It is possible to support the body in good physical shape by means of different sports the technician — power, cardiological, static (on an extension). But the best results are yielded by those systems which provide combination of muscular loading with the correct breath and allow to put into operation not only muscles, but also a brain, contrary to the hackneyed slogan of Soviet period, sound mind provides health of a body. Pilates is one of the techniques providing such approach to trainings.
What is Pilates
In spite of the fact that the concept Pilates entered a lexicon of the people practicing a healthy lifestyle, relatively recently this system of physical exercises still in the twenties appeared of last century.
Whether you know? The author of a system is a certain Josef Pilates, the American of the German origin. Being a weak and frail child and painfully suffering from the inferiority, the boy managed to defeat himself and created the unique technique of a training allowing to balance ideally all processes proceeding in an organism, to increase flexibility, endurance, muscular force and immunity. Josef's invention was widely worked at first for rehabilitation of prisoners of war, later — for a training of police officers from Scotland Yard and, at last, won the whole world.
The essence of a technique is that during performance of all set of exercises, and they are made so that to provide inclusion in work of all groups of muscles, it is necessary to achieve the maximum mental concentration on each movement and, besides, accurately to adhere at the same time to a special rhythm of breath.
Thus, Pilates is not just a set of sports exercises. It is the whole philosophy. The program has more similarity to the Indian yoga and east martial art, than to traditional European fitness.
It is based on the idea according to which it is impossible to reach physical perfection, without having brought order to own head, without having brought the consciousness to a state of full harmony with the world around.
Health as managed to prove Pilates, is not a gift which has the luck to possess the electee, and the valuable prize available to everyone who will manage to win it.
Important! Not to look for justifications to own failures, not to whine and not to complain, and to set a goal and to move to it, showing persistence, methodicalness and indestructible confidence in success. Here, if to speak briefly, the main philosophical platform of Pilates.
Having learned to possess own body, having opened all its secret reserves, the person begins to feel much better not only physically, but also morally. Thus, health and happiness (body and spirit) are among themselves in indissoluble unity, one provides another, and we are quite able to affect both of these categories.
Advantage for men
The idea of Pilates is constructed that it suits all — men and women, children and old men, strong and weak, rich and poor. Surprisingly, but among modern adherents of a system representatives of a fine half of mankind for some reason prevail though initially the technique was developed by the man and for men. For the stronger sex the fact that this system allows demonstrates to advantage of Pilates:
- it is harmonious to work all groups of muscles, including those which are very seldom involved in process of everyday life and during the sports trainings;
- to learn to hear and control own body, it is better to own it;
- to prevent or to significantly slow down age changes of a cartilaginous and bone tissue, joints and sinews;
- to remove stress from groups of the muscles first of all suffering because of a sedentary life;
- to improve a bearing, to unload a back and a backbone, to get rid of joint pains;
- to increase endurance, flexibility, force, speed and coordination, to increase sports results, to overcome earlier reached dead point in trainings;
- to develop elasticity of muscles that allows to increase depth and amplitude of movements considerably;
- to get rid of the pains resulting from the suffered injuries including sports (a back, a waist, knees);
- to improve work of a cardiovascular system, to prevent development of early heart attacks and strokes;
- to strengthen work of a brain, to save from fatigue, a depression, apathy;
- to improve a dream;
- to lose extra kilos of weight, at the same time building up muscle bulk, to give to a figure relief, and to a body in general — a healthy look;
- to adjust exchange processes in an organism, to improve work of all bodies and systems;
- to create a habit of the correct breath providing saturation of all cages with oxygen (the lack of oxygen is the reason of development of a set of somatic diseases, including malignant);
- to improve the general condition of an organism, to prevent development of hemorrhoids, prostatitis and other age pathologies characteristic of men;
- to adjust hormonal balance, to stimulate synthesis of testosterone and other men's hormones that guarantees improvement of potency, improvement of quality of sperm and as the result, gives to the man self-confidence and sexual appeal;
- to reach internal harmony, to learn to look at the world positively, it is easier to cope with stressful situations and to become the real support for weaker;
- to keep beauty, health and cheerfulness for many years.
