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Pilates for Muscle Building

Pilates has muscle benefits. The American College of Sports Medicine has shown how Pilates improves muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility. Pilates also improves balance, coordination, and posture while reducing the risk of muscle injuries.

Pilates for Muscle Building:

Pilates is a form of exercise that uses body weight, which means that you cannot expect to put on muscle mass like The Rock or Rocky. You would need to lift a lot of heavyweights for that kind of body building.

However, Pilates sessions are no joke! Whether you choose Reformer or Mat Pilates, you will experience weight resistance training. Meaning that you will be using your muscles. When you create consistent practice, you will build strength and muscle mass. Repetition is more important than heavy weights.

Muscle groups are referred to as the powerhouse muscles within the Pilates world. You’ll notice they are within the center of your body; this is where Pilates’ movements begin. Pilates is truly a full body workout.

Which muscle groups are targeted through Pilates?

Pilates targets a range of muscles and provides a truly full body workout. Some of the specific muscles Pilates is proven to affect include:

Core muscles

Oh yes, as you practice Pilates get ready for a strong core! Really, each and every movement engages the core. But the core goes so much deeper than just your 6 pack. Pilates movements prompt your body to engage your deep intrinsic muscles, such as multifidi and the transverse abdominis, which are the muscles that are used to stabilize your body. These muscles have the function of stabilizing your spine, pelvis, and core muscles.

Booty/gluteus muscles

Pilates will target the area responsible for giving you round, lifted buttocks. Pilates is an excellent option for toning the backside of your legs and tightening and lifting the glute muscles, which will give your booty a rounded and lifted appearance. Once again there are a lot of variables, like genes.

Inner thighs

Finding a workout that will target and burn your inner thighs can be pretty tricky, but Pilates has this issue solved. Many Pilates sessions target your adductor muscles effectively.

Internal obliques

Your body has two different sets of oblique muscles, internal and external obliques. Doing Pilates exercises such as bicycle crunches will engage your external obliques, and then static side planks will engage your internal obliques. Both exercises contribute to working your midsection, creating stability and strength.

How much muscle mass can I expect to gain?

Pilates is a physical activity geared more towards conditioning muscles and improving core strength and less towards increasing muscle mass. This means that following a general Pilates routine will tone your muscles without increasing bulk. You’ll experience increased core strength, improved posture, increased flexibility and more!

If you’re looking to create larger muscles, we’d recommend also including regular weight sessions along with regular Pilates sessions. If you’re a member of a gym, you’ll more than likely find a Pilates class on the regular group class schedule. If the time does not work, or if you’re not that keen to join in on the group class, sign up for an online Pilates class!

ChaiseFitness Offers Private Pilates Sessions in Manhattan

At ChaiseFitness, we believe that anyone can be fit—no matter what skill level or body type. This belief inspired the creation of our patented Reinvention Method, which is for everyone—the athlete, the dancer, the beginner, the advanced, the rebuilder. We blend Pilates, ballet, and strength training and equip you with a chair and overhead bungees so that you work out all your muscles every time. We are located in the Upper East Side in Manhattan. For more information, you can contact us at (973)996-2063, or visit our website.

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Plus-Sized Pilates

If you have a larger body size, exercise can be intimidating, and an exercise class even more so. Add to that the reputation Pilates has for creating lean bodies, and you might think everyone in a Pilates class will be agile, toned, and slim, and you won't fit in. Happily, that's just one of the myths about Pilates. Pilates is actually well-suited for people with larger bodies. And it offers a variety of benefits for people of all body sizes.

Plus-Sized Pilates

Benefits of Pilates for Larger Bodies:

People of all sizes, shapes, and ages can take Pilates classes. They are there to take advantage of the many benefits of Pilates. A regular Pilates practice can:

Increase the strength and coordination of the muscles of the core of the body. These are the muscles that support the spine and organs.
Improve alignment and posture, relieving stress on joints and muscles
Reduce back pain, which can be a side effect of carrying extra weight
Increase flexibility to improve range of motion and general fitness
Build muscle, helping to support joints and reduce the risk of pain and injury
Improve balance, which can help reduce the chance of falls and increase the ability to perform other exercises and daily functions

Why Pilates Is Well-Suited for Larger Bodies:

Pilates is a low-impact exercise format that doesn't require a high level of cardiovascular or muscular fitness to get started. As long as you make the necessary adjustments to suit your starting point (an instructor can guide you on this), you should find Pilates accessible.

Exercises Are Low-Impact:

Pilates exercises are done on a mat or various types of Pilates equipment. Either way, mat or equipment, Pilates exercises are generally done lying down, sitting, or sometimes kneeling. There is no jumping or high-impact load bearing on the joints.

These positions make Pilates exercises well-suited for larger people who may not be comfortable standing for long periods or doing high-impact exercises. They may also be better suited than workouts that require a lot of shifts of weight.

Exercises Are Adaptable:

Pilates exercises can be modified for different fitness levels and physical needs. An experienced instructor will adjust mat exercises and/or equipment set-up to help you gradually improve strength and endurance, working your way into Pilates exercises.

Pilates Equipment Is Sturdy:

If you are concerned about your size with regard to Pilates equipment like the reformer, tower, or Pilates chair, don't be. Professional Pilates equipment is very sturdy. It's made of heavy-duty wood, metal, strong springs, and leather straps.

Pilates equipment will hold you, even if it is scary looking. This is not necessarily true of Pilates equipment made for home use. And you may encounter a Pilates studio that has not invested in good equipment, but that is rare.

How to Get Started With Pilates:

A Pilates studio should be a place where you feel welcome. Try out several studios or online options to see which one is the best fit for you. Look for studios with professionals that know how to assist beginners and give instructions for modifications to exercises, should you need them.

People with much larger bodies (height or weight) may want to start with a private lesson. This will enable your instructor to find the best modifications and props for you. It will also help the instructor suggest classes and let you get comfortable with the exercises and equipment.

Pulling in Your Abs:

You are going to be hearing a lot about pulling your abdominal muscles in or scooping your abs. If you have extra weight in your midsection, that is not going to look very dramatic. That's OK. Looks are not the point. You will be able to feel it and an experienced instructor will recognize the effects of your work as it is reflected in your alignment and how you are moving in an exercise.

What to Wear for Pilates:

You can wear comfortable T-shirts and sweats for Pilates, as long as they allow the instructor to see your body enough to correct potential form issues. Clothing should be lightweight and breathable. Ideal clothing for Pilates includes:

Leggings or shorts that you can move in freely, without thick waistbands that can dig into the skin
T-shirts or tank tops that aren't too baggy or loose (these can get caught in equipment)
Grippy socks

ChaiseFitness Offers Pilates Sessions in the Upper East Side Area

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Pilates Private Sessions

Programming effective private sessions for clients involves giving them the perfect mix of what they need and what they want. There can be a major divide between what you think a client needs to do during their time vs. what they want to do. What they want to do is ultimately what will keep them coming back for more and the best instructors are able to deliver on those client goals while sneaking in either exercises or stretches that will truly help their bodies but perhaps aren’t perceived as challenging in the traditional way clients are accustomed.

Private Pilates Sessions

Private Sessions:

The importance of private sessions to studios and teachers should not be underestimated- this is where studios make the bulk of their money and where teachers truly hone their craft. Privates, when done well, are where the magic of the teacher-student relationship and life changing movement merge to create unwavering client loyalty and retention. They offer a unique environment for bonding that group classes don’t, and this makes trust and communication key components to a successful relationship.

Private sessions deliver a personalized approach to workout programming and will enhance your critical thinking skills as a learner. For private sessions, you need to balance your unique set of body needs. You need flexibility in selecting appropriate exercises. As a new student, overwhelming as it all seems, it really comes down to a few simple tips that will keep you happy and satisfied with your workouts!

Private Training:

Usually, it is advisable to begin your Pilates journey with a Private Training Session. A private session alleviates anxieties and helps an instructor ascertain your skill and ability level. It is also sometimes advisable to remain on a Private session level if you have ongoing physical challenges that benefit from the undivided attention afforded by the one-on-one session.

Private Training is recommended for any client who has injuries, recent surgeries, or physical conditions that limit or restrict the normal range of motion. Safety concerns must be the number one priority. Especially when it comes to injuries or physical conditions or limitations, our goal at Chaise Pilates is to help everybody train and heal in a safe and effective environment.

Benefits:

The benefits of a Private Training session include posture analysis, movement assessments and a review of your history of past injuries. In addition, the Chaise Pilates instructor is responsible for understanding your current physical condition in relation to post injury/surgery recovery in order to ascertain any necessary exercise modifications. Your instructor needs a solid understanding of any other challenges you face in your day-to-day activities. A one-on-one Private Training session affords you the privacy and undivided attention necessary for your Chaise Pilates instructor to acquaint themselves with your unique situation, while they tailor your workout for your optimal benefit.

