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Pilates equipment at Pilates on Fifth
Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. ~Joseph Pilates
Good posture has been one of my New Year's Resolutions for years. (I still haven't accomplished it so it's on my list again this year). Bad posture can cause many ills from poor digestion to back and joint pain. When I first put posture on the list, I thought immediately of the Pilates Method. This exercise focuses on strengthening your core (muscles in your abdomen and back), which is necessary for good posture. Developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s, it is supposed to make you stronger, leaner and longer. It was initially taken up by ballet dancers, who are the graceful epitome of long, lean good posture.
The…
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.%20Bad%20posture%20can%20cause%20many%20ills%20from%20poor%20digestion%20to%20back%20and%20joint%20pain.%20When%20I%20first%20put%20posture%20on%20the%20list,%20I%20thought%20immediately%20of%20the%20Pilates%20Method.%20This%20exercise%20focuses%20on%20strengthening%20your%20core%20(muscles%20in%20your%20abdomen%20and%20back),%20which%20is%20necessary%20for%20good%20posture.%20Developed%20by%20Joseph%20Pilates%20in%20the%201920s,%20it%20is%20supposed%20to%20make%20you%20stronger,%20leaner%20and%20longer.%20It%20was%20initially%20taken%20up%20by%20ballet%20dancers,%20who%20are%20the%20graceful%20epitome%20of%20long,%20lean%20good%20posture.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThe%20Pilates%20Method%20is%20taught%20through%20equipment%20or%20mat%20classes.%20It%20focuses%20on%20muscle%20control,%20which%20is%20harder%20than%20it%20sounds.%20Equipment%20classes%20are%20generally%20more%20effective%20since%20they%20increase%20resistance.%20They%20are%20usually%20taught%20privately%20or%20in%20small%20groups%20so%20they%20are%20more%20expensive.%20%20Mat%20classes%20follow%20a%20sequence%20of%20Pilates%20exercises,%20and%20require%20a%20mat.%20When%20I%20started%20taking%20Pilates,%20I%20didn't%20have%20the%20cash%20for%20the%20equipment%20classes%20so%20I%20took%20mat.%20Then%20a%20friend%20of%20mine%20who%20wanted%20to%20be%20in%20the%20best%20shape%20of%20her%20life%20when%20she%20turned%2040%20started%20taking%20equipment%20classes.%20After%20seeing%20the%20taut%20lines%20that%20ran%20down%20the%20sides%20of%20her%20stomach,%20I%20decided%20to%20try%20a%20few%20classes.%20So%20this%20is%20one%20layperson's%20experience.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EJust%20for%20a%20little%20background,%20I%20consider%20myself%20fairly%20active.%20I'm%20no%20Olympian,%20but%20I%20run,%20strength%20train%20and%20practice%20yoga%20regularly.%20Pilates%20kicked%20my%20butt.%20When%20I%20first%20started%20mat%20classes,%20I%20had%20no%20idea%20I%20was%20such%20a%20weakling.%20The%20exercises%20were%20so%20hard,%20it%20was%20addictive.%20Over%20time,%20the%20exercises%20got%20easier%20but%20I%20didn't%20notice%20myself%20being%20any%20longer%20or%20leaner.%20I%20eventually%20got%20bored%20with%20the%20series,%20and%20I%20didn't%20have%20the%20time%20to%20do%20both%20yoga%20and%20Pilates%20so%20I%20focused%20on%20yoga.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHowever,%20I%20recently%20took%20a%20series%20of%20three%20equipment%20classes%20at%20Pilates%20on%20Fifth%20in%20NYC.%20The%20classes%20were%20supposed%20to%20be%20a%20small%20group%20(four%20people),%20but%20I%20lucked%20out%20and%20the%20first%20one%20happened%20to%20be%20private.%20That%20was%20extremely%20helpful%20because%20the%20exercises%20were%20different%20from%20anything%20I'd%20done%20before.%20Equipment%20classes%20were%20even%20harder%20than%20mat.%20The%20machines%20are%20odd%20looking,%20and%20they%20add%20enough%20resistance%20to%20be%20excruciating.%20The%20classes%20are%20a%20full%20body%20workout.%20Mat%20classes%20seem%20to%20focus%20on%20core%20and%20some%20leg,%20but%20the%20equipment%20hits%20all%20the%20muscles%20in%20your%20arms%20and%20legs%20too.%20I%20kept%20looking%20at%20my%20watch%20hoping%20the%20class%20would%20be%20over.%20I%20got%20sweaty%20by%20the%20end.%20Since%20I%20took%20the%20classes%20sporadically%20(weeks%20in%20between%20classes)%20so%20I%20didn't%20get%20all%20the%20benefits.%20If%20I'd%20taken%20them%20regularly,%20I%20have%20no%20doubt%20that%20I%20would%20be%20walking%20tall.%20My%20friend%20with%20the%20taut%20tummy%20has%20been%20taking%20private%20sessions%20for%20a%20little%20less%20than%20two%20years,%20and%20her%20instructor%20varies%20the%20Pilates%20with%20gyrotonics.%20She%20also%20does%20some%20mat%20exercises%20at%20the%20gym.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20some%20similarities%20between%20yoga%20and%20Pilates.%20As%20much%20as%20I%20like%20Pilates,%20I'm%20going%20to%20stick%20with%20yoga.%20There's%20an%20inceasing%20amount%20of%20cross-over.%20A%20yoga%20instructor%20will%20occasionally%20add%20some%20Pilates%20exercises,%20which%20is%20great,%20and%20there%20are%20hybrid%20yogilates%20classes%20too.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBottom%20Line:%20If%20you%20are%20looking%20for%20a%20disciplined%20strengthening%20exercise,%20Pilates%20is%20great.%20Mat%20classes%20will%20strengthen%20your%20core,%20and%20if%20you%20can%20afford%20it,%20equipment%20classes%20are%20a%20full-body%20workout.%20Combine%20equipment%20classes%20with%20cardio%20exercise%20and%20you'll%20have%20a%20full%20exercise%20program.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWhat%20I%20ate:%201%20hard%20boiled%20egg,1%20bowl%20cherries,%202%20lattes,%201%20cup%20cantaloupe,%20maracona%20almonds,%202%20cups%20quinoa%20+%20ground%20roasted%20flaxseed,%20vegetable%20stirfry,%20seaweed,%20honey%20yogurt%20+%20ground%20roasted%20flaxseed,%202%20salted%20caramels,%20pork%20jerky,%20salted%20caramel%20goatmilk%20ice%20cream,%2036%20oz%20water%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EExercise:%20None%3C/p%3E){kind=link}