Kbabic1's Weblog

The Magic Circle

kbabic1 — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:40:36 +0000

My friends always make fun of me because whenever we hangout around the house I always have my Pilates Magic Circle with me. I have even been known to take mine away with me on vacation. You may think what
is a Pilates Magic Circle?, well I am here to tell you that it is the best invention Joseph Pilates ever made. I absolutely swear that if one uses the Pilates Magic Circle they will see their thighs become more defined and a slimmer in no time. After a few repartitions one will feel the burn and know that it is working. It is easy to use and can be done while watching television or even while reading a book. If one keeps up with using the Pilates Magic Circle and incorporates some Pilate’s exercises to target the abdominal muscles one will be in their skinning jeans and looking great a.s.a.p. When looking at the Pilates Magic Circle, one might think that it is only for the thighs, but I, myself, also use it to tone my upper arms and back.

In the article “Fitness and Exercise, Strengthening and Stretching the Inner Thighs with the Pilates Magic
Circle” they explain how wonderful this invention is and that “It gives you a very challenging full body workout practically anywhere, and it is fairly inexpensive”. It goes on to say that this unique equipment is small in size and is modeled after the circumference of a beer keg, since Joseph Pilates happened to love Ale. The Pilates Magic Circle is made up of a soft bendable metal and rubber and works ones upper legs and butt. It tones ones muscles while one engages in repetitions of the Magic Circle. This great article even
gives tips on how to use the circle and different ways that will target different parts of the body.
The Pilates Magic Circle can be found at any exercise store, exercise section at your local target or even amazon.com. As an added benefit many of the Pilates Magic Circles come with videos or DVDs on different ways to use this amazing exercise equipment.

Pilates..helping kids stay healthy

kbabic1 — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:02:50 +0000

“This generation is going to live a shorter and less healthy life than their parents,” said Amy Schaeuble, Downtown YMCA center executive. “To me, that’s what gets me every time. … Every generation to this point, we’ve gotten smarter, technology’s been able to overcome disease”. That statement, which is in the article “YMCA program gets kids up and moving”, to me is very powerful and says something about the culture we are living in today; however I was very happy to hear that locations, such as the YMCA, are trying to do their part and put a stop to childhood obesity. One way they are doing so is holding special programs for children and during certain sessions the children can partake in actives such as Pilates. Also, schools across the nation are introducing Pilates into their curriculum. At a school in the Green Bay area, had the local YMCA come to the school and engage the students in doing Pilates and yoga exercise.
I was also glad to read in the article “PILATES DAY FOCUSES ON CHILDREN’S PHYSICAL FITNESS” that back in 2006 The Pilates Method Alliance (PMA), dedicated what they call “Pilates Day” to increasing awareness of how beneficial Pilates can be to children and that it should be apart of the school systems curriculum. Even though that was two years ago, the cause is still around and more and more individuals are getting involved with what the PMA set out to do.
The reason that Pilates should be aimed at children is because Pilates is very beneficial for children and is becoming increasingly popular with adolescents. In the article titled “6 Tips for Teaching Pilates to Kids and Teens”, a Pilates instructor states that she, Kim Carruthers, “sees her students get fitter, but they also tell her it helps them focus on their schoolwork and relax when they’re stressed—and many practice at home or teach moves to their families. “Part of my goal is that later on in life, no matter what, this will be a foundation for them,” she says”. Also in the article, Carruthers gives tips on teaching Pilates to children, one being always “Keep it fun!”

More than a curvy figure

kbabic1 — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:56:14 +0000

Besides just helping one obtain a curvy figure, Pilates also can help women and male athletes perform to their top performance. Many professional athletes are taking a strong interest in the beneficial exercise technique. From golfers to NBA stars, both claim that their excellence in sports can be attributed to Pilates. In the article “Real Men Do Pilates, Get An Edge On Your Competition”, explains that it might be weird for some athletes to think that Pilates can help them, but in reality the athletes that are at the top of their game, including Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant, accredit some of their success to Pilates. In a similar article titled “Male athletes get no pain, big gains from Pilates” on USA Today’s website, a professional golfer states, “”Since I’ve done Pilates, I’m much better looking and 4 feet taller,” says Rich Beem, winner of the 2002 PGA Championship. “Seriously, I’m now so stretched out and have such great posture that I look and feel like a different person””.

