Can Pilates help you lose weight? One table shows the difference with yoga! 5 key movements to achieve the best results in Pilates

If you want to sculpt your body and strengthen your core muscles, Pilates exercise is the first choice, but why don’t you lose weight after doing Pilates? Should I do Pilates to lose weight? Especially Pilates and yoga are often confused. Which one is suitable for you? In fact, there are considerable differences between the two. Only by choosing according to your needs and purposes can you find the most suitable exercise for your body!

A sport that the whole world is crazy about! What is Pilates?

According to Wikipedia, Pilates is a physical fitness exercise created by a German named Joseph Pilates in the 20th century. Since he was weak and prone to illness since childhood, he learned many Eastern and Western sports to improve his physical fitness. After integrating them, he developed the Pilates exercise and used it to help ballet dancers with their rehabilitation. It was later praised by Hollywood stars and became popular in Europe and the United States. Pilates has also become one of the most popular sports in recent years.

The training focus of Pilates is on the core muscles. Combined with diaphragmatic breathing, it can exercise the abdominal muscles, lower back muscles, inner and outer thigh muscles, etc. Abdominal training in particular can promote metabolism, detoxification, improve constipation, and even have the effect of sculpting the body and losing weight, making Pilates a trend. It has also spawned ballet, machine Pilates, Pilates boxing... and other forms, which are suitable for sports people who like to try new things.

I hope that Pilates exercises are not in vain. In addition to grasping the breathing trick, the body position must also be correct to achieve the effect.

Pilates done right! 5 major action points

I hope that Pilates exercises are not in vain. In addition to grasping the breathing trick, the body position must also be correct to achieve the effect. Here are 5 key points to consider when doing Pilates:

1. Diaphragmatic breathing

Pilates exercise must be combined with the correct "diaphragmatic breathing method" to achieve its effect. That is, when inhaling, inhale through the nose, and feel the ribs expand backwards and outwards to the sides; when exhaling, the mouth becomes an "O" shape like a whistle, and the ribs shrink inward.

2. Keep your head and neck in the center

When doing Pilates, the head and neck should not be tilted and should be maintained in the midline.

3. Keep your shoulder blades flat on the ground

Since the shoulder blade has no joint capsule, it is easy to rub when doing Pilates, so you should pay more attention to muscle coordination and flexibility when performing the movement. When lying flat, the correct posture is for your shoulder blades to be flat on the ground.

4. The ribs should not be raised

When doing Pilates, the breathing and raising the hands above the head can easily cause the ribs to bulge out. Therefore, when lying on your back, the pelvis and spine should be kept in the midline, the feet should be opened to the same width as the sitting bones, the palms of your hands should be placed on both sides of the body, inhale with diaphragmatic breathing, raise your hands above your head, try to keep the ribs in place without bulging out, and retract them to the sides when exhaling.

5. Stabilize the pelvis

If you want to see significant results from Pilates, your pelvis must be in the correct position (as shown in the picture below). You can first look in the mirror to see if you have any pelvic displacement problems.

Everyone is suitable! 3 Pilates exercises for beginners

1. Toe touch

step:

A. Lie on your back with your hands on both sides of your body, lift your feet, bend your knees at 90 degrees, and make your calves parallel to the floor.

B. Use your left hip joint to push your left toe toward the floor, then lift your left toe back to the original position. During this process, make sure there is no gap between your lower back and the yoga mat. Do 10 reps on each side as a set, and do 2 sets in total.

2. Crunches

step:

A. Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet on the yoga mat, and fold your hands behind your head.

B. Use your abdominal force and slightly retract your chin. Slowly roll up your head, neck and shoulders. Then slowly lower your shoulders, neck and head in that order. Do 10 reps per set, complete 2 sets.

3. Side-lying leg lift

step:

A. Lie on your side with your shoulders and hips in a straight line. Bend your right leg backward with your heel aligned with your hips. Raise your left leg parallel to the floor.

B. Lift your left leg up a few centimeters, then return it to its original position without touching the ground. This counts as one rep. Do 20 reps on each side, with each side forming a set. Do 2 sets in total.

(The above exercises and pictures are from Women's Health)

Q: What is the difference between Pilates and yoga? Which one is suitable for you?

A: Pilates and yoga are often confused because of their similar movements, but in fact, they not only have different effects, but are also suitable for different groups of people!

(Photo provided by MamiBuy) (Reference: Sports Planet)

(Reference: Sports Planet)

This article is authorized by MamiBuy, and the original article comes from Can Pilates Help You Lose Weight? 5 major exercise focuses and 3 introductory movements, a table shows the difference from yoga

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