There are four main areas of the body that people can target with Pilates to shape their physique; the abs, back, glutes, hips, and pelvis. Focusing on these parts of the body helps strengthen the foundation that improves the entire body’s movement. While these areas are the focal point of Pilates sequences, it is essential to note that Pilates is terrific because it is a full-body workout that can be customized to target whichever parts of the body practitioners are interested in concentrating on.
How does targeting the four main areas with Pilates shape your body?
Pilates is a one-stop-shop for wellness that can transform one’s body and mind. It is a movement method focused on bettering practitioners’ overall health. By targeting the four main areas, abs, back, glutes, hips, and pelvis, Pilates improves flexibility, postural alignment, muscular imbalances, coordination, strength, and one’s mind-body connection. This practice helps people increase muscle tone, stand up taller, move easier, and most notably, it helps them redefine and redirect unhelpful daily movement patterns in the body that lead to injury.
Does Pilates help lose fat because you target specific areas of your body or just strengthen it?
Anyone interested in becoming a lean, keen Pilates machine can get excited that Pilates builds strength. An increase in muscle mass boosts a person’s resting metabolism, meaning they burn more energy in a relaxed state like sitting. Burning more fuel means they have a better opportunity to create a caloric deficit for their body to lose fat. The number of calories practitioners burn in one Pilates class is less than other cardio forms, like running and kickboxing. However, Pilates is a tool to make long-term changes in the composition of one’s body. Pilates focuses on targeting key areas, abs, back, glutes, hips, and pelvis, while still giving your body a full workout and building muscle in addition to fixing habitual movement patterns that lead to injury. Healthy fat loss that sticks is achievable gradually over time with a consistent focus on overall wellness. If someone is looking to lose fat, it is essential to build muscle, prevent injury, and create an energy deficit. Practitioners can do this by creating a routine that includes cross-training Pilates and other exercise forms with a healthy diet.