Activist for Pilates believe that athletes can benefit a great deal from the technique. In the article titled “Pilates for Athletic Conditioning”, explains that having athletes partake in Pilates helps them condition their bodies regularly, get more in touch with their body and also helps them find the core of their body, which can help them in whatever sport they are involved in. John Garey, a master in Scott Pilates states, “In general, athletes are good at what they do, and since Pilates is often a foreign activity for them, they are forced to think about what they are doing physically and mentally. It’s not like a cyclist doing a spinning class. Pilates makes athletes get back in touch with their basic training principles and therefore expands on what they already know. The benefits are amazing—increased power, strength and mobility”. Also, many athletes that participated in the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics admitted that they themselves do Pilates and that it was apart of their training.

Lisa Frenette, a Pilates and Yoga instructor, explains in a section on her website titled “For Athletes” that Pilates can help elongate the body, rather than many other exercise techniques that athletes partake in that shorten the muscles and that may cause injury. Also, that Pilates works multiple muscle groups at the same time unlike other workouts that one work one area at a time.

Never to old to engage in Pilates

kbabic1 — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:04:55 +0000

Some individuals may think that Pilates is only for the young, flexible and in shape type, but in actuality Pilates is also a great exercise technique for men and women who are in the older stages of their life. I know myself will continue to engage in Pilates for the rest of my life and hope to reap the benefits way into my older years.

The article titled, “Pilates keeps Cindy supple at 60”, explains how you are never too old to engage in Pilates. Cindy, a Pilate’s instructor in Cockermouth, England, states, “If people practised Pilates every day they would notice such a difference in their mobility; it really helps to keep you feeling fit and young”. She also goes into other details that it can help one learn their body and skeleton structure.

Many websites, such as the article “Pilates: Fitness for all ages” on the website of The Well Being Journal, are devoted to showing the older generation of individuals the world of benefits that Pilates can give their body and mind. Since Pilates is not a high impact exercise, like running, it can be good for an older generation and not hurt their joints or other areas that might be out of shape from old age. “Pilates also helps prevent or improve some of the conditions that can occur as our bodies age—stiffening muscles and joints, postural changes, osteoporosis, and osteoarthritis. And Pilates exercises can be modified for the individual abilities of the exerciser, making it a great choice for people with injuries or limitations”.

Already stated above that Pilates can help with osteoporosis, it also can help prevent it from happening in the first place. On the website titled, “Pilates for Older People” it shows how Pilates helps in a complete way for osteoporosis, which is extremely common for older woman. Also, Pilates help strengthen the spin and body, which helps older individuals not be susceptible to falls, since they are a major risk factor for when an older individual and most importantly for an older person who suffers from osteoporosis.

Embrace Pilates

kbabic1 — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:19:55 +0000

Do not fear Pilates, embrace it! I was reading online and found out that some beginners and skeptics are afraid of trying the innovated exercise technique. I am a firm believer in Pilates and even if one is scared to try it, it will be worth their wild. Many individuals do not want to get involved in a new activity for the sole purpose of the fearing that they will not be good at the exercise or having to start at the begging stages. In the article “One Pilate, two Pilate”, posted by Pamela Singleton, stated, “although I’m still struggling to get the breathing right, I’m enjoying it. Granted, I feel awkward and fall into the remedial group within the class, but I’m confident things will fall into place for me if I stick with it”. This blogger, who is a recent beginner shows others that it is okay to start at the beginning and that overtime one will get better at the technique.
When myself started doing Pilates, which was in a private one-on-one setting and eventually moved on to a mat class, I had no idea what to do, but with practice and persistence one can excel and overtime see a major change in their body. However, if some still are not convinced that they can do well in Pilates, I found a wonderful site that gives every option one can take in getting started. This site titled, “How to Get Started with Pilates Exercise”, details what types of classes are offered in the world of Pilates, what to expect when one gets started and an overview of the different types of equipment that can help.

Pilates verse Yoga

kbabic1 — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:02:18 +0000

Some individuals may think that Pilates and yoga are the same type of workout, but in reality they are quite different and both incorporate different techniques. The article “Pilates and yoga duke it out”, explains how the two are similar yet so different. The article states that, “While both Pilates and yoga are considered mind-body exercises, because they require those who do them to focus on what their bodies and muscles are doing while maintaining correct posture and concentrated breathing, that’s where the similarities end”. Another similar article on the topic titled “What are the differences between Pilates and Yoga”, gives an in-depth look into why the two are so different and on the other spectrum how they coexist, such as how many Pilate’s positions are derived from yoga techniques. Even though Pilates is related to a form of yoga, Pilate’s is a type of workout that focuses on the body’s core muscles and tries to lengthen the whole body. In contraire to Pilates, yoga, tries to achieve muscle development throughout the whole body and increase flexibly.
There are many sites that are dedicated to explaining, in-depth, the differences between the two. Some great ones I found were, “Pilates vs Yoga Exercises” and “Wia Lana yoga and pilates”. The Wia Lane site shows the positives of both technique and gives helpful tips for when participating in either.
Both are excellent workouts and both have numerous positives to doing them. I have tried both Pilates and yoga and I must say I prefer Pilates. I feel that when I engage in Pilates a get a more complete workout and get see the differences in my body very quickly.

