A lot of women are told (by uninformed, or downright dishonest, Pilates instructors) that traditional weight lifting will make muscles shorter and more compact.  They go on to say that Pilates training will lengthen muscles and give that lean, long, beautiful appearance.  Unfortunately, this is not possible.  Both forms of exercise condition and train a muscle.

Both forms of exercise will deplete muscles of glycogen, in turn pushing them to their limits and allowing them to grow back with greater strength.  However, Pilates is great for improving the core muscles and strength.  This in turn corrects postural defects and allows individuals to stand taller.  By improving postural awareness you may LOOK longer and leaner.  While there isn’t a physiological basis by which Pilates creates longer muscles, the fact you are now standing up straight and maintaining better posture will give that impression.

To debunk another myth often told in the Pilates world: traditional weightlifting does NOT make a muscle short and bulky.  It is possible to gain flexibility in your body by performing weightlifting and following a full range of motion.  This isn’t to say you will develop more flexibility than you would during a Pilates routine, but to say weightlifting will make your muscles bulky is just false.

Something weightlifting does that Pilates does not however, is help you maintain bone density.  Weight bearing exercises are not only good for your muscles, but good for your bones.  Bone density depletion begins occurring in most women in their mid-30′s.  The best defense against osteoporosis is a consistent workout plan that includes ample amounts of weightlifting. 

During our mid-30′s we start to pack on body fat as our body chemistry begins to change.  To combat this, adding muscle mass to the body is well advised.  For each pound of muscle you add to your frame, your body must work harder to maintain it.  What this results in is an elevated metabolism which will have you burning more calories at rest than an individual of the same weight, but with less muscle mass.  Adding muscle is fantastic for burning fat.

Best bet:  Combine a full body workout plan 2-3 times a week along with your Pilates class.  Both forms of exercise are great in certain aspects, but when combined together will produce unbelievable results.

As you probably know by now, Share It Fitness will be bringing you live pilates classes directly to your homes.  Our goal is to show you that doing pilates, yoga, bootcamp, whatever doesn’t need to be done in an expensive studio.  You can have access to the same, or better quality trainers directly on the Share It Fitness website.

Pilates, for instance, is often done on an expensive reformer machine.  People pay good money to do their pilates on this machine led by an instructor.  However, pilates is versatile in that you can reap the same benefits by performing pilates with slider pads, your own body weight, or an exercise ball.  All you need is a certified instructor who can lead you through the motions.  It’s time we think outside the box and begin to step away from the broken business model that has health and fitness instructors making the same as doctors and lawyers.  Share It Fitness is here to show you how to achieve fitness through various means but without paying the exorbitant fees.

Below are some pilates exercises that are accomplished with nothing more than an exercise ball and a little space at home.  Enjoy.

1.  What is Pilates?

Ana: Pilates is a full-body exercise system that uses a series of machines and exercises. It works the entire body, both the right and left sides, in unison. It focuses primarily on what Joseph Pilates called the “powerhouse” or the group of muscles that begins two inches below your navel, goes two inches above your navel and then wraps completely around your front and your back-kind of like a corset. It also includes your buttocks. With Pilates, no matter what exercise you’re doing, you are focusing on this powerhouse area.

2. What is a typical beginning Pilates excersise like?

The first exercise you do is “the hundreds” which consists of 10 breaths of 10 counts to equal 100. You lie on the floor, lift your legs up to about a 45 degree angle, or wherever you can hold them, and keep your back flat. While holding your legs in the air you engage the abdominals and lift your head and shoulders off the mat so you are in a scoop. Then you pump your arms by your side, almost as if you were slapping on water, pumping them up and down.

Because both your legs and head are up in the air it forces the blood to go to your heart and pumping your arms back and forth forces the blood through your body. You’re getting your circulation going and stimulating your organs making it both an internal and an external workout. 

