Exercise
Joyce R. Mills, M.S., M.Ed.
Inactivity robs a person of much of the joie de vivre (joy of living). In addition
to increased risk for serious illness, a sedentary lifestyle saps an individual’s energy. A sedentary individual loses muscle mass which leads to a decrease in metabolism and a propensity to gain
weight. The brain of a sedentary individual works less efficiently than it would if the same individual were more active.
Flexibility and muscle strength are reduced and activities of daily life become more difficult. Everyday stresses become more
overwhelming as the body is subjected to frequent bursts of the hormones associated with the fight or flight response without
the advantage of the regular exercise (a flight response of sorts) which helps soothe muscle tension, feelings of stress and
mild depression. Without regular exercise sleep may be disrupted, eating for emotional reasons may increase, and the use of
substances such as drugs or alcohol may also intensify. An individual undergoing these experiences often interprets these
changes as a sign of aging even if they are chronologically middle-aged or younger.
The physical changes resulting from inactivity are demoralizing, frustrating
and limiting not only to the sedentary individual but also for their family. Inactivity
results in a person tiring more easily than if that person was physically active. An inactive individual is more likely to
gain weight which often leads to feeling less attractive and less self-confident. It is a chore to make it through daily responsibilities
and a couch or comforting snacks or beverages may become the highlight of the day. In fact, many of the liabilities often
associated with aging are actually the result of not giving the body opportunities for the activity it needs.
Difficulty in maintaining a reasonable
weight
A sedentary lifestyle results in the loss of an opportunity to burn calories,
and the loss of lean body mass, which results in a lowered metabolic rate because lean body tissue is more metabolically active.
It becomes a major challenge if weight gain is to be prevented. Even an extra hundred calories a day in excess of what the
body needs to perform vital functions will result in the gaining of ten pounds in a year. Individuals are born with a certain
number of fat cells which is partly determined by their genes. As weight is gained these fat cells expand to their capacity
for fat storage. If enough weight is gained, additional fat cells are created by the body. Once the additional fat cells are
formed future weight loss will result in the reduction of the size of the fat cells but not in their number. The greater the
number of fat cells the harder it is to lose weight and maintain weight losses.
While genetics may predispose an individual to gain weight or affect the speed
with which weight may be lost, lifestyle choices play a MAJOR role in what happens to an individual. No, not everyone can
(or should) attain the (tall!) slender, toned bodies idealized by the popular media. However, everyone has the choice to be
more active. Exercise is essential to weight management.
Physical health improvement
In contrast to the bleak outlook confronting sedentary individuals, even modest
increases in physical activity have a positive influence on health and vitality. A minimum of 20 or 30 minutes of moderate
activity a day, broken down into two or three sessions if necessary in the beginning, most days of the week, will result in
health benefits. This minimal amount of exercise not only promotes better health but also can aid in efforts to maintain weight.
In short, even a brisk walk or two on most days of the week has benefits.
Weight management
Exercise burns calories, it may also decrease appetite and can elevate metabolic
rate which continues to be elevated in the hours following exercise. When an individual is following a weight loss program
exercise may help preserve lean body mass. Most importantly, exercise is vital in maintaining weight loss once it has been
achieved.
Improvements in mood
Exercise helps an individual to relax, improves sleep, reduces muscular tension
and reduces depression. That glow of relaxation after a workout is restorative. Research shows that one of the best things
a person can do when depressed is to force themsleves to exercise. The mood elevation effect is immediate.
Improvements in self confidence
One of the reasons many individuals do not attempt an exercise program is because
they feel they are not very athletic or coordinated. Once a graduated exercise program is begun these same individuals discover
that they are indeed able to work out successfully, that they can become stronger and have more stamina, that they can improve
their muscle tone and make improvements in how they feel emotionally. These revelations are very empowering. It is this increased sense of self confidence and improved sense of well-being that eventually becomes the
sustaining force in staying with an exercise program.
Socialization opportunities
Exercising outside the home, whether in the great outdoors, at a gym or recreation
center, in an exercise class, sport group, walking or running club, etc., all lead to encounters with other individuals who
also enjoy working out. New acquaintances and friendships are to be expected. In fact, it is often the shared camaraderie
that makes one decide to go back to the gym or out for that bike ride with the group when the couch, television, a cold soda
or beer and a bag of chips beckon seductively. An hour or so later that same individual may return home, pleasantly tired,
having had a good workout and warm interactions with other exercisers to discover that the stress and angst over the day’s
activities has been reduced. If the individual is involved in that very active phase of child rearing, the break between work
and child responsibilities most likely will make them a better parent. Days when the weather is nice the entire family may
enjoy a walk or the couple a bike ride with the children in child seats behind the parents. Exercise can involve socialization
within the family as well as with others.
