Pilates for weight loss at home and in the gym: rules of practice, preparation, contraindications

The problem of excess weight becomes more and more urgent every year. “Unnecessary” kilograms bring with them numerous health problems, so doctors recommend getting rid of them as quickly as possible.

Physical activity is an important component of any weight loss complex. Therefore, the choice of the appropriate fitness method must be approached responsibly. Many people who lose weight prefer the Pilates system. So, they call a gymnastics program based on slow and smooth movements.

Is it possible to lose weight by doing Pilates, and how to do it correctly, we will look into this article.

Controversial issue

I want to lose excess weight as quickly as possible. Therefore, it is important for people losing weight to know how many calories are burned in one workout.

And Pilates is a special kind of fitness. All movements performed during training are slow and continuous. This feature of the technique raises doubts among some people about its effectiveness in the fight against extra pounds. In addition, you will only burn 250 Kcal in an hour of exercise. Such figures sound very disappointing, because 1 kilogram of adipose tissue is filled with 9000 kcal! Simple mathematical calculations indicate that a loss of just 1 kilogram will occur in a month with intense daily hour-long training! This prospect is not encouraging.

However, numerous reviews of women and men who have lost weight with the help of “slow” exercises indicate the amazing results that these workouts helped achieve.

To understand whether Pilates helps you lose weight, you need to understand the principle of its effect on muscle and joint tissue.

Principle of operation

The fundamental principles of this system will help you understand how Pilates weight loss exercises work and what they are.

The technique was created as a system of rehabilitation exercises, with the help of which soldiers wounded during the First World War restored the capabilities of their body. After surgery or dangerous injuries, physical activity is necessary. However, it must be special, combining a gentle load with minimal risk of injury.

Pilates works in 3 important areas that ensure the achievement of the task:

Breathing regulation;
Controlling the body with the power of thought;
Impact on muscle and joint tissue with gymnastic movements.

This complex effect of the technique on the body showed excellent results: the course of rehabilitation of the wounded was much faster and more successful.

In addition to the restorative capabilities of the Pilates exercise complex, the ability to stretch the ligaments and spine was noted. This property ensures flexibility and correct posture.

Deep breathing used during movements stimulates the metabolic process, saturating the blood with oxygen. This ability not only normalizes the functionality of the heart and blood vessels, but also affects intense energy consumption between classes. Strong muscles that appear as a result of training also require increased “release” of energy reserves. This means that kilocalories are burned not only during Pilates classes, but also between them! Moreover, after training, calories are burned even more intensely, because exercise tones the muscles, forcing them to work more actively.

Constant exercise, combined with the correct exercise technique, reduces appetite, so a person consumes fewer calories than he expends.

Pilates training strengthens the muscle frame of the most “problem” areas: thighs, buttocks, abdomen. Tightened muscles allow the silhouette to look slimmer and completely eliminate cellulite. Due to good drainage and oxygen saturation of the lymph, swelling goes away.

Therefore, losing weight with Pilates is real! This effect is achieved by wasting energy after and during exercise.

Preparation for training and rules for performing exercises

All movements should be comfortable for you. If you feel uncomfortable at any key point in the exercise, you are most likely performing the element incorrectly. Make sure to maintain the correct position of your body, do not raise your shoulders during exercises, do not throw your head back or lower it. This will interfere with normal breathing and block the full functioning of all muscle groups.

When performing all elements of the workout, try to constantly keep your abs tense - this is very effective for losing weight. Stretch your spine, straighten it. This will make your body more flexible and your back healthier. In order not to make any mistakes, it is recommended to work out under the guidance of a trainer for at least the first month. Experts unanimously say that losing weight and getting healthy with the help of Pilates depends not so much on the intensity of the exercise, but on the correct execution of all its elements.

Only the instructor will be able to monitor the pace of the exercises and the correctness and timeliness of breathing during the training. It is very difficult to achieve good results on your own, even if you spend hours watching video courses.

