PILATES OVERVIEW

Pilates, known also as The Pilates Method of Physical Conditioning, is a particular style and grouping of exercises that are now in the limelight in health clubs and fitness facilities across the country. This style of exercises has long been popular with the professional dance community, but was a well kept secret from lay people in fitness and people in general. Over the last 10 years, Pilates studios have sprung up across the country multiplying rapidly from the original four to over 600 nationwide.

While he was training in England for boxing, World War I broke out and he was interned in England for a year. While in camp, he began to train others also interned. Not only did these interns emerge stronger from the training, but none of them succumbed to an influenza epidemic that killed thousands of people. Mr. Pilates also fashioned rehabilitation devices out of bed frames and bed springs to help the disabled and incarcerated prisoners recover from war injuries. Several of these contraptions turned into what Pilates studios use today: the Universal Reformer, the Wunda Chair, and the Magic Circle.

The theory behind Pilates training is to strengthen what he referred to as the "powerhouse," the muscles of the torso: the abdominals, the muscles of the back, (including the upper back, for scapula stabilization as well as the muscles that run up and down the spine), and the buttocks. He believed - and he was right - that a strong powerhouse/torso was what would keep a person able to easily execute everyday activities with minimal risk of injury.

The original name for Pilates was "The Pilates Method of Contrology." In addition to control being a paramount principle of the training, there are five other principles involved:

concentration

Your mind should be focused on the present moment only, your body and it's movements, and the exercises you are performing. Not on the grocery list, the laundry you have to get done, or what someone next to you is wearing. By concentrating on your body you increase your awareness of its movements, thus you can refine the movements and decrease your chance of injury.

control

"It is the mind that builds the body." You control your body, each and every movement, each and every muscle, by concentrating and being fully present in the moment.

centering

Pilates movements are meant to be very centered and balanced. You work the body equally on both sides, left and right, front and back. This centering and balancing of the body, through using your mind to concentrate on and control the movements, will not only improve your physical state, but also your mental and emotional states. This centering and balance is meant to also transfer into your everyday life.

flow

The exercises done in the Pilates Method are meant to flow from one exercise smoothly into the next. When the mat work exercises are performed in sequence, it almost resemblesa bit of a dance. Pilates is different where it teaches fluidity of movement, which also builds muscular stamina and endurance.

precision

Movements are meant to be executed with precision and great attention to alignment and form. This is achieved through the concentration and control of the movements, and moving smoothly from one exercise to the next, and being mindful (in the present moment).

breath

Breathing is essential to life, we all know. But proper breathing throughout exercise sequences is very important. Pilates uses different breathing techniques to match whatever exercises are being performed: e.g. forced expiration, deep belly breathing, and breathing deep into the muscles of your back.

Pilates training is based on what the fitness industry knows are core (torso) stabilization training. The exercises are different than doing a traditional abdominal crunch lying on your back, with the knees bent and the feet planted on the floor. Pilates would have you using your abdominal muscles to keep the back on the floor, while your arms and legs were doing movements instead of just curling the upper body toward the chest. The focus is on what is called an isometric contraction of the muscles, similar to sucking in your stomach while standing. This is the idea of the training, to give one more strength, endurance, and stamina to contract the abdominal muscles and keep the torso aligned during everyday movements.

The matwork, mostly the core stabilization training exercises, is fast becoming popular in health clubs and as mentioned, Pilates studios are springing up all over the country. It seems to be the latest “fitness craze” mostly due to the fact that it is touted to produce a flat stomach and long, lean muscles without bulk. The mat exercises are challenging and will definitely strengthen your torso as promised. However, great care needs to be taken performing many of the exercises, as they are not designed for a sedentary individual (or even a very fit one) to jump full force into without proper instruction and modifications.

Pilates is an excellent addition to your regular exercise routine. The movements stress proper alignment of the spine, pelvis, and scapula girdle. The exercises strengthen your abdominals, low back, and several other major muscle groups, as well as improve your posture and spinal alignment. The exercises are gentle and non-impact, but offer enough challenge for even the most fit.

