Childhood obesity is a serious problem. All statistics show that there is a problem and its continuing to get worse. Every year more children are classified as overweight. Heavier children tend to suffer from other health problems like allergies and asthma. Can Pilates help children get healthy? Here are some thoughts on how children can benefit from Pilates.

Sitting

It may seem ironic, but Pilates may help kids with sitting still in the classroom (or anywhere else). The muscles emphasized and strengthened in Pilates are the core muscles, which are key for correct posture. A child whose core muscles are flexible and strong will probably find it a lot easier to sit still for long periods, because it’s more comfortable. Many times adults and children shift and fidget because of discomfort or even pain.

Weight Loss

While Pilates is not an intensive, cardiovascular workout, it can help promote weight loss. For one thing, time spent in a Pilates class is time not spent in front of the TV or computer, playing video games, or being otherwise engaged in sedentary activities. But Pilates itself can help children to lose weight and develop a leaner body. That’s what muscle strengthening is alleged to do, and because Pilates focuses on muscles that you use all the time, the theory is that Pilates practitioners continue to burn calories at a greater rate between workout sessions.

Something for Everyone

Some children may be intimidated about starting sports or even just playing outside with others. It may seem to them that sports are only for the physically adept, and they don’t want to be “the fat kid” on the team. Pilates, though, can accommodate anyone. All body types can do some form of Pilates, and it is not the exclusive realm of those with major athletic prowess. This can make it very attractive for kids who want to do something physically active, but who just aren’t comfortable signing up for a sport.

Body Awareness

Pilates teaches body awareness. Children become aware of their position in space, and of possible bad physical habits (such as tending to raise their shoulders, or slumping in their chairs). This kind of awareness can benefit a child for a lifetime. He or she may be better able to detect possible injuries before they happen, and may develop a keen sense of when things are “out of whack.” A child who is body aware should be able to tell when they’re getting overweight and out of shape, too, because they will feel different.

Body Control

Teaching children to control their movements and bodies can prove invaluable. Not only could this enhance concentration (see Sitting above), but it also may also enable them to stop destructive physical behavior, such as hitting or nervous fidgets. Controlled, deep breathing is also part of Pilates; perhaps children with asthma can benefit from this aspect of the discipline.

It’s almost always more convenient to work out at home. If you’d rather do Pilates at home than take a class, there are a few basic pieces of equipment you should consider buying to get started.

Stability Ball

A stability ball looks something like those bouncing balls with a handle that kids like to bounce around on – it’s about that size. A stability ball is ribbed, and is intended to strengthen core muscles. These muscles are involved in balance, and balancing on the ball in various positions works these muscles. A somewhat cheaper alternative is a foam roller, which has basically the same function but it is firmer and therefore more challenging.

Wunda Chair

The Wunda chair is supposed to provide resistance to various exercises. The more old-fashioned type of Wunda chair looks like a wooden box with a leather cushion on several sides. You sit on top of the box (it has a cushioned back) and a ”shelf” comes out from beneath. This shelf acts like a pedal – you push it down with your legs, and springs provide resistance. More modern versions are sleeker and made of metal.

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands were not, apparently, part of the original Pilates equipment. But many people like to add them in to their Pilates workouts. These strong, stretchy bands add resistance and make the exercises more challenging.

Reformers

A reformer looks something like a cross between a traditional gym rowing machine and a low bench. It is made of wood, and there are foldable versions available for homes with limited space. Reformers are intended to work the upper body, especially the abdominals. Legs and buttocks are also exercised on the reformer. Those who have trouble getting up and down from a low position can buy a reformer with attachable legs.

Cadillac

This piece of equipment can look a bit funny if you don’t know what it is. It’s also called a trapeze table, which tells you something about the look of it. It looks like a leather-cushioned bench with a metal canopy frame over it, from which hang various straps and springs. You can do exercises that require sitting or lying down on the Cadillac. All kinds of Pilates exercises can be done on this classic piece of Pilates equipment.

Getting a DVD or viewing Pilates instructional videos online can be very helpful in learning how to do the exercises in your own home. You can choose to purchase some or all of the equipment, depending on your budget and what you want to achieve.