ChaiseFitness Offers Private Pilates Sessions in Upper East Side

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Making Pilates Fun for Kids

In this era of technology and fast food, fitness is essential for everyone, especially the 8- to 18-year-olds. Therefore, including Pilates in your children’s fitness routines will ensure their physical wellness and mental health. Pilates does not aid in changing the body’s shape, but it helps in improving core muscle strength and giving a sculpted look to the body. You can make Pilates sessions fun for your child by being creative with the movements and not being extremely strict about the perfection of each posture. You can also combine activities like dance and yoga to make it more engaging. These things will help your child have a fun session and keep them involved while also improving their confidence.

Pilates for Kids:

Pilates includes intense exercises that focus on correcting the posture and strengthening the core muscles. Apart from strengthening the muscles, these exercises also improve mental focus. Introducing your children to these exercises is a subtle way to motivate them towards a healthy, active lifestyle. Pilates for kids includes simple exercises that your children can perform in the comfort of their home. Over time, with the help of a professional, they may switch to complex Pilates based on their comfort levels.

An average session of 30 minutes of Pilates is sufficient for children since overdoing it may lead to exhaustion or cramped muscles. Also, manage the session time according to your child’s comfort instead of being strict about it.

Health Benefits of Pilates for Kids:

Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps to build strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and coordination without adding any muscle bulk. Pilates is the brainchild of a German doctor Joseph H. Pilates. He came up with several exercises and equipment for helping immobilized soldiers during World War I. In addition, he also developed some mat exercises that focused on strengthening the torso.

Pilates involves low-impact exercises focused on core strengthening and posture correction. These workouts can aid children’s physical and mental development and keep them fit and healthy in the long run. Pilates exercises for children effectively introduce them to physical exercise at an early age. It improves strength, flexibility, and posture. Ensure children have fun while doing it.

Pilates may help your child in the following ways:

1. Increases Flexibility:

Children need to be flexible to perform various physical activities like ballet, gymnastics, etc. The poses in Pilates help stretch out the muscles and the joints which in turn facilitates easy motion. Kids who follow this exercise regime are way healthier.

2. Improves Concentration:

While performing Pilates postures your child will need to focus on one part of their body. Pilates can help your child improve his concentration and mindfulness which may help boost his performance in both academics and sports.

3. Helps Strengthen the Muscles:

The controlled movements in Pilates improve blood circulation and strengthen the body’s core muscles. A strong core or trunk helps a child conserve his energy and be more attentive to their schoolwork. Pilates also helps tone the body and improve athletic performance.

4. Corrects the Posture:

Kids these days are glued to their television and computer screens for long hours, which adversely affect their posture. It also leads to recurrent back problems during adulthood. Kids who do Pilates regularly have better posture and are less prone to injury. They also have better spinal alignment. Pilates may help with pain associated with musculoskeletal problems.

Methods Of Pilates for Kids:

Many fitness institutes offer Pilates classes, but most of these exercises are easy to do at home. You just need to make sure your child is performing the exercises safely and effectively. Try watching Pilates exercise videos before asking your child. There are two main methods of Pilates. These include:

Mat exercises
Machine workout

The Hundred (Bridge):

The Hundred Pilate move helps to build abdominal strength by focusing on the core and using other extremities to work on abdomen. You will pulse 100 times when performing these exercises and thus the name ‘The Hundred.’ But kids cannot do 100 consecutive pulses. Rather they can take breaks in between the exercises. It is a fun and challenging activity for kids who are learning how to count.

Here is how to do:

Let your child lie on their back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Tell them to keep the arms by their side so that their hands lie parallel to the abdomen.
Place an exercise ball at their feet and let them hold it steady by keeping their legs over the ball.
Now ask them to inhale and exhale for five counts each. Do as many times as possible and again return to the starting position. Start at ten and add a set of ten until 100 is reached.

Plank:

Pilates planks strengthen the core while engaging the upper body muscles. Contract your abdominal muscles when doing planks and avoid letting your lower back arch to prevent injury. Use a mat to avoid hurting your kid’s elbows.

Here is how to do:

· Let your child start in a push-up position with feet apart, nearly shoulder width.

· Roll the ball back behind her feet and help them lift the feet over the ball.

· Hold them and they can either roll backwards over the ball or lower into a low push-up position.

· Also, offer support to their pelvic region.

Single Leg Stretch:

The Single leg stretch Pilate move works on the abdominals by increasing core stability and flexibility.

Here is how to do:

Have your kid lay face up and with the pelvic region in neutral alignment.
Help them bring one knee up to the chest region while inhaling and exhaling.
Inhale, grab the right knee using both hands. Exhale, straighten the left leg.
Then in the next turn while inhaling, take the left knee to the chest.
Repeat 6 to 8 times with each leg.

Tick Tock Side Bend:

The Tick Tock Side Bend Pilate move helps to maintain good posture and strengthens the spine.

Here is how to do:

Have your kid sit upright on a stool or chair with back straight and spine neutral alignment.
Now make them bend the right ear towards the right shoulder by stretching the left side and rib cage. Return to the starting point.
Repeat the same towards the left side. Ask them to inhale when in an upright position and exhale when bending towards the side. Repeat 4 to 6 times on each side.
Now ask them to rotate the spine towards the right and look over the right shoulder. Return to the starting point.
Repeat the same towards the left side. Ask them to inhale when rotating and exhale when returning to the start position. Repeat 4 to 6 times on each side.

Pilates Tips for Teaching Kids:

Pilates are a great way of exercising for children as they are inspiring, rewarding and make them healthy. Here are a few tips to make Pilates fun for kids.

Teaching exercises for kids is quite different from teaching adults. Kids love to have fun. To make the workout more fun, you can name the different poses after your child’s favorite things! You should dress your kid in the best clothes like tights or shorts and a tank top or T-shirt.

When teaching exercises to kids, it’s important to incorporate play and make it fun. Keep the language simple by using words and phrases that your little ones will understand. For instance, use navel or abdomen instead of core or oblique.

Some kids are stronger, flexible and more fit who can quickly learn the moves. You can perform a basic fitness test to check their level. If you find that they are not flexible enough to do all the moves, do not involve inversion exercises. Do not worry if your kid has a Pilates meltdown. Just like some adults go through agitation when doing an exercise, kids can also cry or make a scene. Make sure you deal with sensitivity.

While helping your kids with moves, try discussing the benefits they get from Pilates. Tell them how they can become stronger, flexible and about their posture, alignment and concentration. You can also talk about how Pilates for children helps in body awareness, relaxation, and stress reduction.

Beginners should start with basic Pilates exercises and graduate to advanced poses eventually. As with any form of exercise, there is a risk of injury if children do not know the movements properly or are suffering from any other health condition. And if your child complains of any pain or discomfort, you should stop. Make sure a professional trainer supervises your child while he or she learns Pilates. The fitness instructor will know how to modify the exercises to ensure your child does not get hurt.

ChaiseFitness Offers Pilates Classes for Kids in Upper East Side

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Pilates, is In-Person or Online Training Best For You?

There are benefits and drawbacks to both in-person training and online learning. It's important to carefully evaluate the pros and cons before making a decision that will affect a person's training and ultimately, lifestyle. Your physical fitness will need to determine what works best for your schedule, learning needs, and your overall financial situation.

In-Person Training Provides More Hands-on Experience

Working with instructors and other learners in person provides opportunities for greater interaction. Talking to another person face-to-face usually provides greater clarity and understanding than communicating through texting or email. Even live chats and other types of online interaction does not offer the same level of human contact.

Although learning technologies have advanced considerably in recent years, there are still many fields in which at least some in-person training is usually necessary. For example, several medical careers, such as nursing or physical therapy, would require in-person training. Fields that include technical training such as automotive or electrical work may also require more hands-on education. Pilates students benefit from the personal touch. Coordinating breathing and mindfulness with the core strengthening techniques require a mentor.

Online Training Offers Greater Flexibility:

Taking classes online provides flexibility in several ways that normally aren't available with traditional learning methods. Online training is often an excellent option for individuals that work remotely or have responsibilities that make it difficult for them to attend in-person seminars. Even if the class is somewhat structured, the student can finish work according to their time frame. An individual can log on throughout the day and even at night, from anywhere, to complete their work out.

Almost all types of education and training have been increasingly more expensive in recent years. With the varying costs of leadership training, it's important to understand that not all training is created equal. Online training can actually be one of the most cost-effective forms of training available.

In-Person Training Allows You to Learn at Your Own Pace:

Classroom/in-person instruction keeps each individual learning on the same timeline. If more than one person wants to take and complete a course at the same time, in-person training is probably a better fit for this particular situation. While several individuals can learn at the same pace online, it can be difficult to monitor several people independently, watching videos, finishing their daily tasks, etc., at the same time. In-person training generally provides greater structure and organization for small and large groups.