Stay in shape all year long

kbabic1 — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:40:19 +0000

As it grows colder, individuals need to start thinking of workouts that consist of being inside where the weather is not an issue, that being said, Pilates is the ultimate indoors activity. An article titled “The Home Gym”, shows woman in particular what exercises they can do in the comfort of their own home. The article lists Pilates as a wonderful exercise to perform and list the Pilates exercise ball as a great workout to do around the house. The article explains what the ball can do for ones body and states that the “major advantage of the stability ball is that the stabilizers and small muscle groups get worked harder when performing exercises on it”.
Another article titled “Strength, endurance, flexibility: a Pilates home workout will leave you with all three”, goes along with the other article, however this one goes into much more detail and explains exciting ways to stay in shape while never having to leave the comfort of your own home. This article lists three pages worth of different Pilate’s exercises and explains how to properly perform the Pilate’s techniques. The exercises range from leg stretches to the Pilate’s 100, all very beneficial to the body.

Pilate’s are making a difference in Breast Cancer Awareness Month

kbabic1 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:20:17 +0000

^{October 1st kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness and Research month and I myself are a huge advocator for the cause. I am in the International Sorority Zeta Tau Alpha, and that just happens to be our philanthropy. The entire month of October my sorority and I take an active role in the cause and do what ever we can to help out, such as cheering on survivors at Race for the Cure.}

^{I love to buy items or take part in things that also give back and support breast cancer research. That being said, I was very excited to read that the world of Pilates is doing their part and helping support Breast Cancer Awareness month. A new Pilate’s workout video called “Pilates for Pink” will donate one dollar from each video sold to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Also, “Pilates for Pink”, by Mari Winsor, will hold the world’s largest Pilates class in Times Square and the individuals who are taking part in the “Pilates for Pink” festival are asked to donate twenty-five dollars and the proceeds will also go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.}

^{Other areas around the country are also getting involved with “Pilates for Pink”, such as in Rhode Island, where a Pilate’s studio will hold classes called Pink Pilates mat classes. At this site they are pledging to donate 100% of their proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.}

^{Also, an article written in response to many survivors attending the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure shows survivors way to keep healthy. The article states that Pilates can help breast cancer survivors “with their emphasis on deep breathing, flexibility and muscle endurance”.}

Want a Celebrity Body?

kbabic1 — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 20:35:53 +0000

I love to hear when celebrities and I have things in common, that being said, I was really excited to read in the article Celebrity Workouts, a website from New Zealand, that many celebrities are very taking part in Pilates and Yoga. Celebrities from Gwyneth Paltrow to Sarah Jessica Parker are active in Pilates to keep their star figure. Some celebrities even do Pilates to help with body pain. The site has a wonderful quote from Jennifer Aniston talking about how Pilates has helped her, “It’s great. I had a hip problem, I had a chronic back [problem], and a pinched nerve and it’s completely solved all of it. I love it. It makes me feel like I’m taller.” After reading that quote, I felt connected to Jennifer Aniston, since I myself have and still do use Pilates to help with body pain and get in shape. Also, it was very nice to hear that top “A” list celebrities do Pilates to stay in shape and gives me hope that someday I could have an amazing body like one of these celebrities.If you would like to view a website that gives a more in-depth list of celebrities who do Pilates check out All About Pilates. Some criticizers of Pilates think that it is only a workout for woman, but this site even gives a full list of male celebrities who are active in Pilates too. It can put Pilate’s skeptics to rest.

A Whole New Body

kbabic1 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 16:51:58 +0000

I started engaging myself in Pilates when I was sixteen. It was a time in my life where I wanted to reshape my body and my mind. At that time I had tore my MCL and dislocated my knee and as a result had to quite dancing. Pilates was the perfect way for me to get my knee back in shape and most importantly by whole body.

I found this great website that really makes people be inspired to begin a regiment in Pilates. It is an overview of what this wonderful workout can do for not only your body, but your mind as well. It also shows what equipment is good to have and offers the items right on their site. Some of this equipment can be pricy, but they also explain ways on the site how Pilates can actually be an inexpensive workout.