Joseph Pilates was well ahead of his time. It is unfortunate that he is no longer with us to see his method of physical conditioning becoming so popular. I believe he would be happy that so many people were becoming stronger and more centered due to his works and philosophies.

>^..^<

Women & Weights
PUMP IT UP LADIES!

When I first started weight training there were, or so it seemed, only two of us girls in the weight room (my boss and I). I felt like there were times when other women were looking at us and thinking: "What on earth are they doing in there lifting those weights?" Sometimes I wondered the same thing! But in less than six months I went from a size 10 to a size 6, even though I only lost about 5 pounds.

So how did this occur by weight training (also called strength or resistance training)? And what kind of weight training - are there different kinds of weight training? What if you already do cardiovascular exercise, why would you need to lift weights too? Why is weight training even MORE important for women?

When you train with weights, you slightly break down muscle fibers so the muscle has to repair itself to become stronger, thus preparing itself for the next time there may be a break down in the tissue. The muscle fibers actually increase in number, strength, and size. With these increases come an increase in need for energy (energy meaning calories) to upkeep this new muscle tissue. For this reason, the more muscle you gain, the more calories you need and burn, even at rest (I like the 'even at rest' part)! Weight training increases your metabolism and helps you to burn more calories even when you are sleeping!

Just to clarify: muscle tissue does not turn into fat and likewise, fat tissue does not turn into muscle. Muscle cells and fat cells are completely different tissues and are completely different in structure and function. Muscle tissue is dense and heavier than fat tissue and is meant for causing the movement of bones. Fat tissue is spongier, lighter, and is meant for insulation, energy, and protection. When you stop weight training, your muscles atrophy (shrink in size) therefore you need less energy, and your metabolism decreases. If you keep eating the same amount of calories for energy, you will begin to gain "fat" weight instead of "lean" muscle weight. This will result in a flabbier and heavier, appearance.

There is a myth that many women believe - that if you lift heavy weights, you will get BIG muscles. This is a MYTH and entirely untrue in most cases. Women do not have the same biological or hormonal structure as men and are not physically constructed to get big and bulky muscles from weight training. There are a few women that have higher levels of testosterone and other 'male hormones'. These few may put on more muscle size than the average woman, however, these women are a minority. So lifting heavier weights will not make you BIG! Weight training will give you a smaller, firmer, and leaner appearance.

Another important fact for women: weight training increases bone density. Statistics show that 50% of women over age 50 develop osteoporosis. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, something as simple as a sneeze can cause a compression fracture in the vertebra of the spine in an individual with osteoporosis. Muscles are movers of bones. When you perform weight-bearing exercises, such as weight training, the muscles (which are connected to the bones by tendons) pull on the bones and also cause the bones to become stronger. The tendons and other connective tissue (ligaments) also become stronger.

So I bet some of you are thinking: "But I already do cardiovascular exercise. I walk or run three or four times a week or take aerobics classes. Why do I need to weight train too?" When you engage in cardiovascular exercise, you are actually working your heart muscle. Your legs also become stronger as does your torso by (hopefully) keeping the spine stable throughout the activity. Strengthening exercises for the upper body are not involved unless you use a piece of equipment that has an upper body component (such as a Nordic Track or elliptical trainer with arms). Note: walking with 1 or 2 pound weights does little or nothing for upper body strength.

Weight training develops upper body strength - something that is often lacking in women. In fact, when compared pound for pound, women's quadriceps strength (thigh muscles) is equally to men's, but the upper body muscles don't compare in strength. Developing upper body strength is important for everyday activities we don't think too much about, such as carrying groceries or children. By adding strengthening exercises, you strengthen all the major muscles groups, upper and lower body as well as the torso.. This can improve your running or other cardiovascular activity, and weight training enhances performance in many sports (like racket ball, martial arts, golf, even yoga, etc.).

By doing cardiovascular activity you burn fat, improve your body's composition of lean tissue, and strengthen your heart muscle. By also doing strength training exercises, you put a double whammy on burning fat and improving your body's composition of lean tissue. Plus you get the benefits of increasing your bone density, strengthening your ligaments and tendons, having more strength for everyday activities - AND having a tighter, leaner appearance. All of these benefits can be yours for weight training less than one hour, twice a week.