Online Training Features Greater Program Variety:

There are often only so many Pilates seminars available throughout the year for different individuals to attend. An individual will usually be able to jump on an online course or training program at their convenience. They don't have to worry about where or when the training takes place. However, the content is fixed and lacks the spontaneity of an instructor led class.

Classes and training programs are made available year-round through online learning. Specific in-person courses/training are often only available in specific areas throughout the country, and employees need to be able to attend. However, when taking online courses, it doesn't matter where the training takes place or where your employee lives and works. Remote employees that are geographically dispersed can still receive the same training.

In-Person Training Provides Greater Face to Face Interaction:

In a classroom setting, students can connect in real-time. In person training provides greater opportunities for group activities and interactive classes. Individuals who find that they learn more working with others will likely want to take as many in-person traditional classes as possible.

Face-to-face interaction can also provide more networking opportunities. Chat rooms and other online interactive methods are beneficial, but they're not the same as a handshake or an in-person conversation. Everyone absorbs knowledge differently, and it's important to consider how you prefer to learn.

ChaiseFitness Offers Pilates Both Online and in Person in Upper East Side

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Pilates for Children

The health of today’s children is compromised by a culture of convenience and increasingly sedentary activity. Eating fast food, watching TV and playing video games has become habitual while a nutritious diet and physical activity is on the downslide. The age range for Pilates is wide and depends on what type of Pilates you are doing. Generally, the minimum age for Pilates is 8 years old, but children as young as 5 can also do Pilates with the help of a certified instructor. Pilates is a great way to develop strength and coordination for teens, so it’s a great way to start. At Chaise Fitness, our instructors are certified and can tailor our Pilates classes to suit each individual’s needs. We work with teens and adults.

Pilates For Children

Certified Instructors:

At Chaise Fitness, our classes are designed to provide a safe environment and to ensure that everyone is getting the most out of their Pilates experience. Our instructors are always willing to help and guide you through the exercises. We also recommend that you work with a certified instructor to ensure that you’re doing the exercises correctly and getting the most benefit.

Pilates is a great way to improve your overall health and well-being, regardless of age. With the right instructor and the right level of intensity, anyone can benefit from the practice. If you are doing Pilates at home, your toddler may imitate your movements. This sets up a good practice of exercise and healthy practices. If you’re wondering what age is appropriate for Pilates, we recommend starting at 8 years old. At this age, children are developmentally ready to take on the physical challenges of Pilates and can benefit from the improved coordination, strength, and posture.

Is Pilates Okay for Children?

Concerned parents are now looking at exercise programs for their children in an effort to keep them fit and set them up for a lifetime of good health. A recent report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences indicates that approximately 30.3% of children between the ages of 6 to 11 are overweight and that 15.3% are obese. For adolescents between the ages of 12 to 19, 30.4% are overweight and 15.5% are obese. These are startling numbers and much higher than in previous years.

A rigorous exercise regimen, however, may not be beneficial for young children and could even be harmful. The concern stems from the fact that a young child’s developing skeletal frame cannot handle the demanding forms of exercise in more aerobic-oriented or cardiovascular programs. For these children, a safer, healthier, low-impact workout is needed such as Pilates.

Benefits:

While the popularity of Pilates among adults is well chronicled, the exercise program also offers a large range of benefits to children. As children grow, their bodies are in a constant state of change and development. Improved posture and spinal alignment are realized as exercises increase the strength and flexibility of the abdominal and inner muscles of the body’s core. Pilates promotes toned, sleek bodies and improves athletic performance. Through Pilates, children can gain awareness of their body, and learn how to move efficiently and gracefully.

Parent child exercise:

Parent child exercise establishes a lifestyle of fitness. Pilates is done correctly will formulate the physical attributes that they will take through life. Posture, the way they walk, the way they bend over, and back safety are developed before the age of ten. Pilates can help establish correct principles of movement that children will use for their entire lives. It will also create a balanced musculature that can alleviate pain and reduce the potential for injury now and as they continue to grow into adulthood.

Beyond physical fitness, having a strong core can open up other benefits for children-including improved learning. Advocates believe that when trunk, or torso, stability is absent, sitting and standing for extended periods in school can be difficult. If children are expending their energy throughout the day just to maintain stability, their stamina for homework and other after school activities may be depleted. A strong trunk or core conserves their energy and allows them to be more attentive to schoolwork.

Because Pilates is a mind and body discipline, it can guide kids to a stronger body, and a more relaxed state of mind. Working to strengthen their bodies can increase children’s self-esteem, stamina, abdominal strength and sleep. That, combined with the focused breathing techniques essential to the exercises, can help kids attain a much more serene and less stressful outlook.

Lastly, parent child workouts establish a lifelong bond. This type of shared activity can be carried into adulthood. Setting aside a half hour to an hour each day to be together will prevent some of the angst of adolescence and promote communication. Exercise promotes feelings of wellbeing which will strengthen the parent child bond.

Now many clubs and studios are offering classes aimed specifically at children. Generally, Pilates is suitable for children eight years and up under adult supervision. If you’re thinking about enrolling your child in a class, here are a couple of things to think about:

1. Make sure the instructor not only has Pilates experience but is experienced working with children.

2. Most classes are mat based, often including stability balls, which are easy for children to use. However, some classes are offered on reformers-moving carriages inside a wooden or metal frame, connected to a network of pulleys, ropes and springs. While effective and fun, equipment-based exercise programs are aimed at adults, so ask the instructor how they’re modifying the movements on the Reformer for children.

3. Ask about Parent child classes. Sharing activities together are the most fun!

ChaiseFitness Offers Pilates for Children in Upper East Side in Manhattan

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Pilates for Men

This article gives an overview of the benefits of Pilates for men, and some tips for getting started on Pilates training. Pilates is a popular workout method that involves a variety of exercises designed to develop functional strength and flexibility in tandem. In modern fitness, Pilates as a methodology focuses heavily on improving core strength, flexibility, posture, and balance.

Pilates Classes for Men?

The Pilates method of exercise was originally designed by a man named Joseph Pilates who had experience as a boxer, soldier, bodybuilder, gymnast, and martial artist. It may have been used to rehabilitate soldiers during World War I. Older adults who practice Pilates can improve their balance, coordination, and mobility, which significantly reduces the risk of falls as they age. Research also suggests that performing Pilates reduces the symptoms of chronic nonspecific back pain, which affects upwards of 80 percent of the general population. Additionally, Pilates training improves scores on functional movement screen assessments when compared with yoga training.

Pilates exercises include both bodyweight mat work and exercises involving the use of equipment. Pilates mat work exercises are usually performed while lying on your back or stomach and drawing in your abdominals to create functional core support. Gravity is the primary source of resistance, and the goal is to maintain mobility in your spine and joints while strengthening the intrinsic muscles that support alignment.

Equipment:

Pilates exercises can also be done with the support of spring-based equipment, including the reformer, stability chair, and Cadillac or tower, as well as a set of barrels. While more research is needed, studies suggest Pilates may improve strength and flexibility, reduce nonspecific low back pain, help lower glucose levels, reduce arthritis pain, improve balance and gait, enhance sport performance, and even boost your mood.

Weights:

Historically, men have tended to overtrain certain muscle groups in the weight room, such as the chest, biceps, and rectus abdominis (“six pack” muscles). Either in conjunction with strength training or as a stand-alone fitness regimen, Pilates can be an effective way to counteract the imbalances that arise from overtraining certain muscle groups.

Pilates, as a system, remedies faulty patterns by balancing the body’s strength and flexibility and optimizing its efficiency. When the body is symmetrically aligned and muscles function efficiently, injuries tend to occur less frequently. You can incorporate it into a general fitness plan that includes both aerobic and traditional strength training exercises alongside a nutritious diet. Pilates builds deep core strength in men and can help reduce muscular imbalances and the associated aches and pains.

Despite popular marketing, Pilates can benefit men as much as women. Pilates routines for men should focus on counteracting common imbalances found in typical men’s training programs. Numerous studies have found that the unique neuromuscular full-body functional training approach in Pilates leads to many benefits in both exercise performance measures and mental well-being. Given the “mind-body” connection that Pilates emphasizes, practitioners can improve their executive function through consistent training.

Check Out ChaiseFitness in Upper East Side Today!

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Group Pilates is More Fun

Practicing Pilates offers terrific benefits. We know that it can strengthen the core, improve balance and stability, and improve mindfulness. However, did you ever stop to think about the social aspects Pilates offers? When it comes to group Pilates, the advantages are many!

Pilates is More Fun in a Group

Today, we could do almost everything we need to do without any human interaction. However, there is something that technology can’t replace: face-to-face connection with others! Joining a group fitness class helps feed our desire to be with people. We are all social creatures and what better way to feed this need than in a Pilates class!

Friendly Environment:

When you choose to connect with people and take part in doing something you love, you are generally with people who are similar to yourself. Pilates group fitness classes are filled with a wide range of people and personalities. Getting to know these new folks can expand your friendship circle and build new relationships. Working out with a friend can be fun!

