Find Out about Pilates

It hasn't been around for thousands of years like yoga but it is making waves in the world of fitness. Celebs like Gwenyth Paltrow, Uma Thurman and Julia Roberts are jumping on the bandwagon and taking to the Pilates studio instead of their exercise bikes. Find out if it's the fitness routine for you!

The Pilates Pioneer

When he was just a young boy, Joseph Pilates was not the strongest guy in school. He had asthma, ricketts (a disease that weakens the bones due to lack of vitamin D and calcium), and rheumatic fever, making him weak and unable to play with the other kids his age. He decided he was going to do something about his lack of physical strength, so he started designing his own fitness training program. He read up on ancient philosophies and exercise methods, like yoga, and mixed them all together to come up with over 500 exercise techniques that he called Contrology. Today we know these same moves as Pilates. And would you believe this all happened before Joseph Pilates turned 14? With his exercise regime, Joseph Pilates became strong enough to become an accomplished skin diver, gymnast and skier!

The Pilates Program

Pilates engages you in more than 500 different stretches and moves. While trying to help re-habilitate bed-ridden World War I soldiers, Joseph Pilates started to incorporate make-shift exercise equipment, made from bed springs and other material found around the hospital. Today, Pilates studios have professional equipment for your training or you can take mat Pilates, which involves just you and your mat. There are a ton of Pilates studios throughout North America that you can check out. A drop-in class averages between $10-20 US and is a great way to figure out whether or not Pilates is the thing for you.

Why Try Pilates?

Everyone needs to be active in order to stay healthy, so why not try something that you're going to enjoy? If organized sports aren't your thing, Pilates is a great alternative to sitting on the sidelines or in front of the TV. Take a look at what Pilates can do for you:

Tone and strengthen muscles.

Improve your flexibility.

Give you better posture.

Lower your stress level.

Pilates At Home - MTV Pilates Mix DVD

If you haven't got the cash to be headed to a pilates class all the time, why not work out in the comforts of your own house? With MTV's Pilates Mix DVD you can customize your work-out by choosing which moves you want to do! You won't have to worry about looking silly cuz it'll just be you, your TV and Pilates Mix DVD instructor, Kristin McGee (don't worry, she can't see you either!).

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