Pilates
I studied Michael King Pilates, who uses the principles developed by Joseph Pilates (the founder of the technique) as the basis of all his exercises. One of the main principles is ‘control’. Simply put, this means if you hold your breath or your muscles shake you need to take it down a level. This is why when I teach Pilates I start at level 1 and progress you gradually through the levels of intensity until you reach your optimum level, while still performing the technique correctly.
The benefits of Pilates include:
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- Improved flexibility
- Increased muscle strength or tone, particularly of your abdominal muscles, lower back, hips and buttocks (the ‘core muscles’ of your body)
- Balanced muscle strength on both sides of your body
- Enhanced muscle control of your back and limbs