Accepting Atmosphere:

Are you a beginner at Pilates? Never hesitate to join a ChaiseFitness Pilates group class. Exercise sessions are filled with a range of different skill levels. We also offer beginner classes to help ease you in! No matter your fitness or experience, Pilates group classes are welcoming and led by instructors that understand that everyone was a beginner at some point.

Skip The Planning:

At ChaiseFitness, our experienced and skilled instructors will plan a great workout that accommodates all participants. All sessions are easy to follow with personal guidance and support when it’s needed. Join a class and only prepare to have a great workout and big smile. Leave the creativity and workout planning to us – it’s one less thing you need to think about!

Motivation Matters:

We know it’s sometimes tough to fit in a fitness class. At a ChaiseFitness group Pilates class, though, you will be inspired and motivated when you join other dedicated individuals! Our instructors will keep you going strong, and you’ll feel the dedication of others that will get you through the work in working out, so you feel great! You may even find that you push yourself and work harder in a group setting – power to Pilates people!

Fitness That’s Fun:

You may have thought that working out was a chore but, at ChaiseFitness, you’ll find that group classes are enjoyable! A great workout in a group setting can be inspiring and fun as you work to reach your goal. You’ll also feel like time flies! If you struggle with making time for your Pilates workout or you’re feeling in a workout rut, consider joining a Pilates class. It can make all the difference to your fitness levels, and you’ll have a good time, too!

Pilates is more fun in a group:

If group classes offer so much benefit, what makes Pilates such a special choice for fitness? To gain the real social benefits of group fitness, you need to choose a sport that offers long-term fulfillment. Pilates has been proven over decades to improve fundamental strength and increase our mind-body connection. Not a fly-by-night fad, Pilates will provide you with the fitness challenge and benefits you’re looking for, plus the social benefits you crave. Don’t take our word for it – consider joining us for one of our Pilates group fitness classes! We’re sure that you’ll be glad you did.

Come Try a Group Pilates Class at ChaiseFitness in Upper East Side Today!

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Is Pilates Better than Yoga?

Oftentimes, Pilates and yoga get lumped in the same category. And that’s understandable—they’re both mind-body practices, offering a low-impact way to cross-train. And you can even find combos of the two training methods, like PiYo and Yogilates. But if you’ve ever wondered what the differences are between the two workouts—because there are major differences—and which one is right for you, we’ve got your ultimate guide to both Pilates and yoga.

PiYo:

PiYo is a hybrid, athletic workout, which combines the mind / body practices of yoga and Pilates, as well as the principles of stretching, strength training, conditioning and dynamic movement. During a PiYo class, you will find yourself standing in a yoga pose one minute, and down on the floor in a Pilates pose the next. It is a pre-designed class that will really get your heart rate going as it features various styles of yoga and Pilates in continuous movement and flow from one exercise to another. Some describe PiYo as a hyper version of yoga, but with the benefits of deep breathing, balance, stretching, strengthening and relaxation. All fitness levels welcome!

Yogalates:

Yogalates is a form of fall prevention practice. It centers on the core muscles which helps strengthen the lower back muscles and assists with better posture and balance. It also increases flexibility and mobility and improves confidence and body awareness. Added bonus is offers learning to breathe properly and centering and clearing of the mind. The great thing about yoga and Pilates is that you can make your workout as easy or as challenging as you choose. Both increase your flexibility. To improve your flexibility, be sure to practice several poses every day and over time you will see improvement. Be sure not to over-exert yourself when you begin and take your time. Wellness and flexibility are marathons, not sprints.

Eased Symptoms of Arthritis:

As we mentioned, this exercise is great for your joints. This is because the gentle movements have been known to alleviate some discomfort in tender or swollen joints, according to John Hopkins.

Heart Health:

Regularly participating in low-impact exercise, like yogalates, can reduce stress and inflammation which contributes to having a healthier heart. Additionally, several contributing factors to heart disease, like high blood pressure, can be helped with exercise.

Boosted Mood:

According to the National Institutes of Health, this exercise supports stress management, mental health, quality sleep, and much more. All these things contribute to an improved mood.

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Pilates after Cesarean Section | C-Section Post Op Pilates

A C-section is major surgery and should be treated as such. In the beginning, getting up, walking and climbing the stairs are all challenging. Driving a car is not a particularly physical task, yet it is recommended not to drive for 6 weeks after a c section. With this in mind, the exercise level will be low. Additionally, breast feeding every 2 hours or bottle feeding every 3 hours is going to be fatiguing.

Pilates after Cesarean Section

When the surgeon made those incisions and openings, they cut through some nerve endings meaning the new mother quite possibly cannot feel or activate her core voluntarily at all. This is your starting point. Making that mind-body connection can take time as the nerve endings have to heal. If this is a non-Pilates person, they will have to learn how to activate their core and pelvic floor muscles. This is no easy feat, especially with a newborn and no sleep.

Static core and pelvic floor contractions are a great beginning and will help strengthen the core ready for further activity is possible. New mothers will spend time sitting in various positions feeding their baby/babies. If they are aware of their posture and are able to use this time for core and pelvic floor contractions, this can only help. Core and pelvic floor muscles can be activated by tightening quickly and held for a period of time. Do ten repetitions, rest two minutes, and do ten more repetitions. Do this four times a day, before eating and before bed. Once the mind-body connection is there, these contractions can be done anywhere.

After 6 weeks

Providing the new mother has passed her 6-week physician check-up, she can begin to use additional Pilates exercises to help her regain her core strength and to aid her recovery. It is important that she may still have discomfort and pains around her scar. This was major surgery. Exercise is a choice. Often surgery wasn’t. Always listen to what they are telling you, and if anything becomes painful, then seek advice from your physician. You will only be introducing low impact exercises at this stage.

Exercises:

Prep for One Leg Stretch (lying supine, in neutral, TVA and pelvic floor engaged, monitoring hip stability with hands, and slide alternate heels along the floor)
Prep for Shoulder Bridge (pelvic tilts)
Prep for One Hundred (lying supine, in neutral, TVA and pelvic floor engaged, monitoring hip stability with hands, lower body only, single-leg tabletop)

Posture education

These may not sound like much, but to the new mother recovering from a C-section, these are a challenge. If they can do it a little bit more often, this will make a massive difference.

How to get your car seat in and out of the car without risking injury.
How to lower baby into their Moses basket/cot without putting strain on your vertebral disks. How to stand to promote your health and posture.
How to carry a baby without risking your posture.

After 12 weeks

Providing there are no additional complications, and mother is feeling well in herself, she can begin to phase herself back into Pilates. She must be acutely aware that more is not better. The technique, neutral spine, core, and pelvic floor are fundamental in her achieving her fitness goals. Although at 12 weeks, her goal may just be to leave the house for an hour. We teach with layers for a reason. She will need to use these layers and work her way up gradually to her previous level.

Abdominal exercises:

These exercises will help to strengthen the muscles in your abdomen (tummy area). This will help you to protect your spine and have good posture.

Lie on your side and slightly bend your knees.
Relax your abdominal muscles and breathe in gently.
As you breathe out, gently pull in your abdominal muscles.
At the same time, squeeze your pelvic floor muscles.
Hold in your abdominal muscles and squeeze your pelvic floor for 10 seconds, then gently release.
Repeat this exercise 10 times.

Pilates after Cesarean Section

Well done to all the new mothers out there who have the energy to consider exercise at this point. Take it steady, and the benefits will come to you. Once you have recovered from your c-section and no longer have any pain, it’s usually safe to start low-impact exercises, such as swimming, Pilates, gentle jogging and low resistance gym work. Your physician may recommend you wait for at least 12 weeks before starting any high-impact exercises, such as aerobics, running and resistance or weight training. Hormones can affect your joints for about 6 months after birth so start off gently.

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Postpartum Pilates

How soon after giving birth can you do Pilates? Basic Pilates exercises can be commenced straight after the birth if there are no complications. Pelvic floor activation, breathing awareness, deep core activation and gentle stretches are encouraged to aid recovery. If you have suffered from 3rd or 4th degree tears, you may want to seek further advice from a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist to ensure that you are performing your pelvic floor exercises correctly and have an effective technique. Returning to group-based Pilates classes is usually recommended after 6 weeks postnatal.

Postpartum Pilates

If you wish to return to class-based Pilates exercise, it is a good idea to have a postnatal check with a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist or, a Mummy MOT assessment, to check things over, and give you more bespoke guidance. This is particularly important if you have experienced any symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction or pelvic girdle pain during your pregnancy, or postnatally. Most women choose to wait until after their 6-week GP review before returning to an exercise class such as Pilates.

Benefits:

Carrying out Pilates-style exercises will improve healing and aid recovery, improve posture, strengthen the muscles weakened from pregnancy and delivery, and improve global muscle strength. This will help prepare your body physically to return to the level of function and physical activity.

