Pilates is wonderful for strengthening your core and creating a flexible, toned body. Joseph Pilates developed the system in the 1920s to ‘restore physical fitness’, and it has gained in popularity ever since. Celebrities use it to stay slim, dancers use it to stay strong, and practitioners, such as physiotherapists, recommend it for rehabilitation and injury prevention. Backs become stronger, stomachs become flatter, bottoms become firmer and you become more in tune with your body.
The following routine has been designed to strengthen your core muscles (the abdominals and the muscles around your spine and pelvis). Over time, this will help improve your posture, flatten your stomach and reduce your waistline.
PILATES TERMS EXPLAINED
Understanding the following terms will help you ensure correct technique and boost your results. Once you’re familiar with them, you can apply them to any exercise.
○ – your back is neither flat on the floor, nor arched up high, but has
