In this guide we have gathered our best tips for pilates. Whether you are a beginner and have just started Pilates, or you have been practicing it for a while, you will probably find some useful information in this guide that will hopefully motivate you even more when it comes to this form of exercise and all that it entails.
Beginner in yoga Check out our guide to yoga exercises for beginners here.
What is pilates?
Pilates largely avoids high impact, high power output, and heavy muscular and skeletal loading. The training is performed with calm, coordinated movements that focus on strength, flexibility, mobility, but also body-head connection, ie the head's ability to control the body's movements. The exercises in this type of exercise can be performed without devices where you only use your own body weight, or with devices so that you can train several sections of the body such as knees and ankles.
What is the difference between Yoga and Pilates?
Well, both Yoga and Pilates are performed in calm coordinated movements with tactful breathing and gain in the form of core strength and flexibility. Both have a strong focus on connecting the head and body and increased awareness of the different movements the body makes both during and after exercise.
What Pilates does not have is that yoga can be used to increase muscle mass and mobility. There is also more training of the core muscles in Pilates where Yoga trains the whole body.
Why choose Pilates?
Whether you want to increase your core strength, or increase your mobility while improving your muscles and preventing muscle and skeletal overload. If you want strength but not big muscles, this is the perfect workout for you. In these exercises, you train not only your back and stomach, but core muscles and body control.
- Better balance
- Minor back pain
- Better body control
- Less stress
- Better mobility
Pilates exercises
1. Pelvic curl
Lie on the mat with bent knees pointing upwards, feet flat on the floor. Make sure your feet are hip-distance apart.
Inhale prepared
Exhale positions your spine up into a bridgeo
Inhale Take a break at the top and point your knees over your toes to open your hipse
Exhale softly up your chest and position your spine down to the groundn
If you want a little more resistance with this workout it is fine to usetraining sticks around the knees and keep the knees at hip distance.
2. Crisscross
Lie on your back with both legs in table top position, ie hips and knees bent 90 degrees with your feet up, and your hands behind your head
Exhale - lift your head, neck and shoulders by pushing your ribs against your navel
Inhale - hold the position
Exhale - rotate the right elbow to the left knee while the right leg straightens
Inhale - return to the previous position
Exhale - to rotate to the opposite side
3. Side bend
While on the side, press up on the forearm and elbow with both knees bent. Your feet will be behind you, with your knees in line with your hips.
Exhale - push your forearm down into the floor and lift your hips into the air.
Inhale - lower your hips halfway.
Exhale - lift your hips up again.
Inhale - lower your hips with control. Repeat on the other side.
Pilates clothing
After gaining an understanding of what Pilates is and what benefits it can provide, it is wise to start by having the right clothes, it is important to have comfortable clothes that are not in the way of your training. A couple leggings which are soft, elastic and squat proof, along with one top with seamless construction that does not irritate the skin while exercising. You can choose whether you want to wear socks or not while doing Pilates exercises, whether you choose to wear them socks, it's nice to have a pair that is light and comfortable.
Pilates tights
When performing the training, it is important to choose onetights which fits well on the body, so that you do not have to be annoyed that it slides up or down. At the same time, it can be comfortable to wear seamless training tights for maximum comfort and mobility.Elevate vortex leggings is a seamless training tights with compression that gives a nice shaping effect. The tights are available in 7 different colors, here there is a full opportunity to mix and match freely with differenttops!Essential tights also fits perfectly if you want a simple and good training tights. The compression tights have an anti-curl effect that makes the tights even and nice.