Improves healing and recovery:

Pelvic floor exercises can be very beneficial to help you heal if there has been any stitches or trauma to the perineum after a vaginal delivery, e.g., a tear or episiotomy. Things are likely to feel, and seem, quite different to how they felt before giving birth. There is likely to be swelling and bruising in the area and by gently activating the pelvic floor muscles, it can help improve the blood flow to the area which aids the body’s healing and repair processes. Gentle stretches and mobilizations of your body will help keep you energized, reduce stiffness or joint pain, and prevent over tightening around any wounds or scars (perineal or abdominal).

Improves Posture:

Pilates provides you with cues and reminders to set your posture, and trains you how to reset and scan your posture in different positions. It will help you be more in tune with your body and will help you to learn how to correct postures that are unbalanced, or at least counteract them with some specific stretches. Be aware of the repetitive postures that comes with having a newborn baby, e.g., feeding, changing diapers, carrying and cuddling. Remind yourself often throughout the day how to be more mindful of posture and optimize it.

If you have had a c-section, the tendency is to stoop over to feel like you are protecting the abdominal wound but, as soon as it is comfortable to, it is important to retrain your body to stand tall and allow the scar tissue to stretch and allow you to stand fully upright.

Strengthens the muscles

The main muscles that are affected during pregnancy and delivery are the pelvic floor muscles and the abdominal muscles. These muscles are a major part of our core muscle group. They become lengthened, and therefore weakened, as well as suffering from trauma (from perineal or abdominal scars).

Pilates gives targeted exercises for these areas. It helps to cue, remind, and encourage the correct activation and progressive strengthening for these areas. The pelvic floor muscles are important for supporting the pelvic organs and preventing any symptoms of incontinence, such as urinary stress incontinence (leaking urine when laughing, coughing, or sneezing). Pilates can help strengthen and improve the function of the pelvic floor and can help reduce the symptoms of prolapse or incontinence.

Diastasis (tummy muscle separation) can be a common presentation postnatally, and through Pilates exercises the diastasis recovery can be optimized. Pilates focuses on the correct technique for breathing and encourages the deep tummy muscles to fire up and work effectively before progressing the load and effort.

Improves global muscle strength

Pilates exercises also help strengthen other major muscle groups including the lower legs, buttock gluteal muscles, and upper body. A progressive Pilates exercise class will give a rounded approach for a total body workout, whilst keeping things low impact, and therefore safe and appropriate postnatally. Pilates can give you back the foundational strength you need to build up and prepare your body for the demands of caring for your baby, as well as help you work towards returning to your previous level of physical activity or sport.

Pilates classes

We love to welcome postnatal ladies into our classes at Chaise Physiotherapy and Wellness, and our Pilates classes cater for ladies who are either new moms or are years after being postnatal! Check that you are booking onto an appropriate level class. We run a varied program of classes incorporating all levels. We suggest you go in at the beginner’s level to be able to regain your strength and body awareness before progressing. We invite you to come and try a complimentary class with us.

Our Pilates instructors are all well trained, and many have additional training to teach postnatal ladies, but it is worth checking that they know your background and postnatal stage before you begin the class. At Chaise Fitness we ask that you complete a medical form for this reason, and ensure you inform us of any pelvic, bladder, or joint concerns before commencing the class. We will then be able to advise you whether we recommend you have a physio assessment first or are suitable for the class format.

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Benefits of Pilates During Pregnancy

Modified Pilates supports the ever-changing body throughout pregnancy. It alleviates the pressure from a growing baby with its target on the muscles of the butt, core, and pelvic floor. Specific prenatal Pilates exercises can aid with managing diastasis recti (the separation of the abdominals, which is common in pregnancy) and its recovery postpartum. Prenatal Pilates, through its focus on breathing, body awareness, and strengthening benefits, can prepare you mentally and physically for labor and birth.

Benefits of Pilates During pregnancy

Pilates during all three trimesters of your pregnancy is safe unless you are in a high-risk pregnancy and your doctor advises you not to exercise. The best thing about Pilates is that the controlled movements can be modified to suit your range of motion. After 16 weeks, you should avoid exercises where you lie down on your back as the weight of your growing uterus could restrict circulation to you and your baby.

Pilates is a conditioning exercise regime that targets how well the muscles’ function. During pregnancy, many women suffer from loss of muscle tone and endurance. Pregnancy can also lead to poor balance and bad posture. Pilates works to keep all stabilizing muscles in tiptop shape. For starters, Pilates relieves back pain by strengthening the back. Controlled breathing in Pilates is very useful during labor.

Many women feel clumsy or off-balance while they are pregnant, which makes sense since they are carrying many extra pounds at the front of your body. Not to mention the extra weight from more fluid in your body. Pilates provides improved balance and stability. Pilates pelvic floor exercises allow you to keep a strong pelvic floor to avoid incontinence as baby moves downward.

Many Pilates exercises are done on your hands and knees. This helps take the pressure off your pelvis and lower back. And it helps the baby get into the right birthing position. Any type of exercise during pregnancy will help prevent you from gaining excess weight during your pregnancy. You are likely to develop leg and foot pain, fluid retention, and varicose veins during pregnancy.

Pilates helps minimize these pregnancy side effects with the many leg strengthening and conditioning exercises available. Last but certainly not least, Pilates provides mental health benefits. Pregnancy can be a difficult time for many women. Pilates offers a safe way to relieve stress and harness calm.

First Trimester:

During your first trimester of pregnancy, you can continue any type of workout routine you previously had going. If you are in the habit of being active, you can continue to participate in those activities during this trimester. The intensity needs to be reduced to avoid body temperature and heart rate elevating too high as this initial stage of pregnancy is where there is the greatest risk of miscarriage. Additionally, pelvic floor muscle activation exercise is highly recommended.

If you are new to exercise, Pilates is a great way to strengthen your body during pregnancy. If you feel good with these Pilates moves, you can continue them throughout your pregnancy. These are safe for all trimesters.

Bent Knee Fallout:

This exercise is great to train your core engagement and pelvic floor muscles activation. Start by lying down on your back with both knees bent and parallel with each other hip-distance apart. Start by inhaling and slowly exhaling. As you inhale, open your right hip and knee to the side without moving your feet. As you exhale, return the knee back to the starting position. Repeat this movement 5 times before changing sides. While doing this exercise, you want to make sure you feel the core is engaged and firm to avoid any compensatory movement in the pelvis such as rotated to one side.

Leg Lifts:

This exercise further challenges your core and pelvis stability with the weight of your own legs. Begin by lying down on your back with both knees bent and parallel with each other at hip distance part. Inhale to prepare the exercise. As you exhale, zip your abs and core and lift one foot off the mat, maintaining your core engagement. Inhale to return the foot to the mat without losing your core engagement. Repeat with another leg. The legs are heavy and thus, while performing this exercise you have to be careful not to feel your back straining or overarching. This can be avoided by engaging your core muscles correctly.

Half Plank:

Come to on all 4 positions with your hand align with your shoulder, and knees far behind your hips. Keep a neutral spinal alignment, make sure your spine is not hunched and shoulders are not rounded. Keep your chest away from the floor. Inhale to prepare, and exhale think about hugging your baby with your abs. You should feel the abs are getting engaged and the baby is lifted slightly away from the floor. Inhale, to slowly release the baby away. Repeat this exercise, there won’t be any dramatic movement in your spine, but a gentle firmness in your abdominal muscles.

Hip Roll:

Lie down on your back with knees bent, parallel to hip-distance apart, arms long by the sides, and palms down. Inhale to prepare the exercise and as you exhale, roll your tailbone up towards your belly button and continue to peel your spine one by one away from the floor until the weight bearing is at the back of your shoulder. In this position you would feel your glutes and hamstrings working to lift the pelvis off of mat. You should now feel your back is overarching. Take a deep breath in to maintain your position. As your exhale, roll the spine down to the mat again, articulating from the upper back, mid back, lower back and your tailbone is the last one. Repeat this exercise about 5-8 times, focusing on articulating and mobilizing your spine. This exercise is also good to be aware of your spinal mobility and avoid stiffness. It also helps to activate all your stabilizer muscles around your torso and hips.

Second Trimester:

For a fit pregnancy, continue your prenatal exercises during your second trimester. You may continue the Pilates workout exercises from the first trimester if they feel comfortable for your body except for abdominal work. This is because we don’t want the rectus abdominus to be tighter while your belly is growing in size, as this can increase the potential of diastasis recti to occur. Here are a few Pilates exercises that are wonderful as you experience some growing pain as your belly and baby accelerate their growth.

Modified Swimming Prep:

It’s important for pregnant women to strengthen their back sling muscles too. You can do this exercise to strengthen back muscles by practicing it every day. Kneeling on all fours with your wrists align with shoulders, knees align with hips. Avoid overarching or over rounding your back. Gently visualize that you are hugging the baby to have slight engagement in your abdominal muscles. Begin with inhale and slightly bend the right knee. Exhale, maintain the weight bearing on your hands and left knee, slowly lift the right knee towards the ceiling without straightening the knee; imagine you are holding a tennis ball in between your knee joints. Inhale to slowly lower the right knee back to the ground. Repeat with the same side 5-8 times before changing side.

