Pilates

definition

Pilates is a modern, health-promoting training method for the whole body. With systematic stretching and strength exercises, Pilates strengthens both large and targeted smaller muscle groups and thus promotes muscle strength, coordination and a sense of balance in the body.

In Pilates training, it is essential to perform the exercises consciously, in a controlled and precise manner. Pilates also includes a concentration-enhancing and relaxing component and thus wonderfully combines physical and mental training.

What ailments will Pilates help me with?

Since Pilates trains smaller and deeper muscle groups, Pilates is ideally suited for the treatment of chronic back pain and for the prevention of herniated discs and is therefore of major medical and health-preserving relevance.

Pilates specifically trains the muscles that support and maintain the spine, the so-called autochthonous back muscles. The strengthened muscles can carry the body weight better. As a result, everyday stress such as standing or sitting for a long time strain the muscles less, which means that symptoms of fatigue, which are expressed in pain, decrease or even disappear completely.

Going to the fitness center, on the other hand, mainly strengthens the superficial muscles of the back and, in comparison, contributes less to promoting the support muscles of the spine. Pilates also benefits patients who complain of poor posture, popularly known as "hollow back" or "humpback", or even scoliosis. Here, too, by strengthening the supporting muscles of the spine, a strong curvature in the thoracic or lumbar vertebra area, which results from incorrect stresses in everyday life, is compensated for, thus achieving an upright and healthy posture.

Pilates also strengthens the pelvic floor muscles and the abdominal muscles. This is particularly helpful for patients affected by incontinence, because the sphincter muscles, both of the bladder and the rectum, can be strengthened through targeted Pilates exercises and can thus "close up" better.

Pilates also helps against tiredness, nervousness and fatigue. By making conscious, precise and controlled movements in Pilates, you also train your mental and emotional sensitivity. This has a stress-relieving and relaxing effect and promotes general well-being, with the result that stress and illnesses caused by stress are significantly reduced.

The exercises also promote the ability to concentrate. This can be a good alternative therapy for people who are often forgetful or absent-minded and want to counteract this. Of course, Pilates is suitable for everyone who enjoys sport and just wants to train themselves physically.

Read more on this topic at:

• Therapy for chronic back pain - what works best?
• Hollow back - you can do that about it!

For which complaints should I not do Pilates?

Pilates is a wonderful remedy for physical and mental problems and also ideally suited to get fit. However, this training method also has some risks that can cause damage if used incorrectly or inappropriately.

Patients with chronic illnesses or unexplained pain should consult a doctor beforehand and seek advice. This is particularly advised in the case of diseases of the spine or the musculoskeletal system, such as excessive curvature of the spine (thoracic cyphosis) or joint inflammation or wear and tear (arthritis, arthrosis).

Furthermore, exercise is taboo in the event of an acute herniated disc, unless exercise is prescribed by a doctor. The same applies to patients with complaints in the back muscles, such as pain, strains, stiffness or weakness.

If you are still exercising, if you have a previous illness, in the worst case, a herniated disc is triggered or you pull a muscle.

Tension or cramping of the muscles can result either from incorrect loading or from the fact that the muscle is not able to be loaded at all due to the disease. This can also pinch a nerve. Of course, all of this is anything but healthy. Likewise, prolonged pain indicates that you have trained incorrectly.

It is very important that the training is instructed by a specialist who has been professionally trained. Many trainers are unprofessional, as there is still no uniform standard for trainer education and therefore there is no guarantee of quality.
Professional support guarantees appropriate training and maximum training success, as the exercises sometimes depend on a few centimeters or the eagerness of some participants overshoots the mark. It also prevents patients from doing certain exercises incorrectly.

Self-study with videos and books is also strongly discouraged because the risk of getting injured by incorrectly performing the exercises is too great. Another obstacle can be the number of participants in a course. 6-8 people are ideal, with more participants it will be difficult to guarantee optimal coaching. Inexperienced or completely unsportsmanlike people should complete a few hours of individual training beforehand so that they are not overwhelmed during Pilates training.

Sports medicine assessment of Pilates by

As already mentioned, Pilates has a health-promoting effect. Pilates is particularly suitable for treating or preventing diseases such as scoliosis, bad posture, herniated discs or incontinence. Pilates is also suitable for treating acute or chronic pain in the spinal column area. Numerous clinics and physiotherapeutic practices offer Pilates courses in order to offer patients an accompanying therapy to conventional medicine.

