Any info on Pilates

[ucdkid]

Greetings-

I'm helping my boss, middle aged- female, design a weight traing/diet program. She's never done any sort of weight training before. Currently she does pilates two times a week, and loves it. My first inclination is to tell her that with the addition of weight training, she doesn't need to do pilates anymore. She requested I include her two days of pilates with her weght training...

I must admit I know nothing nor have any experience with Pilates-the benefits, similarities to weight training, etc. I'm guessing that it helps with flexibilaty, stregthens the core, minimal resistance training. Would you treat pilates sessions more as a form of cardio or does it really deplete glycogen stores enough to compare it to weight training.

I appreciate any insight/experience you could give me. What do you think I should do for her program-leave it in or throw it out?

Thank you in advance
UCDKid

 

[Daisy_Girl]

hmmm, I don't know a whole lot about it either, but I would say it would SUPPLEMENT a weight-loss program, not be the basis for it. Pilates will help strengthen core muscles (back, abs, hips) but should not be considered cardio or weight training (IMHO).

I don't think it is a detriment to her program to leave it in, especially if she enjoys it so much. But she still needs to have a couple days of weight training and a couple days of cardio.

 

[superqt4u2nv]

Pilates and Yoga are great for core training. I say she leaves them in there but she must add weights and cardio. Weights is really the key my mom just turned 51 and she is in the best shape of her life thanks to weights. I showed he some basic moves with her home set of dumbbells in the spring., as well as encouraging her to increase the weights. Which she was very afraid of at first didn’t want to become too muscular. Needless to say her body is damm tight now. Everyone is asking her what she is doing. She is talking about buying a bench and more free weights.

 

[wend]

Pilates should definitely stay in her program, not only because she likes it (which is a pretty good reason on its own), but also because it can help her avoid injury. Pilates does strengthen her core, and it also helps forge a stronger mind/body connection by helping her focus on her breath. Thus she'll be better able to listen to her body's signals and not go past her limits.