| Pilates may be one of the best things you can do to | | | | Pilates exercises start from the center of the body |
| slow down the aging process. Although, let me be | | | | and concentrate on the middle area where all parts |
| clear, Pilates is NOT just for the older individual. | | | | of the body meet. One of the largest benefits of |
| It wasn't that many years ago that a common | | | | Pilates is improving the balance through the |
| consensus among people was that once you got | | | | strengthening of the spine. Having a stronger spine |
| older, that was it. You took it for granted that | | | | also can assist with improving the posture, another |
| getting older was just that, getting older, and that | | | | important benefit of Pilates exercise. |
| there wasn't much you could do about it. However, it | | | | It may also be almost perfect for the mature |
| is now commonly known that there are many things | | | | individual in that it is a "low impact" exercise |
| that people can do to slow the aging process and | | | | compared to most other exercises. The joints have |
| feel better about themselves and their bodies as | | | | less stress put upon them when you go through the |
| they mature. | | | | poses and movements necessary to conduct the |
| Exercise in any form really is beneficial to everyone's | | | | exercises. |
| health and there are wide ranging benefits that | | | | Unlike many other exercises that target repetition to |
| anyone can enjoy by utilizing a consistent, moderate | | | | be effective, Pilates works through concentration, |
| exercise program. | | | | breathing and slow controlled movements for them |
| A form of strength training can improve the quality | | | | to be effective. It does not tire out the mature |
| of muscles that wrap around the bones to reduce | | | | individual through weight and strength, but through |
| the risk of osteoporosis. There are exercises that | | | | strengthening the core strength of their body. The |
| can help with balance and flexibility. Building up | | | | joints become more flexible as the muscles elongate |
| strength and muscle tone can also slow down the | | | | and strengthen, but without the stress that joints |
| aging process in a mature body. | | | | often have with other forms of exercise. |
| Pilates may be a perfect exercise for the older | | | | Pilates often helps with balance and you are less likely |
| individual in that there is no need to go to a gym. It | | | | to fall. Your bodies movements are stabilized when |
| is a form of exercise most widely done in the privacy | | | | the core muscles work and recruit the smaller, |
| of the home and needs no extra equipment. Most will | | | | supportive muscles to help with the larger muscles, |
| use a copy of a DVD and just decide what schedule | | | | thus enabling these exercises to be extremely |
| better suits them. | | | | effective. |