Pilates

"At last you can enjoy an exercise program that will strengthen your core while improving your alignment, mobility and breathing at the same time!"

• Have you ever looked in the mirror and noticed that your shoulders are slightly rounded inwards or slumped forward?
• Have you noticed your back sways a little and feels painful in some areas?
• Have you ever thought about Pilates but are not too sure how it would benefit you?

What is Pilates and why do so many people rave about it?

Let Vigour Personal Training teach you about Pilates and how it will help you look great!

Pilates are exercises that help with your posture! They help with your core strength and correct your alignment. Pilates are flowing exercises designed to make you feel calm and centered within your body.

The Pilates principles recognise the need for a strong core with good alignment, functional mobility and attention to correct breathing. The Pilates method provides a unique approach to body awareness, postural work and stability training.

Have you heard that Pilates can help you lose weight but can be quite hard and challenging?

The exercises used in Pilates can be hard but you work up to the challenge. When doing Pilates correctly you start at the beginning, improving your strength and technique. Then you're able to move onto the next level and do more challenging exercises.

Pilates is not designed for weight loss...

Pilates will help strengthen and tone your muscles and correct your body's alignment and posture. Pilates strengthens the core 'corset muscles' when performed correctly.

When combined with strengthening exercises using weights, Pilates will give you fantastic results. Pilates works your inner or local muscles, while weight and resistance training works your outer or global muscles. Combine the two to get the maximum benefit.

The principles of Pilates

• Concentration-the ability to block out distraction and analyze where we are statically
• Alignment-posture position of bones and joints, looking at keeping your bones in line
• Centering-we hold our alignment by using muscles; our muscles provide stability and movement
• Breathing-effective breathing enhances energy and wellbeing. Breathing is lateral thoracic breathing

The focus is on integrating the mind and body to increase muscle control and balance. The result is not just to strengthen one particular muscle action but to deliver a smooth controlled movement pattern.

Pilates may help you lower your stress levels, increase your breathing capacity, increase core control, give you a flatter abdominal section, improve athletic performance, better your posture, have less incidence of back pain and help reduce injuries. There are many benefits of Pilates and you won't ever break into a sweat!

How can Vigour Personal Training help you?

Here are just 5 ways we can help you with Pilates Training:

1. You'll gain a better understanding and improvement of your body's alignment and strength. You'll feel an overall calmness within yourself and your body.

2. Your trainer will be there throughout your whole session checking that you're excercising correctly.

3. We only run small groups and one-on-one sessions. So you'll get more attention, motivation and clear instruction that will ensure that you're exercising correctly and that you're getting help when needed.

4. You'll get personal attention in all our sessions, so you won't feel lost or left out. The sessions are not advanced-they are open to anyone with little or no Pilate's background. The programs are run in varying levels from beginner to advance, so when you improve and feel confident in an exercise, you'll progress onto the next level.

5. You'll be motivated and advised on what you should do to get the most benefit from your Pilates experience.