Does pilates really work?

My mom has pilates DVD's, but I have never tried them I'm not medically overweight but I look very untoned and chubby (I have big muscles covered in fat!)
Hilary Duff says she does pilates and thats how she got so skinny. I eat really healthy, hardly any junk food. So will pilates be good for  helping me get what i want?
I am losing weight, I've lost 5-8 lbs already.

There are different types and levels of pilates.  All types help lengthen and tone your muscles.  Its a GREAT workout for flexibility, the element of physical fitness that is often forgotten and neglected.  Pilates doesn't necessarily burn a lot of calories, and cannot replace the benefits of cardio, but at times it can get your heartrate up enough to help speed up the weightloss process.

So, in short...Yes, pilates will help you tone, lengthen, strengthen, stretch, and thin out your muscles.  I highly recommend you begin practicing this type of exercise.  You may want to take a class (even one will help) so that you know how to do the moves the correct way and avoid injuring yourself, as well as learning how to get the most out of each session.  Don't forget that doing 30+ minutes of moderate cardiorespiratory exercise will really burn the fat, as well as help your body become healthier in more important ways than simply fat loss.

I hope this helps, and way to go on the 5-8 lbs lost!  That's good progress, keep it up!  Best wishes. :)

Done properly..meaning you pay careful attention to the techniques..specifically the breathing, Pilates can do a world of good. Now like everything else..it's not going to perform miracles and it's work. You'll need an additonal cardio routine as well, but it's a great workout...many levels and different  varieties of workouts to try. If you have digital cable, most of them have 'free spots' with some great Pilates workouts available.

How often do you need to be doing it to make a difference?

at the moment i've just finished a 7 week beginners course (1 hr a week) and i can feel an improvement in my technique but im not sure i've notice a difference in my body.... i also dance - 2 hours modern on a thurs and 1hour each of tap ballet and modern on a friday....and im trying to get to the gym once a week too...do you think i should add some more pilates into this?! x

Original Post by plm0187:



So, in short...Yes, pilates will help you tone, lengthen, strengthen, stretch, and thin out your muscles.

hahaha WHAT? What you are saying is a medical impossibility. You can't lengthen and thin out muscles. What exactly is thinning out a muscle anyway?

Pilates has it's place I'm sure but these claims make me laugh. A lot.

Thinning muscle seems bad to me - I think that's the same as losing muscle. So I'm not sure how that's an advertisement for pilates.

Pilates is great if you enjoy it, and it gets you off the couch. There are more effective ways to lose weight and strengthen/build muscle, so don't give those up in favor of pilates.  But if the choice is between nothing and pilates, yeah, pilates is better!

Also, I'd beware of any celebrities who claim that yoga or pilates are what made them thin. I'm sure they do those, but they probably also have a diet controled by nutritionists and chefs, and many/most of them have trainers that do extensive strenght training routines, in addition to cardio and yoga/pilates. But it reads better in People or Us Weekly that they do yoga and pilates - women read it and think "I could look like her" and men read it and think "ooh - bendy!"

amethystgirl you're so out of the loop. All the celebreties are looking hot doing the Bar Method! Get it, it's a bar, like ballerinas so you'll look like a 98 lb ballerina!

OH GOD I just looked at the site. It elongates muscles

I hate that site so much.

http://www.barmethod.com/questions/trim.html

I have a tendency to bulk up, especially in my legs and arms. Will the Bar Method strengthen my muscles and also keep them trim?

Apparently The Bar Method defies everything we know about modern medicine. It completely changes the entire structure of your body's musculature!

Then, as your muscles become denser, over a period of three-to-five months, they will also become more compact.

Ok well enough of my derail. Sorry!

have you two people actually tried it?!

its not meant to be a replacement of cardio and a form of weightloss, its all about posture and support. celebrities always jump on the band wagon about their amazing skinny solutions and this one has just been mis publicised imo.

it will certainly help your tummy look better because once you start standingup straight and actually use your tummy muscles rather than letting all your flab hang out of course you'll look trimmer.

i dont think you should be so quick to dismiss.

People are quick to dismiss because Pilates marketing material claims that it can DEFY THE LAWS OF PHYSICS!!! which is obvious BS.

Is pilates better than sitting on the couch? yes, definitley.  Will is produce results as well and as quickly as other forms of exercise? No, it won't, bottom line.

hey porkchop- I didn't say anything about the bar method - I had never heard of it til Spiro mentioned it.

I don't disagree that it could have positive effects on your posture, as can good shoes. But as you say, it's been "mis-publicized" so that people believe that it is for weight loss and "elongating" muscles (impossible except due to growth or by surgery). And when people do it instead of weight training and cardio, with the desired effect of weight loss, they are doing exactly what the makers of the product want - spending their money on something trendy, and guaranteeing that the same people will be back to buy the next trendy thing, be it flip flops that burn calories (because walking with regular shoes doesn't?) or a band you wrap around your waist to shock the fat out of you.

All Spiro said was that the advertising was bad - that the claims made on the website are misleading, to the point of lying. She wasn't judging the product for it's posture-enhancing benefits.