Seniors need to exercise. It’s important to keep debilitating health conditions at bay. However, once you get older you become afraid of hurting yourself. It does make sense to avoid the high-impact workouts. Seniors need a different kind of exercise format that their joints, hearts, and muscles can handle. Pilates is a perfect fit.

A whole-body, low-impact exercise, Pilates focuses on “lengthening the spine” and strengthening the core muscle groups, but gently and with specific exercises. Many practitioners claim significant pain relief, which can be very attractive to seniors who often deal with daily pain from arthritis, old injuries, and other problems. Here are some other reasons why seniors should try Pilates.

Injury Avoidance

Strengthening the core muscles can lessen the chances of injury. For one thing, strong core muscles enhance balance, making a bone-breaking fall less likely. Also, the flexibility and strength of your muscles has much to do with how well your body handles impact. Tense, rigid, or weak muscles may increase injury risk.

Circulation

Seniors in particular need to think about circulatory health. Age-related circulatory disorders and diseases can be irritating or debilitating – even deadly. Pilates is said to enhance circulation by relaxing muscles and engaging the whole body. Think of it as unwinding a garden hose – when the hose is tied up in knots, the water does not flow through it very well at all. But loosen up the hose and stretch it out, and the water runs through freely.

Easy on the Joints

Pilates is a low-impact exercise, meaning it does not involve bringing weight down on the joints in a hard or continual manner. For seniors who are concerned about falling or otherwise hurting themselves, this gentleness can make a big difference. Also, for seniors suffering from arthritis, a low-impact, flexibility-enhancing exercise like Pilates may help relieve pain, and is less likely to cause throbbing, post-exercise pain.

Mental Clarity

Perhaps because it may enhance circulation, Pilates is reputed to boost mental clarity as well. Seniors are sometimes plagued with frustrating “brain fog” or confusion, and Pilates may be able to relieve those frustrating maladies.

Reduce Bone Loss

The loss of bone mass is a concern for older adults, especially women. Pilates may help reduce this loss with its gentle weight-bearing exercises that focus on balance.

Increased Energy

How some seniors miss the energy of their youth! Pilates may not bring back the same feeling you had when you were 25, but it might just give you a much-needed energy boost. Pilates both relaxes and energizes the body, helping you achieve balance physically and mentally.

Pilates is named after its developer Joseph Pilates. During the 1920s he was plagued with physical problems and developed a set of movements and exercises to promote healthy wellbeing. Pilates wanted to help other people achieve physical health as well and shared his exercises with many people. He believed everyone could benefit from doing these exercises.

Those who practice Pilates believe it offers more than just physical strength, however. Stress relief is considered one of Pilates’ benefits. Here are a few possible reasons as to why and how Pilates offers stress relief and wellbeing.

Pain Relief

Pain in and of itself causes stress. Chronic pain can be stressful to the point of debilitation. Joseph Pilates made the bold claim that he never needed an aspirin, and suggested that others who practiced his exercises wouldn’t need any, either. While that radical a claim may not be for everyone, it does lend credence to the idea that Pilates relieves pain.

Pilates promotes body alignment and core muscle strength, as well as flexibility. Pilates also works toward “spine lengthening.” This may explain why such exercises can relieve pain.

Many practitioners in the wellness community chalk chronic pain up to the body’s misalignment, often aggravated or caused by tense muscles. They say that muscle tension can pull bones and joints (especially the spine) out of their correct positions. The body then tries to compromise with more muscle tension to pull the bones back where they belong. With its emphasis on relaxing the strengthening muscles, then, you can see how Pilates could relieve pain.

Cardiovascular Health

Circulation is reputed to be enhanced by the practice of Pilates. Perhaps this benefit could lower blood pressure and other stress-induced cardiovascular problems that, when left unaddressed, can be deadly. Healthy circulation can go a long way toward an overall sense of wellbeing.

Muscle Relaxation

As stated previously, stretching and muscle relaxation is a key tenet of Pilates.  The exercises are said to elongate muscles and increase strength as well as flexibility. As the body experiences stress during the day, flexibility and relaxed muscles can help deal with those stresses in a healthy way, before the impact takes hold of the muscles and gets the body out of whack.

A strong-yet-flexible state of body can also affect the mind the same way – strong but flexible. That’s the ideal state of mind and body for a sense of wellbeing.

Beginning your new Pilates exercise routine means you need to do a bit of preparation if you want to be successful. Don’t worry! Follow this checklist to maximize your success and get the best results possible.

The Pilates Class

Start off with a group of beginners. If possible, see if you can observe a class before signing up. This gives you a chance to listen to and watch the instructor. He or she should have the following characteristics and qualifications:

• They should give clear, easy-to-understand directions
• They should be enthusiastic (not necessarily hyper – just an obvious love for what he or she does)
• They should be certified to instruct
• They should be doing the exercises along with the students

A good Pilates instructor makes you feel motivated to jump in and get started. The students should look enthusiastic, too. Not everyone is going to be perfectly toned, of course, but look at the students and see if you can discern the kind of achievements you want to reach.

Also note if the students who are struggling are getting help. Does the instructor ignore them, or does he or she give individual help when needed? Does the instructor get impatient with students who don’t quite “get it” right away?

Pilates at Home

Equipment

The basic floor mat is a good place to start. It’s inexpensive, and a whole range of Pilates exercises can be performed on it. Whether you are doing Pilates in a class or at home, having your own mat is a good idea.

Apparel

Your instructor will need to see your muscles and posture easily so that he or she knows if you’re doing the exercises correctly. Thus, really baggy clothing is not a good idea. Tight, binding clothing is not helpful, either; you don’t want anything that inhibits movement. Aim for comfortable clothing that is stretchy, like dance apparel. It should cling to your body enough to see what you’re doing, but have enough give not to inhibit movements.

Cost

Like anything else, you will find a range of costs involved in starting Pilates. If you begin at home with free online tutorials and a simple floor mat, your cost could be as little as $15 (roughly the cost of a more inexpensive mat). A lot of specialized home equipment can run well into the hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Different studios charge different rates, of course, but you caan expect to pay an average of $15-$30 a session. Look for a package deal where you pay for a series of classes for less than paying for each individual class.

Many people interested in starting an exercise routine wonder about the differences between pilates and yoga. The equipment for both disciples seems to cross over as well. Can you use a Pilates ring for yoga? Is a Yoga mat the same thing as a Pilates mat? And how are the movements different? What about the results — do they differ as well?

Here are some of the differences between Yoga and Pilates – the origin, movements, equipment, and results.

Origin
Yoga is an ancient art that originated in India. Yoga and various versions of it have been practiced for thousands of years. Yoga was practiced as a sort of worship – it was (and often still is) considered part of a pathway to achieving a higher spiritual state.

Yoga was not originally intended to be practiced by just anyone who wanted to get in shape. On the other hand, Pilates originated in the 1920s, and was the creation of a German man named Joseph Pilates. His goals appeared to be entirely physical; he hoped everyone could achieve a superior body that was free from pain. Pilates was intended for anyone who could practice it.

Movements
Some say that Joseph Pilates was inspired by some of Yoga’s moves, not unlike the way Bruce Lee developed his own brand of martial arts by mixing the aspects of various other arts and adding his own ideas to the mix.

However, Pilates is not considered a variation or branch of Yoga. Pilates focuses on strengthening the core muscles and lengthening the spine. It emphasizes both strength and flexibility, and sometimes uses specific workout machines. Yoga does not focus on a particular muscle group; its movements work all muscles essentially equally to achieve balance. Yoga does not involve specialized machines.

Equipment
Pilates can involve some very specific, sometimes complicated-looking machinery. Pilates can also be done with just a mat and maybe a ball, like Yoga, which may explain some of the confusion between these two disciplines. Pilates classes and studios nearly always have special Pilates equipment, though. Perhaps ironically, Yoga involves more props than Pilates, such as wood blocks. Basically, it comes down to this:

• Yoga requires a mat and certain props, like wood blocks, blankets, or Yoga balls
• Pilates can be done with just a mat and an optional balance ball. It can also involve complicated Pilates machines developed specifically for the purpose of practicing Pilates.

Effects
Yoga incorporates spiritual aspects into its practice. It involves a certain lifestyle, meditation, and seeking a path to mental wellbeing. Yoga’s original purpose was to achieve Nirvana. Pilates, although considered a workout for the entire body, does not involve spiritual elements. Pilates is about conditioning the body  as well as shaping, alignment, and toning.