My Newest Fitness Passion: Pilates - Mademoiselle Slimalicious

My newest fitness passion is Pilates. I have started going to Pilates classes a few weeks ago and I love it. And I'm even doing Pilates at home now.

What is Pilates?

For those who don't know, Pilates (or the Pilates method) is a series of about 500 exercises inspired by calisthenics, yoga and ballet that improve flexibility, strength, balance and body awareness.?It was introduced into America in the 1920s by physical trainer Joseph Pilates as a way to help injured athletes and dancers safely return to exercise and maintain their fitness. Since then, Pilates has been adapted to suit people in the general community.?

Fitness Benefits of Pilates

Pilates caters for everyone, from the beginner to the advanced. I like the fact that you can perform exercises using your own body weight, but also with the aid of various pieces of equipment. Below are a few reasons why I would encourage you to try Pilates too:

• Improved flexibility
• Increased muscle strength, particularly of the abdominal muscles, lower back, hips and buttocks (the ?core muscles? of the body)
• Balanced muscular strength on both sides of the body
• Improved stabilisation of the spine
• Greater awareness of posture
• Improved physical coordination and balance
• Relaxation of the shoulders, neck and upper back
• Safe rehabilitation of joint and spinal injuries

How long should I do Pilates before I can see results?

As with any exercise program to make a difference a program should be practised more than once a week and ideally three to four times a week for optimum results. At the moment, I'm doing Pilates twice a week, in addition to Zumba.

And if you can't go to the gym because of work?commitments, I can practise Pilates at home!?

Stretch Now Pilates Set Review

Stretch Now is an Australian company offering innovative ergonomics, health and wellbeing and a leading distributor of the highest quality wellbeing and lifestyle products from around the world, whether you're looking for products for the home, studio or office.?

The Pilates Set I'm reviewing today includes everything you need for a perfect Pilates workout: a thick ribbed pilates mat, a long full round foam roller, a Pilates magic circle and a set of tone balls.

Pilates magic circle

To be honest, I had never seen something like this before, but according to what I read on the Internet, the Pilates Magic Circle was created by Joseph Pilates to be a versatile exercise aid.?The soft rubber ring provides (A LOT of) resistance for faster, more targeted toning, improving muscle strength throughout the body.?

??Made of sturdy flexible plastic with a soft, rubberised shell

? The Ultra-Fit features added handles on both the inside and the outside of the ring offer superior comfort.

? Ideal to tone, strengthen and streamline?problem areas like the inner and outer thighs, upper arms and chest

?

Tone balls

The two tone balls are 1kg each. They are a super innovation for muscle training since the wrist remains stable thanks to the weight concentrated in the hand.

??Much easier to grip and hold than other weights ??The?unique design means that finger muscles can be strengthened at the same time

Foam rollers The last time I visited my remedial massage therapist she suggested I invest in a foam roller to help relieve my back and shoulder pain. This foam roller is?designed to enhance balance, body awareness, muscular flexibility and dynamic strength.

? ?Economical and fun to use.

??Dense foam construction provides firm support for all body types

Ribbed pilates mat

This eco-friendly mat, made of?NBR foam and is CFC & PVC free, provides a safe, comfortable base for exercise.

? The?gently ribbed surface make it non-slip.

??Superb cushioning and ultra soft foam?


Mademoiselle Slimalicious' Verdict

This Pilates Set is a great way to practise your Pilates routine at home, or to simply stretch your body after a?stressful?day at work. The only additional thing I would have like to see in the pack is a Pilates DVD.?

Do you like Pilates?

Source: http://www.mslimalicious.com/2012/09/my-newest-fitness-passion-pilates.html

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