Spine Twist:

Spine twist is a great mobility exercise to keep your spine healthy as during pregnancy, it is common for women to feel stiffness in spine. Start by sitting on the floor with your legs rested in front of you and knees slightly bent to the side. If you can’t sit comfortably on the floor, you can opt to sit on a stool/chair. Bring your arms straight to the front with palms facing down. Inhale to prepare. On exhale, turn your ribcage and chest facing to the right, at the same time, bend your right elbow to gently rotate your spine. Once you reach your maximum rotation to the right, gently reach your right hand towards the back of the room to feel more stretch. Inhale again, bend the elbow and rotate your chest facing to the front again. Repeat the movements on the left side.

Squatting Side Bends:

Squats and side bends both provide excellent benefits during pregnancy. Do them together for a wonderful combination. Try to do 10 repetitions for a total of 3 sets. Stand with your feet wider than your hips. Place your hands together at the back of your head. Squat down and gently crunch from one side to the other. That is one rep. As you crunch to the side, keep your chest facing the front and feel the stretch on the opposing side muscles. Squatting side bends are a safe way to work your core during pregnancy. It’s an excellent way to get the blood flowing so you can reduce leg cramps. Make sure to only squat and bend as far as is comfortable. Always listen to your body when doing any form of exercise.

Side Plank:

A side plank is one of the most popular Pilates exercises. Start by lying sideways on the ground. Extend your legs out with the bottom foot planted firmly on the mat. The bottom elbow is propped up under your shoulder. Push your hips up off the ground up until your bottom arm is extended. Reach your top arm towards the sky. Hold for 30 seconds. Then switch sides. If you need to modify this move, simply bend your lower leg down so that your knee is resting on the mat. This move is a safe way to strengthen your obliques in preparation for pushing during labor. It’s also a great way to strengthen your back to offset back pain during the final months of pregnancy.

Third Trimester:

During the third trimester, many women feel heavy, uncomfortable, and more than ready to birth their babies. Apart from all that, the mother’s posture dramatically changes due to the baby’s increased growth. Remember, it is safe to exercise right up until the day you give birth. Just make sure to listen to your body and only do what feels comfortable according to the exercise guidelines. In this trimester, you want to avoid ALL abdominal and inner thighs work, as well as supine lying position.

Pelvic Floor Muscles Engagement:

It is great that you have been practicing on pelvic floor muscles engagement. But in the third trimester, you would want to make sure that you know how to strengthen them as well as know how to completely relax the pelvic floor muscles too. Begin with sitting in a cross-legged position. If you are not comfortable sitting in a crossed-leg position on the floor, you can try elevating your bum on a stool.

Now, imagine there is a line from your belly button to your tailbone. Inhale to prepare and slowly exhale. As you exhale, gently engage and elevate your anus, vagina and urethra towards the belly button through the imaginary line from your belly button to your tailbone. Then, inhale while releasing them completely to relax. Repeat for a few times. Make sure you are not contracting your gluteus muscles nor doing a pelvic tilt while doing this exercise.

Cat/Cow with Band:

For this move, you will continue to repeat the movement as many times as you can in one minute. You can use an exercise band for an extra stretch. Cat and cow can also be done without the band if you don’t have a band. Wrap the band around your shoulders, and then get down onto all fours. Place the ends of the bands under the heels of your hands. Do the cat by pulling your abdomen in and rounding your back. You should be looking down towards your belly button. Hold for a second. Then slowly arch your back and look up to the sky for cow pose. Repeat continuously for one minute.

In pregnancy, sacroiliac joint pain is common. Cat and cow is a safe way to gently stretch out those abdominal muscles and lower back muscles. Many women experience round ligament pain during pregnancy. This move stretches the round ligament to promote more blood flow in that area of the body.

Mermaid:

Choose your comfortable sitting position. Reach both arms out to the side. Let the left arm down by your side. Now inhale and reach your right arm towards the ceiling. Exhale to stretch up and gently bend towards the left side. Use your right hand to reach further and feel a nice stretch on your right-side muscles. Inhale to come back up. Repeat the movement on the other side.

Squats:

Squats are the perfect lower body exercise to get your body ready for labor. You will work your quads, glutes, and hamstrings all at once. Plus, squatting helps bring the baby down into the right position, so go ahead and work on your squats every day during this third trimester. Start with your feet hip-width apart. Inhale through your nose. Exhale through your mouth as you lower yourself into a squat position. Push through your feet to stand up. Repeat 7 more times. Try to do 3 sets of 8 reps. To make it more challenging, hold your squat at the bottom for 30 seconds (or 8 breaths). This will help you practice controlled breathing through a contraction.

Thanks for reading all about pregnancy Pilates. Now you know that Pilates is a safe and effective way to get your body primed for labor. Pilates will also help to keep your body limber and your weight gain under control during pregnancy. Plus, you’ll enjoy all the many benefits of exercise like better sleep, more energy and reduced risk for various complications.

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Legs Tone and Trim With Pilates

Everyone has go-to muscles that they use to perform daily activities, and they vary from person to person depending on body shape and lifestyle. We often use these muscles subconsciously, which can lead to overuse injuries. These muscles are also easy to fire while working out, building bulk in the dominant muscles that are already strong and making it difficult to correct imbalances and evenly distribute the workload during exercise.

Toning Your Legs With Pilates

The beauty of private Pilates sessions is that the instructor can focus on identifying and strengthening an individual’s weak muscles. For legs specifically, dominant and weak muscles depend largely on posture and gait. Many people rely on their quads and are disconnected from their inner thighs and their medial hamstrings. Others are more disconnected from their gluteus Medius (one of three glute muscles) or the deep rotators of their hips.

Legs

To learn how to work the entire leg and achieve the desirable long, lean aesthetic Pilates are the answer. Traditional exercises only allow people to rely on their dominant muscles. Pilates requires grace, balance, flow, and control, which targets all of the muscles in the leg, including small intrinsic musculature and weak muscle groups. The concept keeps legs long and slim as they’re being toned.

Leg workouts without weight are a great place to start if you haven’t exercised for a while. Your legs have huge and powerful muscles which move you around all day. This means they are naturally stronger than your arms! The best part about training legs is you can do it at home without any weights at all! This makes it really accessible and if you are worried about not knowing what you are doing, you can do it in your own time and at your own speed!

Pilates for legs – 8 effective Pilates leg exercises you can do at home!

Sumo squat with calf raises.
Squat to calf raise.
Single leg bridge.
Lateral lunge transfers. Leg workouts without weights.
Single leg bridge with rotation.
Reverse Nordics and prep.
Single leg calf raises.
ChaiseFitness is Among the Best Pilates Studios in Manhattan
At ChaiseFitness, we believe that anyone can be fit—no matter what skill level or body type. This belief inspired the creation of our patented Reinvention Method, which is for everyone—the athlete, the dancer, the beginner, the advanced, the rebuilder. We blend Pilates, ballet, and strength training and equip you with a chair and overhead bungees so that you work out all your muscles every time. We are located in the Upper East Side in Manhattan. For more information, you can contact us at (973)996-2063, or visit our website.
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Arms Tone and Trim

If you want to lose fat from your arms, you must do these Pilates exercises that specifically target the fat around the arms. Women often forget to exercise their shoulders when it comes to workouts unlike men who are equally concerned about their shoulders as they are for their abdomen. Your hands and legs are the most exercised parts of the body and therefore, they should be strong and toned both. Do not ignore the fat hanging from your arms. Tone thy arms with simple yet effective Pilates exercises.

Pilates for Toning the Arms

Arms tone and trim

Pilates is a great exercise to strengthen the core but when talking about arms, it works on the endurance of the muscles which means the movements are done one after another and in a smooth manner. This means it works on all of those small muscles and muscles groups. This, in turn, gives you a shaped, toned and lean look.

Posterior Standing Hundred

Stand in the straight position with your toes shoulder-width apart.
Now clap with your arms quickly back and forth
Pushing back, focusing on pushing away and behind the body.
This exercise targets the triceps area and back of the arms.

Pilates doesn’t use weights, it just uses a progressive resistance like a string, or we will do exercises with an elastic band. If someone doesn’t have a band, all of the exercises can be done with a can of soup or a water bottle. This can provide resistance.

Bra Fat

Exercises need to be done one after the other in a smooth manner without any breaks in between. When they have combined altogether, they actually work on all the muscle groups. The posterior part of the arms which is called the bra fat is difficult to reach. Since this area is very difficult to reach through the conventional exercises like bicep curls, Pilates works for bra fat area very well. In short, Pilates not only tone the front of the arms but also the back part of the arms, shoulder blades and bra fat.

