fitness

Extending the amount of time spent holding a Pilates pose to 16 counts enhances the challenge of your workout. By compelling your body to stay in place for a longer period, you not only more fully engage and strengthen your muscles, but you…

Joseph H. Pilates first taught the method that now bears his name to injured and ill patients in a German internment camp during World War I. Soon, his series of exercises designed to improve core strength, posture and alignment gained…

In recent years, Pilates has become a popular and effective way to tone up, become more flexible and get in better shape overall. Pilates exercises work especially well for strengthening core muscles in the abdomen and back, and they offer…

Dancers inspire hip envy, but developing those chiseled muscles takes work. If you're a dancer, or if you wish to look just like one, the Pilates reformer enables this detailed sculpting process. Its springs, straps and gliding carriage…

If you're heading to the Pilates studio for the first time, you'll want to make sure you're dressed the part. Pilates is all about perfect form and posture, which means your instructor really needs to see your body placement and muscles at…

The word "Pilates," when placed in front of an exercise or fitness gizmo, draws attention. Whether the Pilates distinction constitutes truth in advertising is debatable. Some instructors teach an evolved Pilates method. It features newer…

The Pilates method of total-body conditioning consists of an extensive series of exercises, which use body weight, resistance bands, small props and specially designed pieces of equipment. Although many of the most basic Pilates exercises…

Pilates and Tai chi are gentle exercise forms that are beneficial to people of a wide range of ages and fitness levels. Tai chi is a slow-moving and fluid ancient Chinese martial art that focuses on building flexibility, strength and…

Pilates exercises encompass an array of moves performed on and off a mat. Developed originally by German national Joseph Pilates and favored by dancers in the early 20th century, the first versions of Pilates were called contrology and…

If you want to get a full-body workout without leaving the comfort of your own home, try P90X. The P90X package comes with 12 DVDs that contain various high-intensity workouts that focus on different major muscle groups. If you are looking…