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Start each workout with a light warm-up that will warm up your muscles and prepare them for further stress. To do this, walk briskly for five minutes or walk in place at an intense pace. During this exercise, raise your knees high and swing your arms. Spend the next five minutes jumping rope. If you don’t have a jump rope, then just imitate working with it - jump while simultaneously making rotational movements with bent arms. This exercise will warm up all muscle groups well. During the next five minutes, use a gymnastic hoop, which is an effective sports equipment for losing weight in the waist and hips.

Advantages of the technique

Why should novice “athletes” choose Pilates as an assistant for shedding extra pounds? How is it better than regular gymnastics? Let us list a number of important features of “slow” fitness that distinguish it from other areas:

The movements are available to people of all ages and physical fitness;
People can exercise after surgery or serious injuries;
The system is available for people with obesity and musculoskeletal problems;
The training does not require expensive equipment or bulky exercise equipment, so it can be done at home;
The combination of physical strength and mental processes guarantees the elimination of depressive states and increases stress resistance;
There are complexes that allow you to correct only problem areas of the body.

The obvious advantages of the technique set it apart from other weight loss workouts. However, you should not expect quick results in this case: you can get a lasting effect after several months of training. If there is a need and desire to speed up this process, then it is better to choose intensive fitness classes or combine them with Pilates.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is one of the most popular and widespread rehabilitation programs throughout the world, the effectiveness of which has been proven by many years of world practice. Its creator, Joseph Pilates, who gave his name to this fitness trend, was the one who created the training method for solving personal health problems, as a result of which he helped many people around the world. The ideology of Pilates was a healthy lifestyle. He argued that only by harmonizing physical and mental human qualities can one achieve optimal life balance.

The main purpose of Pilates is to maintain a healthy spine, which is the support for the body as a whole. As the workout progresses, you must constantly stretch your spine, maintaining its correct and natural position. Pilates is necessary to stress the deep muscles of the abs and back, which contributes to the formation of a muscular corset that serves as a support for the spine. Pilates is a low-intensity fitness training, that is, during the workout there is no significant increase in heart rate, and therefore there is no large cardio load, which makes it possible to carry out classes for people with excess weight and various health problems.

What is the advantage of low-intensity training over high-intensity training? The body does not have to expend much effort in order to perform the exercises, but at the same time, this training regimen provides significant muscle development due to the absence of muscle relaxation. The result is increased elasticity and muscle tone without the feeling of fatigue that comes from high-intensity exercise. Pilates workouts do not speed up metabolic processes in the body like “heavy” ones, which means that after classes you will not rush to replenish lost calories.

Many people wonder: is Pilates effective for weight loss? Despite the fact that Pilates is not a direct set of exercises for losing weight, nevertheless, performing these exercises is also effective for losing weight, because flexibility can only be achieved with a thin, athletic body.

Important tips for effective weight loss

We have already mentioned that the main principle of Pilates is the unity of body and mind while performing movements. You can achieve excellent results only by following it. You also need to strictly follow all the “technical” recommendations and rules, thanks to which the body will continue to “work” to lose weight after training.

Make sure your breathing is even and calm. As you take your starting position, inhale. Exhale as you move.
As you inhale the air, feel how your back “expands.”
Control the position of your abdomen: it should always be tucked up. The stomach is an energy center that properly distributes energy. Any movement begins with retraction of the abdomen.
Concentrate clearly on performing the exercise correctly. Watch your every move, don't get distracted.
All movements of the complex performed should be soft and smooth. Haste is contraindicated.
Control your movements by visualizing your impact on muscle tissue.
The elements are performed continuously: one exercise follows another without interruption.
When working a specific muscle group, all the others relax.

If you are a beginner “athlete” and want to do Pilates at home, remember the 4 rules for its effectiveness:

Regularity. Classes are held 4 times every 7 days. The ideal option is every day.
Duration. The now popular “fifteen-minute workouts” will help you maintain your already corrected shape. However, it is impossible to lose weight in such a short exercise.
Patience. Don't expect incredible results after a week of training. You will notice the result no earlier than after 2 months of training. However, the weight loss will be permanent. And beautiful and tightened skin without a trace of cellulite will be an excellent bonus for patience.
Nutrition control. Diets are excluded. However, overeating and abuse of “harmful” foods will cause a lack of results.