One more important advantage of the program is that classes in it do not demand special preparation or the difficult sports equipment and do not take away a lot of time.
Important! Occupations Pilates allow not to treat diseases, but not to allow their emergence. The athletic and tightened figure instead of flabby skin and a beer tummy when using this technique is not end in itself, but the accompanying result.
It is possible to train at home, in the hall and even outdoors.
Contraindications
The checked and thoughtful technique has no direct contraindications, a question only that existence of any sharply proceeding inflammatory process in an organism is bad time to start trainings.
Besides, it is necessary to estimate correctly the forces and a condition at selection of a set of exercises (what well trained athlete will easily cope with, for the beginner can be unreasonable loading and even to lead to a trauma).
Examine special complex exercises of yoga for men.
With care men need to master Pilates in the presence at them:
- varicosity;
- thrombophlebitis and thrombosis;
- fractures, bruises, stretchings and other fresh injuries;
- malignant new growths;
- any tumors of bones;
- hemophilias and tendencies to bleedings;
- injuries of a backbone;
- epilepsies;
- serious mental disorders;
- sharp pains of any origin if the exact diagnosis is not established.
Set of exercises for beginners
Beginners can try to master the equipment of Pilates by means of such complex from dozen of exercises:
- Hundred moves. Having a little warmed up, to sit down, and then smoothly to lay down on a rug. Shovels touch a rug, a back direct. Exercise begins with tension of muscles of a stomach. To raise legs so that, bent in knees, they were at right angle in a form of letter G (hips it is perpendicular to a back, a shin in parallel). Having extended hands forward, by effort of belly muscles to raise the case to knees, having kind of executed twisting. Keeping in this situation, to make fast moves hands up-down with a small amplitude (about 10 cm). On each breath and each exhalation it has to be made on five moves. In the subsequent it is possible to straighten legs, having raised them up and having extended socks vertically, and having pressed heels to each other. After a while, without stopping movements by hands and without changing position of an upper body, to lower a little legs, having created between them and the case an obtuse angle and, thus, having changed the working groups of muscles.
- Twisting. It is carried out as continuation of the first exercise. Hands are got for the head, the case remains in the raised situation, and legs return to a right angle (hips vertically, shins it is horizontal).
Learn about the most effective exercises on a press for men.
On a breath a nose to allocate the building back, but at all not to keep within on a back that muscles did not relax and had not a rest, and smoothly, on an exhalation through a mouth to be twisted to knees again. Amplitude of the movement by the building, as well as in the first exercise, no more than 10 cm. The waist is on a rug all the time, being kind of pressed into it.
- The developed twisting. To continue twisting, but now with connection of legs. Allocating the building back on a breath through a nose, at the same time to extend legs up and slightly forward, then, on an exhalation a mouth, at the same time to twist the case and knees to the uniform center.
- Knee to a breast. Without stopping and without leaning back back, kind of continuing the begun movement, at a twisting stage (an exhalation by a mouth) to tighten one knee to a breast and to clasp it with hands, and to leave the second leg extended forward and up. With a breath through a nose to allocate the building back, and to straighten a leg, on twisting to tighten the second leg to the center, having clasped with hands a knee. To watch that socks on both legs were extended in a string.
- Twisting to a knee. Having left one knee bent, and the second leg of a straight line to get hands for the head, having bent them in elbows and to execute ten twisting to a knee. Not to increase amplitude and not to weaken a press! To change a leg and to repeat ten more twisting.
