10 essential Pilates exercises to improve it
How do you do pilates at home? Does Pilates make you lose weight? What muscles work in Pilates? What Pilates exercises for weight loss? Find all the answers to your questions about Pilates and test our routine to improve it!
Flat stomach, slender arms, tapered thighs, slim buttocks... To maintain a proportional silhouette and improve your health, the practice of Pilates, along with a balanced diet, can be beneficial. Discover the best Pilates exercises for slimming, courtesy of Laura Epsztein, Pilates instructor at Slowe Wellness House.
Weight loss exercises: How do you start Pilates?
In addition to the many health benefits that this practice developed by Joseph Pilates provides, the advantage with Pilates is that you don't need any particular equipment, except for a mat. And that you can perform the exercises at home easily.
However, pay attention to the position of the body, at the time of the initial position, and then during movement, so as not to risk pain or injury. It is highly recommended that you start exercising with a Pilates teacher for this reason!
At first, switch to simple Pilates exercises, and feel free to perform them a few times, to combine them well before moving on to more advanced exercises.
Then, in addition to your rug, accessories can help you move forward with practice:
A small Pilates ball (helps maintain good posture during exercises, for example placing it between the knees).
Flexible resistance bands (for added stretch).
Magic circle (a ring of 36-40 cm allows to engage more muscles of the arms or legs, for example).
Good to know: Even if Pilates is not a physical activity, especially an intense one or cardio, and you don't sweat a lot, it is nevertheless essential to hydrate yourself well after the session. Muscles are stressed, and joints in particular, so hydration is important to ensure all body functions!
Does Pilates make you lose weight? Weight loss benefits
Pilates is a gentle way to build muscle and has multiple benefits. Regular practice allows:
To improve posture, reduce back pain, thanks to the work on the deep muscles and posture, which allow you to straighten on a daily basis and "stand better" and prevent bad posture.
To enhance the flexibility of the body and get rid of tensions, especially in the muscles. Many Pilates exercises are designed with the idea of "lengthening" the body, and we often talk about self-growth.
FOR BETTER BREATHING: Positioning your breathing and focusing on breathing helps realize the benefits of breathing on the body and mind.
To work on focus, thinking about your breathing allows you to stabilize yourself in practice and focus on the muscles that need to be moved, on the parts of the body that need to be stabilized.
To activate the perineum, to protect the viscera. In Pilates, we often work transversely (the deep abdominal muscle) with the perineum, helping to strengthen that small or not so well known part of the body, which acts like a "hammock" to support our organs.
On the silhouette side and weight loss too, Pilates is a good way to get results! Muscle-strengthening exercises will strengthen both the upper body and the lower body. Sheathing from certain exercises helps in getting a flat stomach, and working the center of the body will help tone the waist.
Pilates exercises also make it possible to not only tone and strengthen the arms and shoulders, but also to shape the thighs, calves and buttocks.
Good advice: to effectively purify yourself, consider diversifying the exercises to engage different muscles and areas of the body!
Slimming: What muscles do Pilates work on?
As we have just seen, the Pilates method makes it possible to groom the entire body, and all muscles, even the deep ones, can be strengthened during sessions. Do not forget to diversify the exercises!
Single leg stretching exercise (strengthens the spine, shapes the buttocks, shapes the abs, etc.)
Leg stretching exercise (requires central stabilization muscles, moving the shoulders and chest, gluteal muscles, etc.)
Scissors exercise (effective in working out the abdominal muscles, having a flat stomach)
Hundreds of exercises (it also helps to strengthen the abdominal muscles and at the same time stimulate blood circulation)
Shoulder Bridge Exercise (Excellent for strengthening the perineum, glutes and back of the thighs)
Swimming exercise (the upper part to polarize the abdominal belt and refine the waist)
The Pilates Method: How to Purify Your Whole Body and Get Results with Workouts That Target Thighs, Stomach...?
To get started, feel free to turn to a Pilates teacher who will be able to tell you the correct exercises to perform and the appropriate postures to adopt while moving. If you are training alone, you can photograph yourself, to make sure your posture is correct before and during the movement.
It's no secret, if you are looking to lose weight, get results and improve yourself thanks to the Pilates method, you will have to associate this practice with a healthy lifestyle, in particular a balanced, varied diet adapted to your needs. and sleep quality. To lose weight, a change in diet must be made inevitably!
Regularity in practice will also help you get results on your strength and improve your health: as for a dentist appointment or a professional meeting, plan (and take note!) in your journal, ideally, at least two Pilates slots per week. sessions.
To lose weight, it is recommended to combine Pilates sessions with more cardio sessions (running, swimming, cycling, HIIT, etc.), not only to strengthen the cardiovascular system (by increasing the heart rate during exercise), but also to burn calories. thermal.
Start a brisk walk, and exercise as fast as you can (go shopping, go to a date, go to the office, etc.). A brisk walk is accessible to everyone, which is an added daily bonus to avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and exercising regularly for your body and especially your legs!