There are many different ways to do weight training exercises. In fact, if you asked several different personal trainers for their secrets on training fo strength with weights, you would quite possibly get as many different answers as trainers. But for a basic weight training program, nearly every trainer should give you the standards and guidelines set by the American College of Sports Medicine. These guidelines state that a basic strength training regime should:

• be included along with regular cardiovascular exercise.
• be performed at least twice weekly, on non-consecutive days.
• utilize exercises for all the major muscles groups.
• include 8 to 12 repetitions for each exercise, the last repetition being the last one you could do in proper form (meaning it should be tough!).
• be performed with correct form and alignment to temporary muscle fatigue.

FUNCTIONAL TRAINING

GETTING BUFF ON A BUDGET - FUNCTIONAL TRAINING AT HOME

So who says you have to join a health club to tighten your assets? You can strengthen your major muscle groups right at home. Simple, functional exercises will help you perform everyday activities with greater ease and will tighten up some of those trouble spots.

GETTING FUNCTIONAL

Functional exercises, also referred to as functional training, consists of exercises that resemble or simulate everyday activities. Performing functional exercises will train your body to become stronger in executing day to day movements. Strengthening machines train your muscles to become stronger, but they don’t necessarily resemble everyday activities. For example, to strengthen the front of your thighs (quadriceps), a popular machine is the leg extension. On this device, you are seated with a padded bar across your ankles that you lift by using the quadriceps to extend the knee joint. This is a great strengthening exercise for these muscles, however, how often in your everyday life do you sit down to lift heavy objects with your ankles?

An example of a functional exercise for the quadriceps would be a squat or lunge. In everyday life you often squat down to pick something up or lunge forward to catch something falling off the counter. Squats, and lunges in particular, require balance and can be very challenging using just your own body weight. Both of these exercises are considered multi-joint, multi muscle exercises; when performing the squat or lunge you work two different joints (hip & knee), and use several different muscle groups (quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks). Correct alignment, especially of the knee joint, is paramount in performing these two exercises.

Some other examples of functional exercises would be standing side (lateral) or front raises of the arms. These strengthen some major muscles of the shoulder joint, the deltoids. Push-ups, although not a favorite exercise of many, are excellent for the upper body. Push-ups strengthen the chest (pectoralis major), the deltoids, the triceps (back of the upper arm), and you to train your body to keep the spine in proper alignment by contracting the abdominals throughout the exercise.

All of these exercises mentioned require you to use your own body to stay in alignment since you are not strapped into or on a machine. Hence with functional training you actually work more muscles: the major ones that you are doing the exercise for and smaller helper muscles (called assistors and stabilizers) that keep your spine and torso in alignment.

Your staircases at home can also come in handy as a training device. Going up and down your stairs at a moderate speed for 5, 10, 15 or more minutes at a time, 2 or 3 times a day, will give you a great cardiovascular exercise for your heart and lungs (the heart is a muscle too!). This is way less expensive than buying a stepping machine and uses no electricity! Think about doing the stepping exercise while you are waiting for dinner to bake, laundry to wash or dry, or for a family member to come home or get out of the shower. If you don’t have stairs, brisk walking for 20 or more minutes 3 or 4 times a week is great, no machines necessary.

There are many machines and exercises strengthen the muscles, but not in functional ways. Now, I am not, in any way shape or form, saying that strengthening machines are not effective or should not be used, or anything of the sort. They are excellent devices that provide one option to strengthen your muscles. Not everyone has the time, money, means, or motivation to join a health club, or to purchase machines, therefore many people do not have access to equipment. The great thing about functional training is you can do it easily at home, with little or no equipment.

