Can you lose weight with pilates? – GOOD SHAPE

It is not today that the pilates fell to people’s taste. But one thing is for sure: it doesn’t look like it’s going to go out of style anytime soon. The practice, considered one of the most democratic of all, has almost no restriction on age and conditioning (young people, adults and seniors of all physical types are welcome). However, due to being low impact and not make us sweat so much, many people have a certain prejudice and even skepticism about its real effects. After all, does he lose weight or not?

According to Pilates biomechanics specialist Jéssica Roberta Silva, from Health4u Academia, this is not exactly the main objective of the activity. “Since it generates a low caloric expenditure, we cannot say that pilates is enough for weight loss. On the other hand, he is able to define the whole body. And if we add that to a balanced diet It is aerobic activitieswe can cause weight loss.”

Not to mention the other countless benefits provided by the sessions. “Just to name a few, we have muscle strengthening, spinal alignment and consequent improvement in posture, balance and flexibility. In addition to joint protection, it helps in breathing, more concentration, mental control, coordination and body awareness”, explains the instructor. Ufa!

And science not only seems to agree with all this, it adds more. A study carried out at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp), for example, studied female volunteers, sedentary and hypertensive and pointed out that pilates can reduce pressure and consequently reduce the risk of stroke. Another, from the University of Southern Santa Catarina, detected that elderly women who practiced pilates, in addition to being more flexible and stronger, also had a more optimistic view of life than sedentary women of the same age group. Have we convinced you to test a class yet? So come find out more about:

What is pilates?

The exercise method that combines strength and flexibility is based on the following principles: concentration, control, breathing and fluid movements. Quite in the style of yoga, isn’t it?

But unlike the ancient Asian practice, pilates was created by the German Joseph Hubertus Pilates, “who had respiratory complications since childhood. Due to his health problems, he combined several exercises based on observation of animals and babies”, says Jessica. This type of conditioning created by him was called contrology.

How it works?

The exercises are performed through a forced exhalation, and thus stimulate the recruitment of muscles very deep in the body. “It’s like an activation from the inside out. You isometric stimuli (those that require a region without needing movements) and even the most dynamic ones reinforce mobility, strength and ask for concentration”, he says. Focus, by the way, is something you need to have: Jessica claims that the class should be done with your abdomen contracted at all times.

And how are pilates sessions done?

Individual or collective, classes are always supervised by an instructor, who assesses the needs of the students and teaches the appropriate exercises for each one. The teacher always monitors the execution posture and breathing, which can facilitate the many movements performed on pilates equipment (Cadillac, Reformer, Chair, or Lader Barrel). It is discussed in three moments:

Heating: “The first part of the class is for warming up and stretching muscles with preparatory exercises.”
Main: “when students perform specific exercises according to their needs and limitations.”
Closing: “At the last moment, the objective is to improve the corporal conscience, pay attention to your breathing relax body and mind. It takes a few minutes to organize the body as a whole.”