Rmuscle strengthening, increased flexibility and self-awareness. The benefits of this discipline are many, but often the most inflated question is whether pilates makes you lose weight: this activity helps to activate the metabolism and cardiovascular action, increasing sweating and burning excess fat. The reason? The training is based onactivation of the powerhouse which gives benefits, among others, also to the stomach and legs.
Does pilates make you lose weight? Yes, if done correctly
«The first thing to say about this discipline is that it is aneuromuscular activity: involves not only the muscles, which stretch, but has benefits also on a neurological level by creating a connection between body, mind and spirit” explains Paola Miretta, personal trainer.
Central points of pilates are in fact the powerhouse and breathing. The first is the nerve center of the body’s strength, the center of gravity for carrying out any movement correctly and, above all, for distributing the forces also on the limbs. This includes the area from the ribs to the hip flexors.
The second fundamental element of pilates is breathing: this, if well performed, not only allows you not to carry an excessive load on the shoulders and neck during the execution of the exercises but it helps not to bloat the belly: «It’s not just an aesthetic question, Pilates in fact helps keep the body in shape because it strengthens the abdominal wallso as to support the back, essential when suffering from lumbar pain or leading a rather sedentary life, moreover eliminates excess fat around the bowels allowing them to be supported».
Fundamental exercises against free radicals
Aesthetics aside, therefore, the elimination of visceral fat is above all a reason for health. This is when it is in excess it concentrates around the waist and hips and produces free radicals and inflammatory substances: «One of the most important benefits of pilates is the stimulation of the production of good hormones: your body changes not only because it gets stronger and slimmer in some points, such as the stomach and legs, but because stimulates the production of endorphins, the hormones of happiness, and does not increase the production of free radicals, unlike other sports such as the marathon» explains the expert, who continues «all of this is possible because this activity it doesn’t just train the superficial muscles but reaches the deeper onesfor this reason it is also an ideal workout for the pelvic floor ».
What are the benefits of a trained pelvic floor? Training this part of the female body, yoga, classical dance and horse riding are also very suitable, it helps to have benefits in the presence of some problems such as menstrual pain, urinary incontinence or pain in the lower back, and is also recommended in the postpartum period.
«This is why pilates is one discipline very suitable even in menopausenot only because it keeps the body fit in a time of great change but also because of its hormonal stimulation».
The benefits of pilates on the legs
And for the legs, what advantages does it have? «First of all, as for the rest of the body, the legs also change because they “stretch”: this discipline works on muscle lengthening not on muscle dilation so the limbs will appear tapered and not muscular, a bit like those of dancers . In fact, the exercises act on the muscle fiber which slowly acquires length».
“Not only that, but if you practice discipline with tools, they don’t charge e they don’t tire the jointsThis is why pilates can be done by everyone. Finally, yes works a lot on the feet by stimulating the venous return and therefore the lymph, thus counteracting the stagnation of liquids and leg fatigueas well as swelling and cellulite».
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