Best Exercises to Get Rid of Bra Fat

Push-ups. It helps in strengthening of back muscles
Plank with dumbbell. This exercise helps in the toning of the core muscles, and stabilizes the back
Dumbbell bent-over row
T-Raises
Plank with lateral arm raise
Upright rows

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Is 20 Minutes of Pilates A Day Enough?

Is 20 minutes of Pilates a day enough of a workout to see results? For most individuals, sticking to 20 minutes for a Pilates session is enough. So, 20 minutes / 3 times a week is a good schedule. You may find that as you get more comfortable with the routines and you begin to get stronger and more flexible that you will want to increase this to 30 minutes or more.

Is 20 Minutes of Pilates A Day Enough?

This is an individual’s choice, and you can certainly discuss this with your Pilates instructor.

Can You Lose Weight by Doing Pilates?

Like any exercise program performing Pilates will help you to burn calories. So, as long as you consume less calories than you burn, Pilates will help you to lose weight.

The great benefit of Pilates is that it’s a whole-body workout. You get cardio, strength training, stretching and toning. At Chaise Fitness, we believe that it’s one of the best exercise programs that can be performed by almost everyone at any age and at any stage of physical fitness.

Private Pilates Sessions (55 minutes)

If you are new to Pilates, we recommend at least a few private sessions (one-on-one) with one of our trained Pilates instructors. This will get you more comfortable with the routine that will work for your specific goals and your specific body.

Semi-Private Pilates Sessions (55 minutes)

In our semi-private sessions – one of our instructors will work with you and one other client. Sharing the experience of the exercises with another person can help to motivate you through the routine and you may just make yourself another friend!

Trio Pilates Sessions (55 minutes)

In our sessions – one of our instructors will work with you and two other clients throughout the session. This is a great way to share the cost of a Pilates session and to work with others for motivation and inspiration.

Is 20 Minutes of Pilates A Day Enough?

Each session is tailored to the specific needs and goals of the client. Our diverse Pilates instructors can focus on toning particular areas of the body, rehabilitating an injury, bringing relaxation and strength to the body, or activity-specific training such as dance, martial arts, or a particular sport toning.

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Pilates During Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, and want to do some exercise, but not sure what exercises are safe to do, try pregnancy pilates! Not only is it safe to do during pregnancy, but it can actually help your body to accommodate the pregnancy better, to assist with delivery, and to recover better and regain your shape after the baby is born. This form of exercise is highly recommended by many mothers, and pregnant moms often experience a wide range of benefits that stretch beyond the mere physical.

7 Ways that Pilates Benefits Pregnant Moms

1. Core muscles

Our abdominal and back muscles support our spinal column, our pelvic area and the spine, and they tend to become increasingly taxed during pregnancy, as the baby grows heavier and bigger. This often results in back pain, as the abdominals are not strong enough to adequately support the back and the back muscles are weakened by the growing belly, which causes the lower back to arch inwards, as the load gets heavier. Doing regular Pilates will strengthen these muscles and provide better support for the back and the overall skeletal structure during pregnancy.

2. Pelvic floor

These muscles are vital to having a healthy pregnancy and birth – they help to contain and hold everything in place in the lower abdomen. When the pelvic floor is healthy, it is able to contract and release on demand, and the perfect exercise to strengthen this group of muscles is Pilates. Strong pelvic floor muscles are also required for after the pregnancy, to help everything fall back into shape.

3. Posture

The weight of the baby often pulls one forward, and this results in incorrect posture and discomfort. Doing the correct exercises helps to correct postural mistakes and helps to hold the shoulders back in a healthier position.

4. Circulation

While strong muscles are very necessary, it is also vital to have a healthy circulation. The volume of blood increases to up to forty percent during pregnancy, and a strong circulation is needed to pump oxygen-filled blood to all the parts that are needed for the baby to grow and for mom to stay healthy.

5. Breathing

Learning good breathing techniques helps with relaxation and calms the mind during periods of stress. Pilates focuses heavily on breathing techniques that will sustain the mother not only through the stressful times of pregnancy, but also after the birth, and helps to keep the mind relaxed when needed most. Breathing techniques taught by BASI Pilates in Pretoria also helps to control breathing when in labour.

6. Feet

The extra weight of the baby places huge stress on the feet, and often feet become flatter or the arches fall as a result. Pilates helps to build healthy feet and thereby prevent a lot of common foot problems during and after pregnancy.

7. Control

Our techniques provide pregnant women with a sense of control over their bodies, during a time when it feels like everything is out of control. It also provides a sense of wellbeing and accomplishment, both of which may lead to more self-confidence. Getting the body back into shape after pregnancy is also easier, which also gives the self-esteem a boost!

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PILATES FOR STRESS?

We often hear about stress everywhere; in the news, at the doctor’s office, waiting in line, or just among family and friends. We’ve learned over the past couple of decades that excessive stress has long term detrimental effects. Of course, some stress in life is okay and even needed to accomplish goals and move forward, but we’re talking about the kind of stress that keeps you in ‘fight or flight’ mode and plays havoc on your nervous system.

Stress can stem from many sources - work, finances, sick loved ones, or certain times of the year where life is extremely hectic, like holidays and big events.

But what effect can stress have on your overall health?

For starters, a decrease of the immune system. Have you noticed how a person who is swamped at work or generally dissatisfied tends to be sick frequently? Stress can be a trigger or factor for disease, it can affect the digestive system and mood, and it has negative effects on learning and mental health.

Enter Pilates. The widely known benefits of Pilates include a strong core, improved posture, increased flexibility, and a toned body. Pilates is that and so much more.

The essence of Pilates is its mind-body connection, incorporating principles such as breathing, concentration, flow, and precision. Pilates has the magic element of exercise and movement that gets those feel-good endorphins released in the body along with its focus on breathing, which calms the nervous system and lowers the hormone cortisol. Cortisol on its own is not a bad thing. Like everything in life, it’s all about moderation! However, for many people nowadays, life means constant stress and thus an overload of cortisol in the body. That basically translates to being on edge ALL the time. Sleep quality, diet, blood sugar balance, and inflammation are all negatively affected.

Stress management is the key and one of it’s best strategies is Pilates.

Pilates for Relaxation

As a mind-body exercise modality, Pilates bridges strengthen with stretching. This provides a relaxed but energized session reducing muscular tension and calming the mind and body. Pilates exercises are steeped in its principle of breathing. Focused breathing is known for its calming effect, both on the mind and body. Pilates can be thought of as an active meditation, especially for those that find it challenging to sit still and only breathe.

Pilates for Stress and Anxiety

With all of the distractions, responsibilities, and commitments most of us face, it can be extremely overwhelming - and in many cases unproductive - which keeps us stuck in a loop of overwhelm. Pilates focuses your attention on the practice in each moment and exercise, freeing you from thinking about anything but the practice.

Much like our smartphones that need recharging to work efficiently, so do we! Finishing your practice helps to give you a fresh and more grounded outlook.

From a physical standpoint, Pilates targets muscular strength for optimal posture and provides the foundation for a strong and connected body. That contributes to a perception of self-awareness and inner strength that can alleviate and combat feelings of anxiety.

Pilates for Mental Health

According to the WHO (World Health Organization) 25% of the world will be affected by mental and neurological disorders within their lifetime with depression and anxiety ranking the highest. Some symptoms experienced with mental illness include exhaustion, poor concentration, chest and back pain, and sleeping disorders.

Pilates can greatly benefit mental health and alleviate some of those common symptoms. Exercise, in general, is mood-elevating due to the release of those ‘feel-good’ endorphins, however, Pilates goes a step further due to its mind-body component.

The focus involved in Pilates takes the individual out of their ‘head’ and into their body. This invokes a sense of control over their body that can be transferred into their daily lives with a renewed sense of confidence. Breathing with movements heightens mental clarity and mindfulness, again taking them away from any problems or worries.

Taking a class can build a routine as well as a social aspect of being around others.

Pilates is the ultimate act of self-care and stress management! Self-care and self-love are thrown around in media circles and even used as a marketing tool for stress management. But what are self-care and self-love? Is it treating yourself to a favorite food? Going out to a party with friends? Or waiting until you’re exhausted and deciding to go to a spa?

All of these options are fantastic and fun but like all successful aspects of life, consistency is the key. Sometimes self-care is saying no to that activity or food that is only a short term fix and will backfire later. A Pilates practice is your best short and long term solution. Ideally, you should aim for 2-3 times per week but anything consistent helps. Though it’s easy to fall into the trap of procrastinating on doing what is good for us for the sake of a project, feeling too tired, or feeling like you can’t step away, just getting yourself to that Mat will be worth all of the benefits!

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REFORMER PILATES FOR STRENGTH?

Reformer Pilates may be a low-impact exercise, but it is definitely a form of strength-training exercise. You may not be building up a huge sweat in the way you would with circuit training, but you will be building up your strength and gaining increased muscular endurance.

