It's just a small stretch to a better body with pilates

It's just a small stretch to a better body with pilates

Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It was once considered the best kept secret among ballerinas and
dancers in maintaining their toned, slim figures.

Then word got out about pilates (pronounced pih-lah-tees), and
attracted celebrities, professional sportsmen and other health-
conscious people around the world to reap its benefits.

Most women are interested in its promises of a flatter tummy,
slender thighs, straight back, tight calves and better posture.

But pilates can do more than just that.

"It'll make a person stronger, more flexible and fix
imbalances in the body. It makes you feel very relaxed, relieves
stress and generally you will feel better," said Meela Chan, a
pilates instructor at Body Works at The Spa of the Dharmawangsa
hotel.

"Unlike weight lifting, which tend to build bulky muscles,
when you do pilates, the muscles develop as very long fibers.
Everything is stretched out and the shape of the body becomes
elongated, instead of rounded."

Besides building strength without bulking up, pilates
movements increase flexibility, agility, core stability (by
locating the center of balance deep within the abdomen), improve
posture and physical balance.

"It strengthens the core of the torso, and with strong
abdominals, you also strengthen your spine and you will have a
new posture," explained Susan Tumewa, owner of the gym.

In carrying out daily activities or sports, people generally
tend to overuse one part of the body, which will become stronger,
while less frequently used parts become weaker. This condition
will in turn change the body shape and cause physical imbalances.

"When you're young, you won't feel it, but it will deteriorate
or get worse as you age," she said, adding that the exercise,
which can also be used to prevent injuries, does so as it
conditions the overall physique and strengthens weak body parts.

As the exercise is low-impact, she added, it is suitable for
almost everybody: young and old, physically active and inactive,
those recovering from injuries or chronic back, knee, neck and
shoulder pains, as well as obese or pregnant women. Professional
sportsmen, she said, also took up pilates to keep their bodies in
condition and to strengthen the less-used parts of the body in
order to maintain their physical balance.

However, despite the low-impact nature that makes pilates
gentle enough for old people, Chan did not recommend it for young
people under the age of 18, because they are still growing.

The exercise was developed in the early 1990s by Joseph
Pilates, whose frailty during childhood spurred his interest in
body conditioning. He later grew to become an accomplished skier,
diver, gymnast and boxer.

Combining both Western and Eastern forms of exercises, pilates
uses special equipment designed by Pilates himself and also
involves concentration, proper breathing techniques, and fluid,
slow and gentle movements.

But since it is not an aerobic workout, it is advisable to
combine pilates with other cardiovascular exercises.

"This is not a weight-loss program, so people who want to lose
weight need to do other aerobic exercises to burn excess body
fat," said Susan.

Chan also encouraged people to try different kinds of
exercises, since sticking to one type of exercise inures the body
to doing certain movements in certain ways.

And unlike other exercises, pilates has a wide range of
movements to work different parts of the body.

"There are movements in pilates that some people won't be able
to do, because they won't have the connections from the brain to
the muscles for that part of the body," Chan said.

Before joining the workout, she added, students needed to
disclose their complete physical condition, including past and
recent injuries, so that they could receive the appropriate
training for their condition.

Practitioners say the results speak for themselves: Pilates,
its founder, once said that in only 10 sessions, people would
start to feel a difference; and in 20 sessions, they would see
the difference and that a new body could be made in 30 sessions.

"You should do at least two sessions per week. However, it is
advisable to take three sessions per week for the best results,"
Susan advised.