3. How is Pilates different from other forms of exercise?

Pilates is different from most exercises out there because it’s non-impact and safe, and it really works on using the body as a whole. You’re either lying on your back, on your side or kneeling on the floor where it’s safe. When you move the body, you’re trying to move it from the powerhouse, using your abdominal wall to protect your back. You’re also working the body very evenly and symmetrically, making sure one side is not working harder than the other.

4. What would you say is the key difference between yoga and Pilates?

There’s definitely a mind-body connection and a very similar fluidity in both. But one difference is that there’s a whole line of equipment in Pilates that doesn’t exist in yoga, so it provides a different angle: You’re doing exercises with the assistance and resistance of springs and pulleys. The springs may assist you or they may make an exercise more difficult, depending on the exercise.

5. How do I know if Pilates will benefit me?

I can’t say that it’s great for everyone in every scenario, but in my experience, I’ve only had clients feel better after doing it. Injuries begin to cause less discomfort or go away completely.

Pilates can help you lose weight, get relief from back pain, tone your trouble spots, or recover from injury. It’s also being used more and more as therapy to help people with certain serious illnesses such as cancer [read more about Pilates therapy for cancer patients here].

6. Is Pilates a cardiovascular workout?

Initially the workout is slow moving because everything is being explained to you. Eventually, once you learn the workout and you’re going through the motions, it becomes aerobic. You can get a cardiovascular workout when you’re on the equipment and working on an advanced level because it’s more physical. And some classes and Pilates DVDs alternate classic Pilates moves with sequences of heart-rate boosting exercises for a double-duty effect. You have to work towards it, but Pilates can be cardiovascular.

7. Many claim that Pilates reshapes the body. How does it do this?

Pilates has completely transformed my body and the bodies of most of my clients. I think it comes from using the powerhouse and really focusing on and strengthening the abdominal wall, teaching it to lay flat and be strong. If the stomach is sticking out, you’re going to train it to stick out. In Pilates you’re always thinking of this inward pull as if the navel is going in towards the spine and then lifting up slightly, pulling all of your abdominal wall very flat.

You also make long, fluid, larger motions that lengthen and stretch the muscles.

If you’re consistent with it and make a commitment to yourself, you can see a change in your body.

8. Pilates machines look like torture devices! Why would I want to get on something like that?
Some Pilates equipment can look like some kind of medieval torture device, which is ironic because it makes you feel so good. The most commonly used pieces are the reformer, the cadillac and the mat, but there are several other small pieces of equipment, too.

The reformer is a rectangular frame with four legs and a cushioned mat, or carriage, that slides back and forth on wheels with the resistance of springs and pulleys.

The cadillac is a trapeze-like table that’s 26 inches off the floor and has a canopy from which a trapeze, springs and pulleys hang. Because it’s elevated, it’s nice for older people if they have trouble getting down on the floor.

Finally, there’s the mat — the ideal apparatus for Pilates because there’s nothing helping you. It’s only you, your body weight and your alignment making the exercises fluid, controlled and precise. Get advice here on whether you should do Pilates on a mat vs. on a Pilates machine.

9. What should I look for in a Pilates instructor?

Because Pilates is so hot right now, there are a lot of different organizations claiming to offer certification using the movements of Joseph Pilates. So it’s important to use your judgement and really get a feel for an instructor. Become knowledgeable about their certification and education — and their years of experience.

I studied for 600 hours. When I finished those 600 hours of observation, practice and written and practical exams, I had barely scratched the surface.

Also, make sure they have insurance. Ask questions.

10. How often should I do Pilates? Is it like weight training in that you need to rest your muscles for 48 hours between workouts?

Pilates is safe enough to do every day. Initially you may want to do it every day so you get a rhythm and become consistent; then a good goal is to do it every other day. Joseph Pilates used to say to do it three times a week.

11. Can you talk about the six “principles” of Pilates?

1. Concentration. This is the most important principle in Pilates. You must be very mentally present as you do the exercises, aware of every aspect of your body’s movement, alignment, sensations, muscle flexes ….

2. Control. Every movement is to be done with control, so you aren’t just throwing your body around.

3. Centering, so that you are evenly using your body. Think of a plumb line down the middle of the body working both sides evenly.