What it won’t do is grow muscle mass as dramatically as bodybuilding does. Having said that, even if you do want a body like Jason Momoa’s, Reformer Pilates can still be useful as an additional exercise as it will help you increase flexibility and resilience. Not only that, it will also build up strength in all your muscles, not just the ones you’re trying to bulk up.

How is Reformer Pilates strength training?

The way you strengthen your muscles with Reformer Pilates is to use the resistance offered by the springs and to gradually increase that resistance as your muscle mass improves. By exercising using the reformer bed, you will also be working on your body’s flexibility and stamina, both of which will help improve your strength training and reduce the risk of injury.

Strengthening your core with Reformer Pilates

Reformer Pilates concentrates on building up the strength in your core muscles, which are your abdominal, back and gluteal muscles. Your core muscles, or ‘power house’, are vital because they support your back, help you maintain good posture, and help you keep moving efficiently. Core stability is essential for safely building the strength of your other muscles. For example, many athletes now choose to do Reformer Pilates as a way of helping them keep their whole body working effectively. Regular participation in sports that rely on you using a dominant arm – for example, tennis, cricket or bowling – could result in an imbalance in your muscular structure. By working on all the muscles, Reformer Pilates helps to tone the muscles in that dominant arm at the same time as strengthening the muscles in the non-dominant arm, helping to prevent injuries that are caused by that lack of balance.

Is Reformer Pilates a form of resistance training?

Resistance training is any form of exercise where you lift or pull against a weight resistance (some people use the term ‘weight training’, which means the same thing). Through the use of different combinations of springs on the reformer bed, you can create just the right amount of resistance for each exercise to be effective for you. As soon as you’re comfortable with that amount of resistance, you can change the spring combination, which will give you greater resistance and therefore further increase your muscle strength. This is the reason why our sessions work so well, even though there are people of all abilities in each group. You control your own progress, which means you take things at your own pace – not the pace of the rest of the group – so you’ll never feel you’re always catching up or, conversely, that you’re always waiting for the others to catch up with you.

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Pilates and Meditation

What are the benefits of meditation?

“Meditation is good medicine,” remarks Pilates Anytime teacher, Tom McCook in his Embodied Presence Meditation class. He's right. A regular meditation practice can help lower blood pressure, improve mood, and relieve stress.

Taking time to meditate also offers us a chase to look inward and reflect. McCook notes, “In a busy world, cultivating the ability to collect ourselves and be present is an amazing tool... When we’re grounded and present, we have the ability to be our best selves.”

We can always make more time for self-care. Even if you meditate for just five minutes a day, you will begin to feel its benefits.

How can meditation benefit my Pilates practice?

Both Pilates and meditation are practices that emphasize the mind-body connection, as they require control, focus, and attention to breath.

In Pilates, your breath coincides with movement. Similarly with meditation, you learn how to be still and in control your breath. Meditation also improves body awareness, which can influence how you move in your Pilates practice. The discipline required in meditation can be applied when pushing through a tough Pilates class.

Furthermore, you will feel inspired to set goals for yourself in these mind-body practices. At the start of a meditation session, we often reflect on our intentions for sitting down and taking this moment for ourselves. Ask yourself at the beginning of a Pilates class, what are my movement goals? In her Reflective, Alert Mind class, Regina Santos begins an active, Intermediate Mat class with a grounding practice to get you in-tune with your body.

Additionally, in McCook's Introduction to Pilates Anytime’s Mindful Movement program, he states, “Your body is always trying to follow what your mind is thinking.” By redirecting your attention to your goals and the present moment, you will get the most out of Pilates and meditation.

How can I begin my meditation practice?

If you are new to meditation, following the below steps will guide you toward a successful practice:

Begin by sitting in a comfortable position, either in a chair or on the floor. For more support, try sitting on a Mat, cushion, or blanket. Make sure that your spine is upright and relatively straight.
Close your eyes and begin to bring your attention to your breath. Deepening your inhale and exhale, allow your muscles to soften and mind to relax.
Easing into a calm state, reflect upon your intention for meditating. Common goals of meditation are to relieve stress, take time for self-care, and find mental clarity. Since meditation grants an opportunity to check in, your intention can be as personal as you see fit.
A great way to notice how your body is feeling is to conduct a body scan. Beginning from the top of your head and ending at your toes, assess each part of your body to reveal where you are holding tension. Still in control of your breath, you will begin to feel settled and relaxed.
If your mind is racing or you find yourself distracted, gently guide yourself back to your breath and remember your intention. Count your breath and notice the rise and fall of your belly with each inhale and exhale. “Meditation isn't about trying to control your mind or stop it from thinking,” McCook notes. “That's actually not possible. Your goal is just to bring your attention repeatedly back to the present moment by focusing on your breath.”

Your first meditation session does not need to be long. We suggest beginning with five minutes of meditation a day and then building up to longer sessions. With gentle practice, you can easily integrate meditation into your daily routine to supplement your Pilates goals.

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How to Balance Workouts & Recovery

To ensure the quality of your workout, it’s crucial to balance exercise with adequate rest and recovery. Recovery is the period where your muscles, tissue and bones repair themselves after a Pilates class or workout session. Getting sufficient rest includes monitoring your pace during exertion. Rest periods between exercise helps your body grow muscle and recharge. Always give yourself time to rest and recover whenever you need it. Remember everyone is different, so be sure to listen to your body.

BALANCING WORKOUTS WITH RECOVERY

Journaling:

Sometimes reaching your goals isn’t always as clear-cut as you think. One common possession of those who’ve reached their fitness goals is a training journal or log. Open it up to find meticulous notes of different exercises, most likely written in a specific order, with detailed sections of sets and reps. A good training log is often filled with lists of equipment that was used and blurbs of how you were feeling on that day.

When your progress doesn’t reach a level that is satisfactory to you, it’s common to go back through your training journal to see where things went wrong. This can be helpful. Targeting different body areas will require a combination of Pilates exercises. Moreover, recovery is often given little to no consideration when planning your exercise routine, but it should be monitored in the journal.

Schedule:

While it’s great knowing the importance of regular exercise, realizing how to balance the quality of your training is even better. If you incorporate the above knowledge into your Pilates routine, it will help you manage your time and maximize the results. Pilates, just like many other fitness systems, should be done for a minimum of 3 times per week. However, to further improve your body’s strength, flexibility and endurance, you can do up to 4 or 5 Pilates classes a week. Just make sure you follow a Pilates workout schedule that suits your lifestyle, so it’s easier for you to stay consistent and enjoy your classes. We recommend sitting down and thinking about how many times you want to attend class, then working out where you can add this into your weekly schedule.

You need a day of rest at least once a week. A rest day is a day in which a person takes a break from their regular Pilates workout routine. Rest days are an important part of any exercise program. They give the body a chance to repair, recover, and help to prevent injury. During rest days, the body has a chance to remove excess lactate from the muscles. This helps to alleviate soreness. Glycogen is a form of energy stored in muscles. Exercise depletes glycogen levels, which leads to muscle fatigue. Rest days allow the muscles to replenish their glycogen stores, thereby reducing muscle fatigue and preparing the muscles for their next workout. A person should plan to have at least one rest day every 7 to 10 days.

Recovery:

When you train, you’re stressing your body and challenging its current capacity and overall homeostasis, whether it be your muscular, nervous, cardiovascular, or endocrine system. Overexercising puts repetitive stress and strain on the muscles, increasing the risk of injury. Overexercising can tire the mind as well as the body. Tiredness can lead to poor decision making during a workout routine, which increases the risk of injury.

Because you survived this challenge, you’ll adapt, and through those adaptations you’ll improve. To help us reach our goals faster, we often place such a high premium on high-intensity and high-volume exercise that we miss the boat on recovery. When your body isn’t recovering adequately between training sessions, you can easily find yourself feeling fatigued, less motivated, and injured.

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Pilates for Muscle Building:

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In-Person Training Provides More Hands-on Experience

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Pilates is More Fun in a Group

Friendly Environment:

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Motivation Matters:

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Pilates is more fun in a group:

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Pilates after Cesarean Section

Pilates after Cesarean Section

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Postpartum Pilates

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Benefits of Pilates During pregnancy

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Toning Your Legs With Pilates

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Pilates for Toning the Arms

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Is 20 Minutes of Pilates A Day Enough?

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7 Ways that Pilates Benefits Pregnant Moms

1. Core muscles

2. Pelvic floor

3. Posture

4. Circulation

5. Breathing

6. Feet

7. Control

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But what effect can stress have on your overall health?

Pilates for Relaxation

Pilates for Stress and Anxiety

Pilates for Mental Health

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How is Reformer Pilates strength training?

Strengthening your core with Reformer Pilates

Is Reformer Pilates a form of resistance training?

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What are the benefits of meditation?

How can meditation benefit my Pilates practice?

How can I begin my meditation practice?

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