If you are looking for an exercise routine that will burn fat while helping you create a longer, leaner physique consider pilates. The program is design to help increase your strength and flexibility as well as burning calories. This approach to exercise is one of the best ways to start on the road to good health.

Many personal trainers suggest using some sort of weight resistance when trying to burn fat. The weight helps your body to build muscle. That muscle actually burns calories even when you are at rest. Building a lean muscle mass is the key to turning your body into a fat-burning machine.

However, some of us who have tried adding weight to our workout routines find ourselves feeling stiff and tight. We lose flexibility and range of motion when we work out with weights too much.

Pilates is designed to stretch and lengthen the muscles of the body. You will swear that you have grown an inch in height after a few weeks of working out to pilates DVD’s on a regular basis. I felt longer and leaner after spending a few dedicated weeks practising my workout.

While strength training is still a great way to stay in shape and to build bone mass it does require some balance. Pilates helps to create a balance for you. The weight exercises tighten and shorten muscles while the Pilaties lengthens them. The result is a lean, fat-burning physique that is also flexible and relaxed.

The only complaint I have about the program is the lack of logical advancement. Many DVD’s are designed for beginners who are not in the best of shape. Of course, this is the ideal place to start in any routine. However, the advanced DVD’s seem to jump to an almost professional level.

Adding ankle or wrist weights is a viable alternative that will help provide some challenge to the workout. The problem is that the added weights can easily throw you off balance. The idea behind pilates is a natural flow of motion. Sometimes adding weight restricts your range of motion and you are doing little more than working out with weights.

All and all, the pilaties approach to fitness is wonderful. It is a safe, effective exercise program that suits nearly everyone. Finding one that provides reasonable challenges can be a challenge in itself.

The Pilates exercise routine is a fitness program that works the core postural muscles and promotes good back health. It keeps the body balanced whilst providing spinal support. Pilates exercise routines increase awareness of neutral alignment of the spine and, as mentioned, help to strengthen the deep postural muscles and so alleviate back pain.

Developed in the early 1990s

Named after its originator, the Pilates exercise program was a system that was developed in the early 1990s with the aim of improving health as well as for supporting the health of those who were World War I internees. This was followed by incorporation of springs into programs for rehabilitation used on hospitalized patients and was further translated into machines and finally unique equipment was created that is now used in the Pilates exercise system.

There are a few important principles that are included in all Pilates exercise programs and some of these are using mental focus to improve efficiency of movement as well as controlling muscles, being aware of neutral spine alignment or proper posture while exercising, developing the deep muscles of the back and abdomen in order to support such posture and using breathing to promote mental focus as well as centering. The Pilates exercise program also creates length, strength as well as flexibility in the muscles.

In the beginning, Pilates exercise was mainly used by professionals such as dancers who found these exercises worthwhile for improving strength, balance as well as flexibility and in the 1980s the Pilates exercise was rediscovered and is presently a very popular form of exercise for those who need health benefits. There are two formats of the Pilates exercise and these are using the one of kind Pilates’ equipment in private or semi-private sessions and group mat classes that does not require equipment.

An example of Pilates equipment that uses the resistance of springs in order to create effort is the Reformer which has a sliding platform anchored at one end of its frame. This Pilates exercise platform is able to be moved by pushing off from a stationary bar or pulling on ropes. In contrast, mat exercises which are normally taught in group classes have less scope than that of Pilates exercise machines. They tend to focus on the spine as well as the hips but can be just as effective.

Whether you choose to use machines or just basic equipment in you Pilates exercise routine your health will improve considerably, both in mind and body.