- Kris Kross. Legs carry out the set sequence of movements (one knee is bent to the center, other leg becomes straight, then situation changes, the sequence bears a faint resemblance to torsion of pedals of the bicycle, but it is carried out in one plane, not around). Hands remain behind the head. Keeping a respiratory rhythm, to lift the case with a small turn on diagonal to the knee which is bent to the center. Knees do not strain, it is important not to injure joints. To accelerate at the end twice and to execute twenty fast diagonal twisting.
- Boat. To lower the top part of the building on a rug, to press shovels to a horizontal surface, but not to relax a muscle of a press. To clasp with hands the legs bent in knees and to begin to carry out rockings of the grouped case in the parties. The head at the same time remains motionless, the look is directed in a ceiling, toes are relaxed. Exercise very well helps to stretch muscles of a waist and is a great way of unloading for people with sedentary work.
- Inclination forward with an extension. To reach a sitting position due to effort of muscles of a press. To tighten toes towards itself, to bend a back, to extend hands before itself forward. To bend a little forward, well stretching muscles of a back and a sinew under knees (the head has to be between hands as during swimming by a crawl, knees are slightly bent), then to return to equal situation, to inhale a nose and on an exhalation to repeat an extension. The stomach is most pulled in as though seeks to touch edges.
- Single blows by legs. Without helping itself hands, having crossed legs, to rise at first by knees, and then to accept an emphasis on elbows, lying on a stomach. To execute two fast and consecutive raising of the leg bent in a knee to a hip. During the first blow the toes are extended in a string (look up), during the second — last in the opposite direction (look down). To repeat the same operation by other leg. To continue performance alternately by two legs, concentrating on study of gluteuses. To watch that shoulders were straightened.
- Pair blows by legs. Exhaling through a mouth, to hang the head on a rug, having rested against it a chin. Elbows remain in a standard position — are bent, as at an emphasis. On a breath to rise in an emphasis on elbows, having at the same time raised both legs bent in knees to buttocks, having lowered them on a floor, having again lifted and having again lowered. After two blows to exhale and lay down, on a breath to rise in an emphasis on elbows and to repeat pair blows. The full version of this exercise to which it is possible to pass, having mastered the facilitated option, assumes at rise data of hands in the lock behind the back, but not an elbow emphasis lying.
- Diagonal extension. To lay down on a rug, having rested against it a chin. To straighten hands over the head, having a little parted them in the parties, also slightly to part legs, having given to a body the form of the letter X. To raise at the same time right hand and the left leg, then, having fallen down, to change a hand and a leg for opposite diagonal. The head during rise comes off a floor a little. To finish exercise in accelerated, without returning to lying situation and having bent a back as though working with scissors. Breath is adjusted as follows: five movements — a breath, five movements — an exhalation.
- Child's pose. Having made a start hands, to rise on all fours, then on an exhalation to lower buttocks on heels, at the same time extending hands forward and taking away behind them all upper body to lying situation. To stretch with pleasure. To rock hips in the parties, monitoring breath and not weakening a press. Very good exercise for removal of tension from a back and a waist.
The pose of the child is also excellent hitch after the training. If forces allow, it is possible to execute a standard horizontal level on elbows and after that to repeat the twelfth exercise, with even great pleasure again this time.
Whether you know? It appears, during the intensive trainings our organism emits special substances which are called fatigue toxins. Scientists made an interesting experiment, having forced a dog to run huge distance without stops, and then having transfused her blood to other dog, vigorous and well rested. As a result the animal who received the poisoned blood fell asleep from exhaustion directly during transfusion. Reverse experiment showed the expected result: blood not of the tired donor instantly put the dog exhausted with intensive loading on legs.
Performance of all exercises ideally has to take no more than ten minutes, but first it is better to carry out a complex at slow rate, in Pilates it is very important — not to lose a rhythm.
