| |
| |
|
WebsiteAlways |
|
A Recovered Treasure: The Pilates Method
Uncovered After 80 Years of Dormancy, Pilates is Far From Dead. In a way, he's a lot like Edgar Allen Poe. The famous writer had been deceased for many years before he miraculously cracked super-stardom, his once-buried work revamped from the ashes to be relished by millions and millions of literature fans. Well, Joseph Pilates is not Edgar Allen Poe. The German immigrant is hardly a household name in 1999, but just like Poe, some thirty-two years after his death, his lost treasures are now being discovered as genius works of art. You've seen the countless infomercials in the middle of the night, boasting this piece of exercise equipment and that toning apparatus. They usually get a famous retired athlete like Joe Montana to endorse it and swear by it. You'll actually watch for a minute and a half before realizing that you just wasted 90 seconds of your life. But the word is out that the Pilates Method is different. This one actually works. That's why, if you look around, Pilates studios are cropping everywhere throughout the United States. Many health clubs are offering Pilates classes on a regular basis and more and more Pilates machines are filling household closets where those dusty sets of golf clubs used to rest. Upon arriving in New York City from Germany, Mr. Pilates primarily created his method of fitness to benefit the dance community, as it was a success along Broadway in the 1920's. The exercises provided dancers with that much-needed agility and grace. Now, in New York City alone, there are about 40 different studios where the Pilates Method is taught with more cropping up every day. But the Pilates Method has not been restricted to just exercise outlets. All kinds of hospitals, clinics, and health centers are pulling in these machines to treat patients with spinal injuries, back ailments, and shoulder cuff problems, just to name a few. The Pilates Method is essentially an exercise that combines toning and stretching, utilizing a series of rhythmic movements to achieve balance and grace. It does not have the effects of heavy free weights or Nautilus machines. The exercises you perform are very smooth and controlled and require specific movements from isolated muscle groups. The common Pilates apparatus, called the Universal Reformer, looks almost like a magic carpet. Depending on the exercise, your body weight will rest on the padded platform, which moves along the base of the machine through a series of pulleys. The motions are performed with cables and a series of different handles, depending on what motion you're performing. These exercises are not performed in sets, really. It is a long, continual motion that will target balance and flexibility, every bit as much as it targets strength and conditioning. You can do an exercise for nearly a half-hour, if you'd like. What's interesting about Pilates is that there are no weights involved. No adjusting the resistance, no sliding that pin down a couple of plates. The resistance is you! When your pulling the cables in toward your chest, the weight that your pulling is simply your own body weight. And the magic carpet takes away the use of gravity during the exercise; only your specific muscles being worked is what creates any sort of movement and stability. Aside from toning up the torso, the Pilates Method also helps you achieve healthy breathing and relaxation while vastly increasing stamina. With the benefits seemingly unlimited, perhaps the Pilates Method is a wise choice for an alternate route if you're becoming worn out from those pounding aerobics classes or squeaky Nautilus machines. Or perhaps you're always one to jump on the latest fitness craze, and for thousands of Americans and patrons worldwide, Pilates is certainly that. Apollo Supplements.com - http://www.apollosupplements.com - Copyright ApolloSupplements.com - MuscleMaster, Inc.
MORE RESOURCES:
Build-Muscle - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Bodybuilding on a Budget - It Doesnt Have to Put Your Wallet in a Wheelchair As you probably remember the last time you looked at a proposed grocery list or visited the nearest supplement store, you realized you needed to take out an equity loan first in order to get your month's supply of food and supplements.Believe me?I've had my fair share of large bills especially when I'm trying to bulk up and gain weight. Questioning Proper Abdominal Training Q: I've heard you mention that you don't need tons of cardio to burn stubborn abdominal fat. Okay, I can live with that, but you've also said that it isn't absolutely necessary to perform direct ab work either. The Role Of L-Glutamine In Building Muscle L-glutamine remains the supplement of choice for many bodybuilders. It is a free form amino acid that can be found naturally in beans, meat, fish, poultry and dairy products. Most Amazing (and Ridiculously Simple) Trick For Stiff-Legged Deadlifts You Will Ever Read In Your L The stiff-legged deadlift is one of the best exercises you can do for your hamstrings. The only problem is, it can also be one the hardest exercises to perform properly. How Stretching Can Explode Your Muscle Growth When you think about gaining muscle, stretching is probably not the first thing that pops into your head. But did you know that stretching plays a critical role in building muscle?Every muscle in your body is enclosed in a bag of tough connective tissue known as fascia. Use This Quick Muscle Building Program for Fast Results Quick muscle building is the goal of every underweight guy who hits the gym and embarks on a weight training program for the first time. After all, who wants to wait years for the results?There are weight training routines designed specifically for muscle building that will have you gaining pounds of muscle mass in a short period of time. Comeback Bench Program For those who are not familiar with my name, I am a National Level Strongman competitor in the United States. I lift stones that weigh just under 400 pounds, flip a 900+ pound tire routinely, and lift logs overhead. Muscle Building Tips and Supplements: Dos and Donts Packing on Muscle mass involves a lot of dedication and care. At times, trying too hard can have its negative effects too. Whats Your Body Type? Yep, there are more than ones body types. I'm sure you've noticed it too. How Proper Calorie Fragmentation Improves Body Composition? It is a well-established fact that calories control everyone's bodyweight. No matter how many meals a day you have, it is the calorie balance in the end of the day that matters. Know Your Muscles - The Lower Body Becoming familiar with the muscles that make up your body has more benefits than simply allowing you to talk shop with your training partners. The more familiar you are with the muscles you're working, the better you'll be able to judge what's needed to make improvements. Lower Body Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders The lower body contains some of your biggest muscles which are capable of bearing significant weights. The temptation for beginners to go for broke by performing heavy squats should be resisted. Exercise The Right Way - The Flat Bench Press Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuiders' training regimes. Exercise The Right Way - The Hammer Curl Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuiders' training regimes. Weight Lifting 101 WHY WEIGHT LIFTING?What's the one thing that you can do to lose weight, re-shape your body, improve muscle tone, become stronger, fight off osteoporosis, lower blood pressure, etc.?Weight Lifting! Or as it's also called, Strength Training!For the rest of this book I will refer to the art of weight lifting as strength training. Beach Body Abs With the return of warm weather in the spring, thoughts can never be too far behind of the approaching summer and the many wonderful outdoor activities that we'll often associate with it and among our top favorite summertime activities will always be the trip to the beach. Warm blue skies, refreshing ocean breezes, hot sand, cool waves and the many attempts at constructing the perfect sand castle; you can swear you're almost there just thinking of it. How Do I Gain Weight? Try asking people how to gain weight and you'll likely see some bewildered faces staring back at you. For the majority of people, hearing that question is akin to hearing the questions, "How do I stub my toe?" or "How do I run out of gas?" Those confused faces not withstanding, the question is a legitimate one and one that frustrates those who find themselves on the light end of the scale. Know Your Muscles - The Shoulders And Arms Becoming familiar with the muscles that make up your body has more benefits than simply allowing you to talk shop with your training partners. The more familiar you are with the muscles you're working, the better you'll be able to judge what's needed to make improvements. Exercise The Right Way - The Vertical Chest Press Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes. 10 Things You Can Do To Lose Fat Without Even Trying 1. Eat smaller more frequent meals - not only is your metabolism boosted every time you eat something, your body can more efficiently process smaller meals.
|
| Interesting articles | Home | site map | Link |
| © 2006 |