Reduction in risk for illness
Exercise reduces your chances of developing and dying of illnesses such as
heart disease. It does this by lowering risk factors such as triglyceride and overall cholesterol levels, while improving
the level of HDL, the “good” cholesterol which is thought to reduce the risk of heart disease. Exercise, especially
weight bearing exercise and strength training, helps to maintain or increase bone mass resulting in a reduced risk for osteoarthritis
and associated fractures. Exercise also improves the ability to lower resting blood pressure rates for hours after an exercise
session is over. In addition, moderate exercise may significantly reduce the
risk of developing type II diabetes. Arthritics who exercise often experience
more strength and flexibility in the involved joints as well as a reduction in the amount of pain medicine needed. Exercise,
furthermore, may delay or prevent the development of arthritis in other joints. Regular walking of over a mile a day has been
shown to reduce the risk of stroke significantly. Exercise reduces the risk for some cancers, especially breast and colon
cancer, as well.
Increase in energy
Individuals who do not exercise often complain of being too tired to work out.
Ironically exercise improves the body’s capacity to work so that a person who exercises on a regular basis actually
has more energy, and greater strength and endurance for daily activities. As a consequence an individual feels better and
begins to enjoy their life more. Surprisingly this is one of the first things noticed after one begins to work out on a regular
basis—usually within a few weeks of beginning to exercise.
Activities of daily life performed
more easily
A physically fit individual is stronger, healthier and more energetic than
a sedentary individual. They are able to solve problems more readily, deal with stress more effectively, think faster and
remember things more efficiently. Thus the activities of daily life can be performed with less effort but frequently in a
more effective manner than if the individual is sedentary.
Making Gains
You can make significant gains without pain. A sedentary individual frequently
feels stiff, tense, and achy—especially in the neck, shoulders and lower back areas. Since the addition of even modest
amounts of physical activity, 20 minutes of walking for example, may result in a reduction of these complaints, it is NOT
necessary to engage in exercise so strenuous that one pain is relinquished only to be replaced by another! In fact, to jump
right into an extremely strenuous exercise program from a very sedentary lifestyle is a formula for failure. Benefits cannot
be achieved if exercise makes a person miserable or excessively intrudes on daily life. In fact, a person quickly learns to
recognize the slight soreness that comes from challenging the body. This soreness is not the same as pain and resolves in
a day or so. As physical condition improves, an individual may eventually want to work individual muscles until they are exhausted
but this feeling of exhaustion is very short-lived and is associated with muscle strengthening. It is not the same as sharp
or enduring pain which can mean the presence of injury.
While it is very tempting to enthusiastically embrace the idea of exercising
full speed ahead, such an approach often results in abandonment of the program, a sense that one is not “very athletic,”
and a dislike for future exercise attempts. In the long run it is better to think through and formulate a plan that is flexible,
with variety and options that allow it to become part of your routine thereby increasing your probability of success. If you
lapse and return to more sedentary habits you always have the option to begin again. Lapses can even be seen as useful if
examination of what went wrong is treated as a learning experience, and used to make the next exercise program more suitable
for you.
The real task is to find a form of exercise that you will find enjoyable. Joy
not just in having gone through the workout but pleasure in actually doing the activity. When you find such an activity you
will have won a major part of the battle in being able to sustain a program.
What are your personal goals when it comes to exercise? Do you strive primarily
to attain health benefits? Are you interested in adding more everyday activities/lifestyle choices to meet a minimal level
of exercise? Does gym membership interest you? If so, are you more interested in individual or group fitness options? If group
activity is important to you have you investigated what types of classes are available? Is there a sport or sports that interest
you that you would like to explore? Has your doctor recommended that you exercise, do resistance training for bone health,
encouraged you to seek increased flexibility to reduce the risk of injury and accidents?
Or, do you already exercise but feel you have reached a plateau from which
you would like to advance or are you considering moving from being a casual runner to preparing for and beginning to compete
in road races of various lengths? There are master level competitions in many activities—so don’t let the passage
of time prevent you from pursuing the idea of competition if that appeals to you. Or
maybe you have exercised on your own for awhile and are now interested in joining a group or feel confident enough to join
a gym? It is not true that you have to be in shape to go to a gym—there are plenty of couch potatoes trying to change
their ways mixed in with those who already have experienced the advantages that come from regular exercise.