*edit to add: or were you talking about pilates? because then yes, I have tried it. And I decided that my time would be better spent lifting weights. If I had more time in my day, maybe I would try to work in a session of pilates every so often, I just haven't found that to be the case for me.  And like I said in my earlier post, I'm all for Pilates if it's between that and the couch. But for fat loss, there are more effective things to do.

Oh i wasn't talking about the bar method, i have no idea what that is - i'm guessing its not reached england yet (give it time we always copy americans eventually) but i had a quick look and it seems to me you might as well go and do some ballet?!!

Anyway i wasn't having ago i just think that because of the sort of publicity it gets, people tend to write it off as a fad and ignore genuine benefits of it with out trying it - hence asking if you had!

i think lifting weights is also important, but it won't strenghten your core muscles in the same way! and the main plus point of pilates really, is how low impact it is! a really good way of building up strength and support despite lots of back problems, pregnancy etc!

Original Post by porkchop85:

i think lifting weights is also important, but it won't strenghten your core muscles in the same way! and the main plus point of pilates really, is how low impact it is! a really good way of building up strength and support despite lots of back problems, pregnancy etc!

 I was about to be worked up into a frenzy, but then I realized I wasn't 100% sure what you meant. When you say "in the same way", do you mean not as effectively? If that's the case, the frenzy will ensue. If you mean differently or possibly not as well, we're on the same page.

I know nothing of fitness with injuries or during pregnancy, so I can't even comment on that part. I know, spirochete without a comment. Weird.

Original Post by porkchop85:

i think lifting weights is also important, but it won't strenghten your core muscles in the same way! Right, weight lifting will strengthen the core muscle much more efficiently. and the main plus point of pilates really, is how low impact it is! I'm not sure how you do a high impact weight workout, unless your jumping up and down between sets. a really good way of building up strength and support despite lots of back problems, pregnancy etc!

 

If you moved through the exercises quickly (flowing through asana's yoga style) you would get your heart rate up. Just like dance or other aerobics, however it might be tough to keep the tight form you need to prevent injury without learning it slowly first. I've never tried it. Also, it's important to remember that moving is always better then staying still, and adding muscle in any way will help weight loss.

If the OP truly has muscle already, then my best advice is to look more closely at you diet. You might not be using up as many calories as you are eating- good food or "junk". Tracking you eating and moving patters first will give you a better idea of where your efforts will have the most noticeable effect.

" I was about to be worked up into a frenzy, but then I realized I wasn't 100% sure what you meant. When you say "in the same way", do you mean not as effectively? If that's the case, the frenzy will ensue. If you mean differently or possibly not as well, we're on the same page."

I mean in a different way...weights use the resistance against the mass of what your lifting to strengthen your body, where as pilates relies on you holding your muscles in position for long periods whilst you stretch them! they're completely different methods!

As for pregnancy, (i've not been pregnant either but i have 12 nieces/nephews so i've learnt a fair bit being around pregnant siblings(/in-law)), your not allowed to lift heavy objects or put your self under strain. Obviously you're back is under great strain towards the end of the pregnancy also so low impact forms of exercise such as swimming, pilates, yoga, gentle walks etc, are the best ways to exercise. pilates has the extra bonus of particularly looking at pelvic floor muscles which need to be strengthened to allow you to get through labour (and it makes them more resiliant afterwards, if you know what i'm saying). It also can strengthen the back and help your body deal with the extra weight and therefore ease some of the pain.

Its low impact because alot of the exercises are performed on the floor on a mat and alot of the movements are small and slow. Weights can put your back under alot of pressure and potentially your joints if you put too much strain on them. Obviously alot of that can be due to incorrect technique though i realise that!

Interesting thread... I am not going to get into any of the debate around marketing or what is a better way to exercise.  Here is my personal experience with Pilates.

I first signed up for a class after work in 2006, when I was over 215 pounds.  At the time, this was way out of my 'comfort zone', so I couldnt even imagine going to a gym or weight room (would have felt uncomfortable).  I really liked the exercise and it was a good weekly motivator for someone starting out.  I just did Pilates and daily walks for a while.

I slowly added in other exercises over time- cardio, weights, and now a boot camp style fitness class.  I find Pilates is a fun workout, and also a nice way to stretch, and unwind after a long day.

So as part of an exercise routine, I like it.  As the ONLY form of exercise, you probably wont see results like you want.  But I personally like it.   I started at 215 and am now around 150 and no, its not due to just Pilates.   :) 

Original Post by joyrae:


I slowly added in other exercises over time- cardio, weights, and now a boot camp style fitness class.  I find Pilates is a fun workout, and also a nice way to stretch, and unwind after a long day.

So as part of an exercise routine, I like it.  As the ONLY form of exercise, you probably wont see results like you want.  But I personally like it.   I started at 215 and am now around 150 and no, its not due to just Pilates.   :) 

 I think that is a perfect answer to this thread. Joyrae, congrats on your amazing loss! You must be so proud!