4. Fluidity. A smooth transition from one exercise to the next important because once you’ve learned the routine, it should look something like a dance, where every movement flows into the next.

5. Precision. You try to make each movement as precise as possible; alignment, placement of your limbs, postion of each part of your body is paramount and a central aspect of how and why Joseph Pilates designed this system of exercise.

6. Breath. How you breathe is very important in Pilates exercises. You don’t want to hold your breath at all. Deep, steady breaths will help you maintain concentrationa and precision, too.

12. Will my body be sore after a Pilates class?

Feeling sore is a very individual thing. Some people don’t feel sore. Pilates is what you put into it. If you’re really conscious and making an effort to make every movement count, you’ll most likely feel something the following day. It also has to do with your athleticism. If you’ve been sedentary, you’re probably going to feel it more than someone who’s very active. It’s all relative. 

13. How can beginners get the most benefit from Pilates?

Be consistent, especially in the beginning. Don’t just try it once. Give it a few shots and do it in succession. Make it your reward, your break from a hectic day. Also, listen to your body and really concentrate — it makes for a better workout.

Someone once told me that you need to “arrive” for Pilates, meaning you have to be there mentally as well as physically. To get the most out of Pilates, you have to be very present. Your body and mind will thank you.

Mat pilates is a form of the discipline that is performed without need for a reformer.  For this reason, mat pilates are often performed in live classes, with an instructor leading the session.  A great foundation of muscles are built while training with mat pilates.  The benefit of having a live instructor over using pre-recorded video clips is that the training will adapt with you and your skill level.  If you want to work on a particular goal, a live instructor will be able to work that into your mat pilates training session.  Share It Fitness will be offering 1 on 1 and group mat pilates classes all done via webcam from the comfort of your own home.  For the time being, check out the clip above and others like it so you can have a better understanding of what mat pilates in action really looks like.

The best part about all of these, YOU DON”T NEED TO SPEND $30+ an hour in a pilates studio to get these same exercise routines and results.  A pilates instructor and a mat at home are all you need.  ShareitFitness.com will be there to provide you exactly that.

1. Makes You into Muscle Man

If want a long, lean look without bulky muscles, but with all the strength. Would you like to build strength and endurance without getting the muscle man look? If so, pilates may be just what you have been searching for.

2. Increases the Strength of Stabilizer Muscles

There are many benefits that one can achieve through a proper use of the pilates program. One of the most significant points of the pilates program is it’s ability to increase the strength of stabilizer muscles that may not commonly be worked out in a standard exercise program.

3. A Mind-Body Workout That Strengthens Your Whole Body

Another one of the benefits of Pilates is that it engages the mind and enhances body awareness. Like yoga, tai chi, and Asian martial arts, Pilates is not just a workout for your body. Joseph H. Pilates studied yoga, martial arts, and other ancient mind-body activities and included a strong philosophical foundation into the practice of Pilates.

4. Pilates Strengthens Your Core like No Other Exercise

Another one of the benefits of Pilates is that the increased amount of strength that one can achieve in the ‘core’ of the body. The term core refers to the muscles in and around the area of the abdominal muscles and the back.
Proper breathing control is also stressed in pilates, adding to the numerous list of benefits that one can attain through regular use of the exercise program.

5. Prevents You from Future Injuries

Pilates strengthens your body and helps prevent future injuries. Pilates helps to condition the whole body, not just certain muscles. This helps balance the muscle and strength of the body. Since no set of muscles is ever over or under trained, there is less risk for injury. The body becomes more fluid and supple, protecting against injury.

6. Helps You Become Efficient With Your Body

Last, but not the least one of the benefits of Pilates is that it teaches you how to become efficient with your body. Very few exercises can help your body become more efficient in its movement.
Why is efficiency so important? Being efficient means that your body moves in a way, that is smoother, safer, and less prone to injury. By practicing pilates on a regular basis, you can train your body more to move in a much safer and more efficient manner.

Via: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/top-six-benefits-of-pilates-exercises-74468.html