#Pilates: New age workout for preggers

Last updated Feb 1, 2019

TANUSHREE PODDAR: NP NEWS 24 ONLINE-

Pilates has swiftly become the capital’s most adored exercise routine, promising a washboard stomach, strong back, and an improved posture. From Jennifer Aniston, David Beckham to Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor Khan has been very vocal about how much they love Pilates. So, let’s check what the buzz all about.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is a form of exercise emphasizes the balanced development of the body through core strength, flexibility, and awareness to support an efficient, graceful movement. Pilates is a type of fitness system that consists of movement exercises that are designed to tone the body, strengthen the muscles, increase flexibility and agility, improve posture, and heighten concentration skills. The movements require physical control, mental focus, and special breathing that are supposed to help your mind and body work together.

How does it help?

1) It Improves bone density

2) Promotes weight loss

3) Eases back pain

4) Strengthens your core

5) Prevents injuries

6) Increases flexibility

7) Great cross training workout

8) Improves postures

How does it not help?

1) Doesn’t Boost Your Cardiovascular Fitness

2) Doesn’t Increase the Size of Your Muscles

3) It Can Broaden Your Waistline

4) Complex Movements

This is what Dr.Swati Bajaj a Gynae physiotherapist- certified Pilate’s instructor has to say:

Pilates is often compared with yoga, so how different is it?

“There is nothing new, all the Pilates postures are emerged by yoga itself. What matters is the thing your emphasis on that is –getting a proper stretch on particular muscles, strength over particular muscles. For Pilates, your core muscles are the most important part. We give instability in all kind of postures using- bands, reformers table, ball so we need extra efforts for your muscles. The focus is on the core of the body so the rest can freely move and this makes your body stronger both on the inside and out.”

Can a pregnant woman do Pilates? How safe is it?

According to Dr.Bajaj, It is definitely safe, It is very important to do Pilates during your in the early hours of pregnancy and the throughout the procedure because this is basically for the core strengthening.

She further added, “We are not bothered about the speed and repetition but we are bothered about the retrenchment of the core muscles along with proper breathing. This really gives good result in terms of tone belly and strong abdominal muscles which can make them easy to enjoy their pregnancy period and after the birth as well”.