How to do Pilates for free

So, my girlfriend searched and studied all the Pilates exercises on the Internet. While I was working, she was at home at the computer and practiced exercises by watching video lessons and repeating them. Then, when I came home, or after waking up, depending on my mood, I succumbed to these activities, so to speak. Pilates for beginners will not be so easy to master.

A healthy lifestyle involves sports in a person’s life, but without extremes

What can I say, my beloved has gathered more than enough information, it turned out that the exercises themselves are not complex and intricate.

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And they are remembered when used frequently. And as good people advise, you should do Pilates often, about five times a week. That is, count every day.

Let's move on to action

You can and should do Pilates for weight loss at home. However, it is better to conduct the first lessons with an experienced instructor who will explain important principles and the basics of the methodology. After mastering them, you can start training on your own.

The weight loss system includes more than 500 exercises. They are aimed at working different muscle groups. Here is an example of the simplest and most effective movements that you can use at home.

№1

Stand with your shoulders down and your feet slightly apart;
Pull your stomach in, tensing your muscles;
Bend over, touching your hands to the floor without lifting your heels;
Without changing your position, take 3-4 steps forward;
Stop, “pull” the muscles, feeling their stretch;
Sit down;
Arch your back, pulling your shoulder blades back;
Stretch the muscles for 10 seconds, feeling the stretch.

Repeat the movements 20 times, constantly changing the order of sequential actions.

№2

Lie on your side;
Pull your stomach in, tensing your muscles;
Raise the “active” leg, which is located on top;
Make circular movements with it.

Muscle work is performed for 4-5 minutes. Then the position is changed by making rotational movements with the other leg.

This exercise helps eliminate fat deposits from the sides.

№3

Roll over onto your back;
Pull your stomach in, tensing your muscles;
Focus on your buttocks;
Raise your upper body and straightened legs at the same time 15 times.

With these exercises you will get perfect abs.

№4

Roll over onto your stomach, move onto all fours;
Pull your stomach in, tensing your muscles;
Raise your right arm and left leg at the same time;
Don't move for 10 seconds;
Change active limbs.

Repeat the movements 20 times.

№5

Smoothly lower yourself to the floor, placing your arms along your body;
Pull your stomach in, tensing your muscles;
Raise your arms and legs at the same time;
Swing them for 1 minute.

Repeat three times.

When combining exercises for the complex, make sure that all muscle groups “work” during training. After 2-3 months of training, change the complex. This way you can avoid the addictive effect and continue improving your body.

Exercises

In all video lessons, everyone starts with a warm-up and that’s right. Pilates lessons will give you an understanding of what to do. This is a mandatory sub-item and you need to start with it (now I understand this too). After all, putting a load on an unheated body can seriously injure yourself. Warm-up is quite simple, sometimes we do slow, smooth movements that involve all muscle groups, and sometimes we even just dance together.

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The next point of the lesson is the Pilates exercises themselves, they are aimed mainly at the back and your flexibility, so these exercises need to be taken very seriously. I will not describe the simplest exercises because it is not so easy to describe them in words, and even more difficult to understand. And to avoid misunderstandings, I suggest watching video lessons. There are a huge number of them on the Internet, both in Russian and in other languages. And I realized that even with my feeble-mindedness in this area, I could master them myself, because everything is explained simply slowly and clearly. Well, if you don’t understand, you can rewind and reconsider. It’s better, of course, even ideal, to do Pilates with an instructor, but it’s not deadly. The instructor will simply teach you these movements and correct you if you are doing something wrong. And most importantly, he will be able to slow you down if you suddenly start to rush. I had such a problem, fortunately my girlfriend was watching me, who was my instructor; from the outside it’s better to see.

