Anyone can practice Pilates, but pilates exercises in the field are ideal for ex-sedentary people who are ready to start physical activity, but especially for those who are overweight, these exercises are performed on the mattress, more slowly and with less impact on the joints, which in addition to facilitating the activity, avoids pains in the knee, back and ankle for example.
The most recommended Pilates exercises for beginners are solo exercises, using elastics and balls of different sizes that do not overload muscles and joints and respect the student’s ability and strength. With better fitness, it is possible to move the exercises to more intense exercises and with other Pilates equipment, such as the Cadillac, for example.
Thus, the first Pilates exercises for beginners may be
The correct breathing for Pilates exercises is chest or diaphragmatic breathing, which involves allowing air to enter the nose and escape through the mouth, the best way to learn to breathe is to lie on your back, keeping your back against the ground and bent legs, to allow a better adaptation of your lumbar spine.
Then you should rest your hands on your abdomen and inhale deeply, but without inflating your abdomen, allowing the ribs to be further apart, especially laterally. When the air can no longer be let in, all air should be exhaled through the mouth, slowly.and in a controlled manner I should take at least 5 breaths as well.
In the same position, each breath should bring one leg closer to the torso and return to the original position each time it begins to release air through the mouth. This exercise should be done 5 times in a row, taking care not to breathe in a disorderly manner When you have completed all 5 repetitions, do the same exercise with the other leg.
In the same position, lying on your back and with your knees bent but placing a ball on your back and holding weights of 0.5 or 1 kg in each hand, you should stretch your arms and put your hands together, you should bring your hands closer while exhaling through your mouth and allow air to enter when your arms return to the ground.
Lying on your back, bend your legs as in the picture and lift the torso off the ground, keeping your arms straight on your sides.Exercise involves keeping your abdomen contracted while moving your arms up and down (still stretched) 10 times in a row.Repeat 9 more times, complete 100 moves, but divide the ten.
Lying on your back, place a ball between your legs, near your ankle, and lift your legs together, as shown in the picture, then lower your leg and turn your leg up. The leg should not rise to the point where the lumbar spine is above the ground During this exercise, the spine should always touch the ground completely.
See other Pilates Ball exercises that are also for beginners
The instructor may indicate other exercises to improve the quality of life and contribute to weight reduction. Pilates classes can be done 2 or 3 times per week, being able to be done alone or as a group, but always under the guidance of a Pilates instructor who can be a physical education professional or physical therapist, since in case of overweight, Pilates should not be performed at home, to avoid any risk of injury.
To get the most out of Pilates classes, it is advisable to perform the exercises correctly because this allows the results of tone, balance and muscle strength to be visible more quickly.Another helpful tip is to focus on breathing by taking care not to hold your muscles.breathing during exercises, keeping airflow in and out, following the instructor’s instructions.
Although it is not a high calorie activity, Pilates also helps you lose weight and mobilize body fat, also improving physical condition, promoting well-being and increasing self-esteem.
The benefits of the Pilates method can be seen in the first few weeks of exercise and involve easier breathing, standing and standing with less pain, better blood circulation in the legs and greater willingness to exercise.
In addition to these benefits, Pilates helps to improve posture, correcting the position of the head, which is usually more forward-oriented and also the “bossu”, which is typical when being overweight.These exercises help strengthen muscles, increase body flexibility and decrease the amount of fat inside the arteries, naturally lowering cholesterol.