You also need to consider whether you are a morning or night person—if
you are a night person you will learn to hate any activity that requires you to be at the gym at 5:45 am several days a week.
A morning person will also not much care for vigorous activity in the evening during the time that person normally begins
to wind down from the day. Are you self-motivated or do you need the pressure of schedule to keep you on track. Do you crave
routine or do you relish change? Do you need to design your own program or would you be more satisfied by having someone else
do this for you?
All of these factors can influence your choice of the correct program for you.
It also helps to keep an open mind and try different things in the search to discover what types of activity bring you joy.
You may find, for example, that running gives you a wonderful endorphin rush but yoga gives you a sense a calm and the flexibility
to keep running. There is no reason why you cannot do both.
Cultural “expectations”
and real life decisions
When you think of exercise programs do you picture men running and lifting
weights and women walking on a treadmill and doing yoga? While it is true that more men will be found lifting extremely heavy
weights in an attempt to significantly enlarge the size of their muscles, and there will probably be a larger number of women
than men in yoga class, there are actually a broad range of exercise choices for both sexes. Many women do resistance training,
including lifting weights and using weight machines. Individualized strength-training programs are just that—they are
developed for an individual. There are also group exercise classes, such as the popular Body Pump© program, that appeals to
both men and women, which conditions all the major muscle groups of the body utilizing exercises using many repetitions of
light to moderate weights performed in combination with popular music.
As far as running is concerned, both men and women participate not only in
their own personal workouts but also in races from 3Ks up to ultra-marathons. Yoga is actually enjoyed by both sexes, although
most classes have more women participants than men. The important issue is that an individual selects activities that appeal
to them and meets their fitness goals. Stereotypes no longer determine what a person may or may not choose to do.
Gym memberships, equipment costs and
other financial factors
Depending on one’s goals, improving one’s fitness level does NOT
have to be expensive. If you choose to practice yoga, for example, you might wear comfortable sweatpants and a tee shirt,
work out barefooted (which is the custom in yoga) taking a class televised on cable television. Most people have a pair of
sweatpants and a tee shirt and the cable television is being paid for already, so the major investment is in time and commitment
to take the class faithfully and work hard. For running, cool, comfortable, loose fitting clothing is essential as is a good
pair of running shoes. Since most people own at least a couple of comfortable tee shirts, a novice runner would only have
to buy an inexpensive pair of athletic shorts and put the major money investment into a good quality pair of well fitting
running shoes. There are frequent sales on running shoes, so keep your eye on the daily paper. Pilates classes are also done
barefooted so the only expense here besides paying for classes is in comfortable exercise clothing. While some people prefer
loose fitting pants and top, others prefer more form fitting garments, so loose clothing does not get in their way, either
in cotton or in the new synthetic blends that wick sweat away from the body. In either instance it is important that the clothing
not bind at the waist and allow for the performance of activities in a wide range of motion. Pick what is most comfortable
and what you feel is most flattering on you. Discount retailers often sell inexpensive but practical workout garments and
major specialty stores have frequent sales and clearance racks. There are always inexpensive alternatives for sporting equipment—including
the Play It Again Sam type store that sales slightly used equipment at big discounts. This often includes home gym equipment
options. Just be sure that anything you buy is in good condition and is certified as being in good repair.
Cross-Training shoes are usually appropriate if you follow a varied program
of activities while working out in a gym. Cross-Trainers are definitely appropriate for classes like step and kick boxing
and should also work for lifting weights and working on the stairmaster or elliptical machines. Some Cross-Trainers have firm
areas in the soles that will be beneficial in a spin class. If you do a lot of running on the treadmill you might prefer to
wear running shoes. Before you plunge into a program research what the basic essentials are for that particular activity.
As one’s skill improves and workouts get more challenging, more sophisticated, specialized equipment may be in order.
If you enjoy the equipment and class opportunities found in a gym or fitness
club be sure to do the following:
1.
Think about your goals and expectations. Do you want to work out primarily on the cardio and strength training machines
or do you also want the option of taking group fitness classes? Not all gyms/fitness centers offer both and some of the 30-minute
programs only offer a particular series of exercises although there is always room for more challenge in a program.
2.
There are women only fitness centers if you would feel more confident working out in a same sex environment
3.
Be sure to visit several facilities that are convenient to your home or office or both. A long commute to workout will
discourage regular participation.
4.
If you choose a facility specializing in one type of training, yoga, tai chi or pilates, for example, are the teachers
certified? Is this specialized training for you? Is it possible to take a complimentary class? Must you sign up for a lengthy
course of classes or can you sign up for a few classes to see how you like the activity as you learn more about it. What do
these classes have to offer that you would not get from group fitness classes of similar types in a larger gym that offers
many options for working out?
5.
In any gym environment consider how you feel in the surroundings during your visit. Is the club clean? Pick a time
when you would be likely to workout to tour facilities. Is there plenty of equipment available for the crowd working out when
you visit? Are the trainers and fitness instructors certified? Does the equipment
appear to be clean and in good working order? Do you feel comfortable and “at home” in the facility? If you feel
like you have to get in shape to go to a particular gym it is not right for you now. Does the facility offer fitness testing/assessment?
Do they offer body fat analysis? If fitness classes are important to you are classes scheduled at times you can attend regularly?
Are there emergency procedures in place in case of accident, injury or sudden, severe illness?
Is there a short-term trial membership available? Are there seasonal memberships? Sometimes it is better to pay slightly
more for a shorter period of time to see if there is a good fit between your needs and what a particular facility has to offer.
Be sure and find out what happens to an annual contract if you are relocated because of work. Also be sure to determine if
there is an additional fee for group fitness classes. Some gyms offer very inexpensive memberships but charge extra for group
fitness classes.
Gym memberships can be a wonderful way to get into and stay in shape. The important thing is to pick a gym that you
feel comfortable in from the first day. It should be located a reasonable distance from home or work, open hours you have
available to exercise, provide childcare if needed (prepare to pay a small fee for same), and fit into your budget.
Lifestyle
exercise
Lifestyle exercise involves all kinds of everyday activities. Adding lifestyle
exercise could be as simple as making it a habit to park at the far end of the parking lot at work or when running errands,
getting off mass transit a couple of stops before your destination and walking the rest of the way, or taking a ten or fifteen
minute walk at lunch with a colleague. You could also decide to mow your own lawn, rake your own leaves, and carry your own
groceries. Or you could walk instead of driving your car short distances. Walk the children to the bus stop instead of driving
them. Taking the stairs instead of riding in an elevator is also a good way to add activity to your day that does not take
up a lot of time. Finding time to play catch with your children is another option, as is turning on favorite music and dancing
up a storm, especially nice when you have the house to yourself. You could clean out the garage or attic, wash the car, plant
and tend a garden, paint a fence, paint a room in your home, wash the windows inside or out. Buy a pedometer and work up to
10,000 steps a day. Even regularly getting up from your desk and walking for a few minutes helps.
Recreation and sports
Are there sports you enjoyed at some point in your life that you would like
to rekindle, perhaps playing on a business, civic group or church team? How about recreational running, or biking, or regular
walks with friends? Roller-blading, swimming, racquetball, and dancing are also great aerobic activities that can provide
enjoyable recreational opportunities. How about hiking, rock climbing (real or manmade), or taking walking sightseeing tours?
If you think about it there must be physical activities that you enjoy and that you could work into your schedule now and
again.
Formal workouts
Formal workouts are more carefully planned than informal workouts. Aerobic
workouts involve a warm-up period followed by an active exercise period which should continue for 20-60 minutes of uninterrupted,
rhythmic, large muscle movements at a moderately intense rate followed by a cool down and stretching.
Most often formal exercise programs involve several days of strength training
a week in addition to aerobic workouts. Strength training workouts should involve a brief warm-up, followed by strength training,
followed by a cool-down period and a few minutes of stretching. Some individuals also like to add a day or two of formal flexibility
training in the form of a yoga, tai chi or pilates class.
Options for cardio (aerobic) training
Cardiorespiratory endurance involves the ability of the cardiovascular system
to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues, especially the muscles, and remove wastes over sustained periods of time. In order
to improve cardiorespiratory endurance it is necessary to engage in exercises involving the continuous, rhythmic movement
of large muscle groups for a minimum of 20 minutes at least three days a week elevating the heart rate to a certain level
and keeping it there for the duration of the active phase of the workout. The
type of cardiovascular exercise is known as the mode of exercise. The impact the activity has on fitness is affected by the
frequency the activity is performed, the duration the exercise is performed during a particular exercise session, and the
intensity the individual works within the exercise session. Some examples of aerobic activities are: brisk walking, aerobic
dance, jogging, running, outdoor cycling, stationary cycling, racquetball, squash, rope skipping, brisk walking or running
on a treadmill, working out on an elliptical or stairmaster machine, swimming, step aerobics or kickboxing, and cross-country
skiing..
If you have never exercised formally, or if it has been a long time since you
have exercised you will want to start out slowly, being more concerned in performing the chosen activity with good form on
a regular basis than trying to make major fitness gains too quickly. Depending on your beginning fitness level you will want
to gradually increase the amount of effort expended in a session. This can be achieved by increasing the intensity, duration
and frequency of the activity over time. If significant improvement in fitness level is your goal you will need to work harder
than if your goal is to gain primarily health improvements. Heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) are two common
ways to measure intensity of exercise. Goals should be individually determined based on age, sex, risk factors such as smoking,
high blood pressure, high cholesterol or being significantly overweight. While most adults in apparently good health can exercise
at a moderately intense level, if you desire to exercise vigorously you may need medical clearance and possibility a medically
supervised fitness assessment, especially if you a man over age forty or a woman
over age 50 with health risks. As stated before, if you are over 35 it is wise to check with your physician about any guidelines
that you need to keep in mind as you develop your own exercise program.
Strength training
The process of exercising with progressively heavier resistance in order to
improve the musculoskeletal system is known as strength training. While strength training is most frequently associated with
exercising with weights or weight machines, it may also involve the strategic use of body weight, resistance bands or tubes,
or water resistance.
Strength training aims to increase muscle strength as well as muscular endurance.
The maximum amount of force a muscle can exert force for a brief period of time, i.e., how much weight can be lifted once
that will temporarily exhaust the muscle, is known as muscular strength. Muscular endurance, on the other hand, is the ability
of a muscle to exert force repeatedly against resistance or to hold a static or fixed contraction. For most people this boils
down to working the muscle groups hard enough to achieve appropriate balance between opposing muscle groups while improving
how hard and how long the muscles can work at one time. Obviously someone who is interested in serious bodybuilding or competitive
weight lifting will have a more rigorous training regiment than the recreational exerciser.
In addition to the obvious benefits of being able to do everyday work and leisure
activities with greater ease, strength training increases the amount of lean body mass which improves an individual’s
physical appearance, making the person appear firmer and slimmer because muscle takes up less space than fat. An increase
in lean body mass also increases the metabolism making it easier to manage one’s weight. A comprehensive strength-training
program works all the major muscle groups of the body which results in a reduction in risk for injury and many degenerative
diseases. Strength training has been shown to improve bone density, the speed which food passes through the digestive tract
while improving the metabolism of glucose. Strength training also assists in lowering blood pressure, helps to reduce arthritic
pain as well as helping to improve blood cholesterol and triglycerides.
Strength-training using weights is usually performed in sets of a certain number
of repetitions of 8-10 exercises at least two times a week, on non-consecutive days to allow the muscles to recover. The number of sets, amount of weight lifted for each repetition and the choice of
exercises depend on an individual’s fitness level and strength training goals. The amount of weight utilized for each
repetition depends on the amount of weight that will temporarily exhaust a muscle in 8-12 repetitions. The lighter the weight,
the more repetitions may be performed before the muscle is temporarily exhausted. Thus beginning weight regimens usually involve
one set of 8-10 exercises designed to work the major muscle groups. The amount of weight for each exercise is usually one
that permits the person to perform the movement for 12 repetitions, with the last few feeling challenging. As strength improves
over time the number of repetitions (“reps”) may change as the amount of weight goes up. Additional sets may be
added and various exercises may be rotated in and out of a program to keep the muscles challenged. Again this is a highly
individualized plan since no two people react exactly the same way to then same strength program.
In addition to lifting weights or using weight machines, certain cardiorespiratory
activities like swimming and rowing involve considerable musculoskeletal benefits. Pilates, most frequently known for its
strengthening of the body powerhouse (core) can also provide considerable musculoskeletal benefits. Instead of working major
muscle groups in isolation, pilates works the entire body in a synergistic manner, often using resistance bands, or specialized
pilates apparatus. Exercises such as pushups also strengthen the body using body weight pressed against an unmovable object
such as the floor or the wall.
Flexibility
Flexibility denotes the range of motion around a joint. Flexibility training
has as its goal to increase or maintain an adequate range of motion in the shoulders, back of the legs, i.e., the hamstrings,
hips and lower back to perform the tasks of daily life, including recreational activities, comfortably and safely.
While flexibility training is usually not as influential as cardio and strength
training in losing weight, it is a major player in weight maintenance. Flexibility training techniques, such as yoga, reduce
muscle tension and stress and help the practitioner feel more in tune with their body. Since overeating is often used to soothe
anxious and stressful sensations an overall reduction in stress may facilitate adherence to a weight reduction or maintenance
program. This is especially true if certain favorite postures are used to calm a person in distress. Many enthusiasts also
gain a new respect for their body which often leads to the desire to take better care of themselves.
When the purpose of mild stretching is to release muscle tension or the use
of simple postures to induce calm, no warm up is needed. If the goal is to increase the range of motion around a joint then
stretching should be performed following aerobic or strength training when the muscles are warm. Alternatively, stretching
to increase the range of motion should follow a warm up of five or ten minutes of rhythmic, large muscle activity, like walking,
to elevate body temperature and increase the flow of blood to the muscles which will boost muscle flexibility and reduce the
risk of injury.
Improvements in flexibility are easier to achieve and occur more rapidly than
changes in overall strength or cardiovascular fitness. Stretching should be done at least 4 or 5 days a week, preferably every
day. The most time efficient manner of stretching is to hold the stretches for a minimum of
20 or 30 seconds before moving on to the next stretch. In this way all the major muscle groups can be stretched in
about 10 minutes, without having to do several sets of stretches. Stretch just to the point of tension, not pain, and don’t
forget to breathe!
In addition to the stretches frequently taught in gyms, seen in exercise videos
and illustrated in the popular press, there are several low-impact flexibility disciplines that can help you get into shape.
All have ancient Eastern roots and are based on a shared premise that better health is derived from keeping mind and body
working harmoniously in union. Yoga, tai chi and pilates are such disciplines. Each of these disciplines is capable of helping
anyone, regardless of age, weight or overall fitness level, to improve their strength, flexibility and balance. As balance
and flexibility improve an individual becomes less vulnerable to falls. All three require intense concentration and fluid
communication between body and mind which results in a more relaxed body and a calmer mind.
Yoga
Yoga uses a series of gentle fixed poses, stretches and breathing to relax
the body and calm the turmoil of the modern mind. It is not necessary to attempt to perform some of the more advanced moves
in order to derive benefits: a person does not have to be a contortionist to enjoy and benefit from practicing yoga!
Yoga has been demonstrated to relieve muscle tension as well as help lower
blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There are many different types of yoga. Hatha is probably the most frequently encountered
type in the United States. It focuses on meditation, breathing
and slow focused stretches. Bikram is the type often practiced in rooms with temperatures over 80º. Ashtanga is a very active
form of yoga involving a fairly rapid pace as participants move from one pose to another. Yoga Fit© is a new take on yoga
that combines traditional yoga poses with the use of light weights.
Tai chi
Tai chi was originally developed as a martial-arts style of self-defense. It
involves the use of various postures. Movements are continuous and serve to relax and align the body. Over time it has become
a form of exercise and a process for personal development.
Tai chi is said to be one of the Chinese’s secrets to eternal youth.
It is said to relax your mind and your heart. In fact, frequent practitioners of this form of exercise tend to reduce their
blood pressure about as much as those who participate in more strenuous forms of aerobic exercise. It is also said to reduce
the pain of arthritis.
A full set of tai chi exercises is known as a form. The basic short form consists
of 37 different moves; the whole form can require up to a year to learn.
Pilates
Joseph Pilates developed this type of movement therapy in the early 1900’s.
This physically demanding regime is vigorous enough to qualify as a strength-training program. Pilates strengthens the body’s
powerhouse, its core, in a series of fluid movements performed in a precise manner utilizing specialized breathing techniques
and requiring intense mental concentration.
Pilates combines both Eastern and Western ideas about exercise. It has at its
center the six principles of concentration, centering, breath control, precision and flow. It can involve mat exercises, mat
work with various resistance apparatus, or machine-assisted exercises, or a combination of these. The exercises are low impact
and work very deep core muscles which result in a flatter abdomen and stronger back while improving balance and posture.
For
coaching on starting an exercise program contact us.