GETTING STARTED

Beginning and sticking with an exercise program is a commitment. If you are just starting out it will take your body a while to adapt to the exercises. You may be very out of breath when climbing stairs or a little sore for a day or two when first starting to exercise. Many individuals experience these things as their body adjusts to be being moved in new and different ways. It is recommended that you check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Introducing two functional exercises for the lower body:

THE SQUAT
Muscles worked: the front and back of the upper leg (quadriceps and hamstrings), the buttocks (gluteus maximus), and the erector spinae (the muscles along your spine).
Execution: Starting position is with your feet about shoulder width apart, knees are slightly bent, spine is straight, stomach in. Alignment of the knee joint and spine is very important. To keep the knees from over-shooting the toes (this puts unnecessary stress on the ligaments of the knee joint), you need to sit back just like you were sitting in a chair, with most of the weight in your heels. Have a solid chair handy similar to a kitchen or dining room chair (hey - not a lounge chair or recliner!). When you first start out you can literally use the chair and pretend to sit down, lightly touching the chair with your butt. Keep your stomach (abdominal muscles) sucked in; do not hold your breath. The motion is pushing back with your butt, not knees pushing forward. If you could see yourself in the mirror, the knees would be directly over your ankles, with the bend at the knee joint being approximately 90 degrees. Don’t let your bottom dip below the knees, this causes additional stress to the knee joint. Be sure to keep your hips, knees, and toes all in a line, meaning keep the knees from bowing in (knock-knees) or out (bow-legged). This would cause what is called knee torque, which could damage the ligaments holding your knee joint in place. You can place your hands on thighs as you perform the exercise, not on or directly above the knee joint.
Helpful hints: To counter balance the squat, you may eventually try reaching the arms forward like you were going to hug someone. Your tailbone goes back, not straight down.
Repetitions: Start out by doing a set of 10 squats, done very slowly (sit down 4 counts, hold 2 counts, rise the whole way up for 2 counts) every other day for a couple weeks. Add in an additional set. Eventually you will want to hold some type of weight.

THE LUNGE

Muscles worked: the front and back of the upper leg (quadriceps and hamstrings), and especially the buttocks (gluteus maximus)!.
Execution: Alignment of the knee joint and spine is paramount, just as it is with the squat. Once again, be certain the knees don’t over-shoot the toes. Starting position is with your feet about shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, spine straight, stomach in. Keeping your spine straight and the stomach in, take a big step forward and firmly plant the front foot on the floor. You are going to slowly sink straight down, do not push forward; both toes are straight ahead, tailbone is straight down. Your front leg should make a 90-degree bend at the knee, as should the back leg bending directly under your hip. Avoid slamming the knee of the back leg into the floor. The heel of the back leg will be lifted.
Helpful hints: Because the lunge requires a great deal of balance, feel free to hold onto the wall or the back of a chair. Repetitions: What is described above is called a stationary lunge. Similar to the squat, start with 10 slow repetitions one leg at a time, going straight down 4, hold 2, up for 2. Do not step back in to the starting position between repetitions. Continue the repetitions with your leg already stepped forward into position. After a couple weeks, try stepping out into the lunge (called an alternating lunge): down 4, hold 2, up 2, then step back in to the stating position, and switch sides. Increase the workload by doing 2 sets. Other variations are to perform the set of repetitions on one leg, then switch to the other leg. You can also walk across the room doing lunges, called walking lunges. Work up to using some type of weight.

In the next issue of Seacoast Spirit I will instroduce some functional exercises for upper body stengthening.

TIGHTER ASSETS

Soooo. . . you keep working your butt off and but it's still there! What else can you do?

How To Train Smarter

We've all heard "Use It ot Lose It" said before about various things. This statement also applies to your muscles. Either you use them by strengthening them and increasing their size - or - you lose muscle mass at the rate of approximately 1/2 pound per year after age 25. Why is this a concern?

Losing muscle means losing strength, increasing the possibility of incuring more injuries, and becoming weaker in everyday normal activities (e.g. carrying groceries). Losing muscle also means lowering your body's metabolism. Muscle is very active tissue and burns 25% of the bodies total calories EVEN WHEN AT REST! More muscle means a higher rate of metabolism, therefore more calories are burned. By adding 5 pounds of muscle to your body you can burn up to an additional 250 calories even while you're reading this! Not to mention you will be stronger, as will your tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissue.

The Double Whammy