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Fitness & Pilates -The Truth About Pilates And Weight Loss, Does It Really Work? Core Exercises And How They Can Help You?

There is a lot of misunderstanding about Pilates and core stability ball exercises ,I get asked lots of questions but the most common one is…’Will Pilates help me lose weight?’

The truth is Pilates is designed to tone and shape your muscles, it is not designed to burn of fat.

If you are over weight you will need a cardiovascular workout. This type of workout is more active and combined together with a good food plan you will start to lose weight quickly.

If you haven’t done any cardio work before I suggest you just start of with a cardio exercises for beginners its not going to be easy when you first start out but if you stick with it you’ll see some fantastic results very quickly.

When I talk about food plans I say ‘Food Plan’ because I hate the word ‘Diet.’

Diet to me means going without what I like and trying to stop eating. You don’t stop eating and you don’t go without you just need to eat the right foods to help you lose weight.

Now, if you do a cardiovascular workout one day and then have a rest day to let your body recuperate you can then do a workout using a Pilates core exercise ball. By alternating your workout routine in this way, you will help to tone your muscles which will start to pull your body into shape and by combining the two different work-outs and having a good food plan you will see a dramatic change in your body very quickly and also lose the weight. 

I want to talk about is the ‘Core and Core exercises ‘… Everybody asks me ‘what is the ‘Core’ and what does it mean?

If you could stand upright and straight and draw a straight line through your body from the tip of your head down through the centre of your neck, spine, pelvis and then straight down to the ground, dividing your body exactly in half then this is what they call your centre line.. You’re Core.

Your Core is kept upright and stable by your ‘Core stability muscles’, which include deep abdominal, back and pelvic floor muscles.

Now if your Core stays in line and straight you will stand upright and tall with no back, neck pains or any problems.

However, in the real world it is not like that and people in today’s society suffer from injures, over weight, and illnesses which can all throw your Core out of alignment coursing you more ailments and discomfort. Some people don’t even have any injures but over time they have started to lean more to one side this then starts to throw their body out of alignment.

With your Core out of alignment your stability muscles start to do there own thing to try and help you keep upright. They end up working unevenly, for instance.. if you put more weight on the right foot because you lean to the right you will put an extreme amount of pressure on the Core muscles and they start to form there own shape to help them perform as best as they can under these circumstances.

This can then cause other problems and lots of unnecessary pain or discomfort.

With Pilates exercises carried out correctly it helps stretch the body and reshape your muscles helping you to realign your Core, intern returning your body to an upright and straight position.

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Does Pilates Work To Ease Pain

Everyone has heard of physical therapy for pain, but what about Pilates? There are similarities between both. For one, they both involve slow, controlled movements. The second thing is that they can both be done by people who are in pain. The answer ultimately is yes, Pilates can help to decrease pain. However, it is important not to confuse Pilates with other tedious exercises such as lifting weights and running.

One must be able to withstand that amount of physical activity without further injuring themselves. If that is your goal, then Pilates would be a great way to build your inner strength – and rather quickly at that. So how does Pilates help to relieve pain? It relieves pain by strengthening your core. No matter what type of back or neck pain you are experiencing, you can be sure that it is coming from your core in one way or another. When you strengthen the muscles in the center of your body, it stabilizes and straightens the alignment of your spine; it\’s as simple as that.

When the muscles are weak, misalignment can occur because there is nothing there to help hold your alignment in place. You may even find yourself walking, sitting and standing improperly due to the lack of muscle tone in your core. Instead of standing, walking and sitting with ease, your body is attempting to support itself by using other muscles that shouldn\’t be used to perform those actions. Pressure, muscle spasms and cramping in parts of the body that should not be experiencing such stress are the result.

It may sound crazy, but you might just end up having extra pressure and muscle knots in your hips or shoulders in an attempt to support your back. This can lead to cramping and unbearable pain. When you go to the doctor to talk about your pain, they will most likely recommend physical therapy, right? In a lot of cases, insurance doesn\’t cover physical therapy, so it ends up costing money – and lots of it. If you don\’t choose to participate in physical therapy, your pain only gets worse from lack of care.

Pilates can help you to get past the difficulties of having to go to a pain management doctor. It can also help you to avoid having to take as many pain killers, or even eliminate the need for them entirely. One of the best things about Pilates is that it takes less time than attending a physical therapy session. You go through all of the movements, but without all of the pressure and unnecessary pain.

In time, (usually around two or three weeks) you will notice that your strength begins to increase. Like any other exercise regimen, you can begin doing more and more with each session. With every passing day, your pain subsides and life gets easier. That is because you have stronger muscles supporting the ligaments and joints in your spine. It is no longer a total-body effort just to stand up or lie down. A pain-free life can become a reality for anyone. It is just a matter of focusing on it and actually wanting it enough that you strive to make it happen.

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Does Pilates Really Work as Well at Relieving Pain as People Claim?

Pain in any area of the body is never pleasant. Chronic back pain is one of the biggest complaints amongst all humanity. It is simple to injure the back, and when it isn’t properly cared for, that guard is let down that much more. Poor posture, car accidents, falls, aging, exercise injuries, and even sleeping on an outdated, faulty mattress can all contribute a person’s back pain. Once the pain begins, it will eventually progress until something is done about it. If there are no preventative measures taken, the pain gets worse over time due to aging, and everyday bad habits. 

There is a lot of buzz about Pilates and stretching exercises and their relation to preventing back pain. It is possible, and I will tell you how it works. Pilates helps to work the muscles that keep the spine sturdy and resistant to change in alignment. Everything works together to repair the natural flow of the spine. Every body is different, but all muscles are strengthened in the same manner. There is no need to go out and attempt to lift large amounts of weight with your back when you are in obvious pain. And luckily, that isn’t what Pilates is about.

Pilates movements and techniques target the areas that are in the most pain by repairing from deep inside of the core. The muscles within the abdomen, buttocks, and back are worked gently so that there is no pain. Since those movements are so gentle and slow, the target is deep so that every muscle is engaged. When the muscles are made strong again, they are able to hold on to the realignment of the spine, and good posture is a lot easier to obtain. Keeping good posture helps to maintain the alignment along with daily Pilates workouts. 

Oftentimes, we forget to stand and sit up straight, which can damage the spine. For that reason, it is even more important to stay consistent with your workouts. You should always try your best to remain conscious of your posture. Without the strength of the back, a lot of life’s everyday activities are not possible. Some people have went as far as applying for disability because of their back pain. What is so unfortunate is that several people aren’t aware of the fact that a simple 10 minutes a day is all that is needed in order to get rid of back pain and correct existing spinal problems. 

Stress can also bring about much more pain than is necessary. Pilates stretching movements can be a real relief when it comes to excess stress upon the body. The time that you sit down each morning, night, or both to practice your movements can be looked at as your ultimate “me” time. Be sure that your workout area is quiet, peaceful, and that there are no distractions. You’ll also be using deep breathing, which will help to release built up tension. As you can see, all of the negative things that contribute to back pain are eliminated by Pilates. There are a range of DVD’s on sale at http:// www.pilatesorstretchforbackpain.com which have been recommended by a leading British Osteopath/Physiotherapist. Please visit my blog at http://stretchorpilatesforbackpain.com/wordpress/?feed=rss2