn when exercising:
