Saturday, May 22, 2010

Summer Body

Without a doubt you can categorize me into 'lazy' when it comes to exercise.
Hard to believe that at one point in my life I was a junior athlete aiming for the Olympic Game.
With all the standing I do at work, as well as the amount of energy it takes to deal with people sometimes all I want to do is come home and just rest up.
Last thing on my mind is to get in a car and drive to a gym, get on a treadmill like a hamster and stare at a wall for an hour, running.

This is where my favorite exercise of all comes into play.
Pilates.



I have been a loyal believer in the exercise since 1998, when I first read about it in a magazine, (Self, I think) and because it was fairly new in the States (though it was developed during the first World War) it took bit of a search for me to find a studio that even offered a class.

Now you can pretty much find a studio in every town, and the pricing has gone down dramatically.

Because Pilates is about 'doing it right' and not about the quantity or the repetition til you are blue in the face, I like to take private lessons as precision is the most important thing here.
A one on one session allows the instructor to correct your form, so you do it CORRECTLY 8 times, which is so much more effective then doing it wrong, 30 times.

Also, what is great about Pilates is that it was originally created as a form of rehabilitation for the soldiers, so it is perfect for the injured, or pregnant ladies.

A lot of the exercises are done lying down, but do not underestimate -- I sweated so much during my one hour session with Alison at Spring Wellness yesterday, my clothes were soaked.


Read about this marvelous form of exercise here.

9 comments:

  1. Pilates sounds like such a great workout. I've been a yoga person for years which has been great in terms of flexibility and also peace of mind, but I think pilates would be a wonderful next step to add toning. Nothing better than finding a fun workout routine! I'm impressed by your commitment to this one. What did you do as a junior athlete? It's amazing to hear of someone with the talent to strive for the Olympics!!

    I'd love to hear your feedback on my new blog
    infineform.blogspot.com

    Thanks! Hope you have a great weekend!
    xoxo

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  2. I've been wanting to try pilates for so long. I have just been really lazy about researching a studio. Your post totally motivated me, so thanks!!

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  3. I've never tried Pilates but I've been curious. I have weights, bands, etc at home but I don't have a routine anymore. My life is so out of balance right now. I'm positive I'll get back in balance and get back into exercise regularly. Pilates is something I would like to at least try and possibly adding to my routine (once I get a in balance and get a routine).

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  4. Thank for you post. I had completely forgotten about Pilates until you brought it up. I know that I will benefit from this especially since my injuries, I have limits as to what I can do as far as getting fit. I think Pilates is the perfect thing for me..... well, actually everyone.xox

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  5. I am so with you about the energy that it takes dealing with people that you want to come home and rest I totally agree thats all I want to do is rest and surf the net for good blogs to read and watch tv.

    I am a new follower to your blog and I would love for you to do the same if you like what you see :0)

    http://iwouldsorockthis.blogspot.com/

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  6. I am so glad I came to your blog and saw this post. Pilates actually saved my workout life. I was so conditioned to believing I had to be in a sweat festival before I was working out...then I started Pilates. At first I didn't even think it was doing anything, but within a week of doing it daily I saw major results on my body. You know a lot more about it than I do, but from what I do know it is an excellent way to stay in shape and stay centered.

    Great post. Thanks!
    http://thisfreebird.blogspot.com

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  7. Ladies, I am so glad to hear that I have motivated some of you to start taking care of your health.

    I swear if it wasn't for Pilates I wouldn't know what to do!
    It never gets boring and the hour goes by quickly too.

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  8. Skygurl, now you are freaking me out :-) I think we may have been separated at birth ;-) I am a huge fan of Pilates too - been doing it for about 10 years. While it doesn't replace cardio, it's great for toning and preventing back problems. I also find that because I have to focus on my breathing and getting the exercises *just right*, the chatter in my head (my ongoing to do list) abates and it ends up being a really relaxing hour.

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