2008 Woodie Awards
Join the pilates revolution
Christine Shollenberger ; Mass Communications Student
Issue date: 12/6/06 Section: Sports
Are you tired of killing yourself working out on the treadmill, or paying tons of money for a personal trainer, just to get into shape or to look and feel good?
There is an easier way; take a Pilates class. Pilates courses are offered at almost every college in the country, and most private gyms offer them as well.
Over the past couple of years, Pilates has become one of the most popular ways to get into shape. Its low impact and slow pace increasingly appeals to people.
Why has Pilates become so popular? A few years ago, it was a new form of yoga that no one really knew about. Now it is becoming a household word, and more and more people are getting off the couch and onto mats… the Pilates mats, that is.
Pilates focuses mainly on core strength and proper alignment. Posture and flexibility are also emphasized. It uses a range of slow movements that participants cannot rush.
The reason many people didn't know about, or even like, this type of exercise might be because it wasn't fast, and results do not come as quickly as one might hope. However, "You could do 50 fast crunches and get the same impact doing 10 Pilates roll downs," says Dr. Lori Head, a Pilates instructor at Idaho State.
Also, more women than men enroll in these courses. One reason for this might be because men don't see Pilates as a "macho" exercise. How manly is it to sit around a room in your socks, stretching? Dr. Head points out that, as the trend becomes more popular, the number of male enrollees increases.
Dr. Head is starting to see a trend: all her classes are becoming full every semester. "People really like the low impact and the variety of the class," she comments.
Many athletes are also getting their piece of the Pilates trend. Because the exercises increase flexibility and reduce stress, athletes find it stimulating. Dr. Head has seen some sports teams come in as a group to take a class. In that situation, she makes the exercises and stretches more sport-specific, so as to not build up muscles that would be used less than others.
ISU Student Kelsie Turner, says "I love it; it relaxes me before I go to my other classes." Turner is a Nursing major who enjoys the stress release, but finds that not all the exercises are easy. "Holding some of the positions is tough," she says. "But it's effective; I am much more flexible than I have ever been."
For example, one common exercise is a stretch called a "down facing dog." Stand up straight, take a deep breath in and slowly roll down and touch your toes, while keeping your spine rounded, and legs slightly bent. This is a good exercise to stretch your hamstrings and increase flexibility in your back.
This kind of effective workout can help in many different ways: increase flexibility, reduce stress, feel and look good.
So instead of killing yourself on a treadmill everyday, join a Pilates class and relieve the stress of trying to get into shape.
There is an easier way; take a Pilates class. Pilates courses are offered at almost every college in the country, and most private gyms offer them as well.
Over the past couple of years, Pilates has become one of the most popular ways to get into shape. Its low impact and slow pace increasingly appeals to people.
Why has Pilates become so popular? A few years ago, it was a new form of yoga that no one really knew about. Now it is becoming a household word, and more and more people are getting off the couch and onto mats… the Pilates mats, that is.
Pilates focuses mainly on core strength and proper alignment. Posture and flexibility are also emphasized. It uses a range of slow movements that participants cannot rush.
The reason many people didn't know about, or even like, this type of exercise might be because it wasn't fast, and results do not come as quickly as one might hope. However, "You could do 50 fast crunches and get the same impact doing 10 Pilates roll downs," says Dr. Lori Head, a Pilates instructor at Idaho State.
Also, more women than men enroll in these courses. One reason for this might be because men don't see Pilates as a "macho" exercise. How manly is it to sit around a room in your socks, stretching? Dr. Head points out that, as the trend becomes more popular, the number of male enrollees increases.
Dr. Head is starting to see a trend: all her classes are becoming full every semester. "People really like the low impact and the variety of the class," she comments.
Many athletes are also getting their piece of the Pilates trend. Because the exercises increase flexibility and reduce stress, athletes find it stimulating. Dr. Head has seen some sports teams come in as a group to take a class. In that situation, she makes the exercises and stretches more sport-specific, so as to not build up muscles that would be used less than others.
ISU Student Kelsie Turner, says "I love it; it relaxes me before I go to my other classes." Turner is a Nursing major who enjoys the stress release, but finds that not all the exercises are easy. "Holding some of the positions is tough," she says. "But it's effective; I am much more flexible than I have ever been."
For example, one common exercise is a stretch called a "down facing dog." Stand up straight, take a deep breath in and slowly roll down and touch your toes, while keeping your spine rounded, and legs slightly bent. This is a good exercise to stretch your hamstrings and increase flexibility in your back.
This kind of effective workout can help in many different ways: increase flexibility, reduce stress, feel and look good.
So instead of killing yourself on a treadmill everyday, join a Pilates class and relieve the stress of trying to get into shape.
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