This training method is also suitable for the rehabilitation of past illnesses and is recommended by practicing doctors. This confirms the quality and added value of Pilates in sports medicine. With appropriate and correct training, possible risks can also be excluded.

advises you to observe the following if you are interested in Pilates: The training must be taught professionally, YouTube videos are not suitable for it! Make sure that the instructor is qualified! Prefer courses with few participants! While this is more expensive, your health is not the place to save. Do not force or rush anything. Exercises that are done in bad shape usually have the opposite effect.

What are the alternatives to Pilates?

Of course, as with any sport, there are alternative training methods to Pilates. An alternative to Pilates is "BODYBALANCE®".This training concept brings together techniques from yoga, Thai-Chi and Pilates and should therefore also contain a meditative component. The concept consists of a sequence of stretching and holding exercises with flowing music. As with Pilates, controlled breathing is an essential part of the fitness concept.

If we travel to the Far East, we will encounter Qi-Gong. Qi-Gong is particularly characterized by its health-promoting effect. The exercises are intended to activate the body's self-healing powers, which is why they are also part of traditional Chinese medicine. There the exercises have both a preventive and acutely healing effect. Qi-Gong is also used in martial arts and meditation.

The gentlest alternative to Pilates is the so-called Feldenkrais method. This method is aimed at people who want to alleviate their pain caused by orthopedic diseases. The Feldenkrais method is about performing postures, determining unfavorable positions and then correcting them so that they do not cause problems in everyday life.

What is the difference to yoga?

The best known alternative to Pilates is yoga. But how do the two concepts differ? For one thing, yoga is far more spiritual than Pilates.

Yoga has its origins in a several thousand year old tradition from India and includes a spiritual teaching, whereas Pilates was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century and the focus is on the exercises and less on spirituality. Pilates is of the opinion that a conscious and concentrated execution is health-promoting and self-confidence-promoting.

In addition, the two concepts differ in terms of breathing. Breathing is a separate exercise in yoga. Here it is essential to breathe deeply from your stomach and through your nose. This promotes the meditative and relaxing effect.

In Pilates, on the other hand, the breathing determines the rhythm in which the movements are to be exercised. Furthermore, in Pilates the strenuous movement is carried out when exhaling.

In addition, yoga is usually only practiced on a yoga mat. Some exercises involve adding small items such as straps. Pilates exercises like to use equipment that has been designed for special exercises.

Read more about breathing under: Breathing exercises

Where does Pilates come from?

"After 10 hours you will feel the difference, after 20 hours you will see the difference and after 30 hours you will have a new body." (Joseph H. Pilates).

This is a well-known quote from Joseph H. Pilates, the inventor and namesake of the “Pilates” training method. Joseph H. Pilates was a pioneer in fitness and health in his time. He developed his training concept during the First World War, where he helped wounded soldiers rehabilitate as a prisoner of war inmate. After the First World War he refined the concept he had developed and combined it with his studies in Far Eastern training methods. Due to positive training results, Pilates quickly gained publicity. Pilates systematically documented the findings of his method in writing and has been preserved to this day. Nowadays, stars and other celebrities have ensured that Pilates has been rediscovered and is perceived as a fitness and wellness trend.

Pilates During Pregnancy - What To Consider?

In some corners of the internet you can read the rumor that Pilates should not be practiced during pregnancy. But this does not correspond to the facts. Pilates is not harmful to the health of the child or the mother during pregnancy; on the contrary, it is advisable for the mother-to-be. How can Pilates help the expectant mother?

Studies have shown that Pilates gently trains those muscles that are particularly stressed during pregnancy: the back, stomach and pelvic floor. Pilates trains precisely these muscles. The pregnant woman quickly gains body weight, which of course is not evenly distributed.

Pilates strengthens the back and helps the mother to compensate for this burden. Strengthened pelvic floor muscles help hold the growing child and pelvic organs such as the bladder and uterus. In addition, strengthened pelvic floor and abdominal muscles ensure that the child is born more easily and without complications.

Of course there are also some aspects that should be considered. Only train when you feel fit and comfortable and do not develop false ambitions during training. When in doubt, consult your trusted doctor. Since every pregnancy is individual, he can best decide what is most beneficial for your health and that of your child.