Video - Pilates for weight loss for beginners

Nutrition rules

We have already said that training will not bring the desired effect if you do not adhere to the rules of rational nutrition. To adjust it correctly, use the following tips:

Eat porridge, durum pasta;
Prepare meat dishes from rabbit, chicken or veal;
Do not give up eggs, but use them exclusively boiled;
Do not limit your consumption of fish and seafood;
Liquid is the source of proper metabolism. Drink more water;
Include first courses in your daily diet;
Consume low-fat dairy products daily;
You should not eat immediately before training: the last meal should take place 2 hours before it;
During exercise, you need to drink clean water without gases every 10 minutes.

Pilates does an excellent job of controlling an active appetite, so it is better to postpone eating for a few more hours after training.

Regular use of simple but very effective exercises will help you get rid of unnecessary pounds. Of course, the result will have to wait. However, it will be guaranteed to last, providing you with additional “gifts”: excellent mood and well-being.

Pilates Basics for Beginners

During classes, it is necessary to constantly maintain balance and correct body position, listening to it, in no case allowing deflections, slowly and in detail working the muscles, alternating tension and relaxation. During the first lesson, you need to concentrate as much as possible to activate the center - the abdominal muscles, which will allow you to perform the exercises more accurately. Having learned to control the position of the body and its movement, you will also be able to control the work of small muscles that coordinate the work of the body as a whole. Breath control sets this workout apart from many others. Chest deep breathing helps make movements smooth, evenly distributing muscle load.

Pilates is very diverse. Its system provides for different levels of difficulty. It all depends on the preparation of the people attending the classes. The principle of the set of exercises is the system: from easy to more difficult. After mastering the basic technique, you can begin training with a variety of devices. The ball or rolls promote greater activation of the stabilizing muscles, because when performing exercises on the ball, more strength is expended in order to maintain balance, maintaining the correct body position. Using an isotonic ring during training, you will provide your muscles with a more intense strength load.

When should you not do Pilates?

It’s sad to say, but even such a safe form of fitness as Pilates has its contraindications:

The presence of colds and viruses with elevated body temperature prohibits training.
Neoplasms, both malignant and benign.
Fractures, ruptures and sprains that have not been fully restored.
The presence of scoliosis, flat feet (grade 3) and damage to the spinal column.
Clinical mental disorders.

These are general contraindications, but there are also specific ones that can only be determined by a specialist. Which indicates the need to first visit a doctor to obtain permission from him to practice Pilates and recommendations on acceptable loads.

A little patience, perseverance and a competent approach will give stunning results that will delight you for many years. It seems to me that this is worth trying and changing your life.

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Who is Pilates recommended and who is contraindicated?

This is an important point to pay attention to. Let us remember that the original purpose of the technique was rehabilitation, so it is somewhat different from simple gymnastics.

The following contraindications exist:

injuries and fractures that were not treated at the time of training;
sudden changes in pressure, hypertensive crisis;
a cold, including a high body temperature;
the presence of benign or malignant formations;
mental disorders (in clinical form).

In some cases, pregnancy and the postpartum period may be a contraindication for exercise. Here you need to consult a doctor to eliminate possible doubts and practice without health consequences.

There are many more recommendations for Pilates. The fact is that the measured pace of exercise allows both physically active people and those for whom it is important to keep fit and healthy to train without grueling exercise.

For example:

poor posture and periodic back pain;
weakened body defense against viruses and colds;
joint diseases (arthrosis, arthritis, etc.);
frequent headaches or severe migraines;
excess subcutaneous fat and excess weight;
advanced age (category 45+).

Pilates helps you lose weight and tone your body, makes joints more flexible, gives elasticity to muscles and improves the functioning of the cardiac system (provided that your heart is healthy and the load is not contraindicated for it). In addition to the physical benefits, exercise affects your emotional state: regular exercise will help you forget about mood swings, depression and ensure sound sleep.

Separately, we note that Pilates for beginners is excellent for weight loss: up to 400 kcal is consumed in one session. Considering the lack of strong physical activity (exercise machines, running, etc.) this is a very impressive figure. Of course, such a result is achieved only through full training, when all the principles of the technique are observed.