Rules of occupations Pilates
The system of classes in Pilates is under construction on nine main whales:
- Breath. In fact technology of performance of any exercise assumes the correct breath (some movements are always made on a breath, others — on an exhalation, the third — on the held breath), but in Pilates this question is given so important place that the system is called sometimes a kind of respiratory gymnastics. It is necessary to breathe when performing all exercises a diaphragm or as sometimes speak, edges. Air at a deep breath has to fill lungs so that they as much as possible fell, pressing on edges and kind of inflating a back. The stomach at the same time is not inflated and does not interfere with free commission of any difficult movements, meanwhile a large amount of oxygen, getting to blood, is brought to each body and each cage. At the first stage this feeling can be unusual and even to cause slight dizziness. The thing is that most of people breathe incorrectly, superficially, raising shoulders and inflating a stomach. The organism in this case is in a condition of constant oxygen starvation. The system of breath offered by Pilates is in fact only true therefore it will be good if it becomes habitual, will begin to be used at any time, irrespective of occupations. It is necessary to breathe a diaphragm easily and naturally, without breakthroughs and delays, and to carry out all exercises from a complex on an exhalation, it promotes the maximum extension and increase in elasticity of muscles.
Also it will be useful for you to learn how it is correct to breathe at push-ups from a floor and at pulling up on a horizontal bar.
- Concentration. In the course of the occupations the full interaction between a body and reason has to be reached. To carry out exercises and mentally it is impossible to solve production problems in Pilates. Only full concentration of consciousness on each movement finally allows to find control over own body and to learn to understand and regulate the processes happening in it. Concentration assumes not just an attention point on process of a training, and listening to that muscle which is studied at present.
- Durability zone. The main framework on which all system developed by Pilates is under construction are press muscles — direct and slanting. Here the vital energy necessary for study of other groups of muscles gathers and transferred on all body. Therefore it is very important to watch that during performance of one and all exercises the press remained intense, and a stomach — involved. Both straightening of a bearing, and relaxation of the becoming numb muscles of a neck and a back, and removal of loading from a backbone, and release of pressure on internals depends on it that, in turn, normalizes work of all organism and prevents development of diseases. The correct load of a press is provided when the back is straightened, and shovels are a little cramped. The head has to keep exactly, without falling and without being thrown back, and the neck — to continue the line of a back.
- Accuracy. In the majority of programs for fitness of exercise it is possible to interchange the position, modify or replace with one another at discretion. But Pilates assumes the accuracy and strict following to instructions. Not only movements in each exercise have to be made correctly to trifles, but also the sequence of performance of all complex is not subject to adjustment too. Quite so it is possible to work consistently and methodically all groups of muscles and to achieve as much as possible good result.
- Control. About need to strictly observe the equipment and to control a press, a bearing and also each movement and each muscle it was already told, but nevertheless control should be taken out in the separate principle of Pilates, so it is important in the course of performance of all complex. It is enough to tell that the author initially called the technique contrology, that is if to try to translate this word, having kept the sense enclosed in it — the system based on control. By effort of a thought it is necessary to hold all zones of a body involved in a training in the field of attention.
- Smoothness. This principle is also distinguished as one of the main in all textbooks on Pilates. All occupation has to represent a uniform complex where each movement smoothly flows in the following. Points began also the ends of exercise, changes of a negative and positive phase, lowering and rise it is necessary to try to make as much as possible indistinct, indistinct. There are no breakthroughs or throws in Pilates and cannot be. The lack of stops is provided with the correct selection of speed which has to correspond to the level of physical training of the specific person. By the way, this feature makes a technique available to all and practically excludes direct contraindications. The effect of Pilates is reached gradually and very softly, muscles should not experience the increased loads which are followed by accumulation in them of lactic acid and the subsequent delayed onset muscle soreness. Also smoothly there is also an increase in loading in process of development of elements of the equipment.
- Visualization. The complex of classes in Pilates joins some exercises which performance needs to be accompanied with creation of certain fancies. Thus, visualization of separate types of loading allows to provide higher efficiency of a training.
- Isolation and relaxation. If the press during all training has to remain intense, then the rule of isolation and relaxation works for other groups of muscles. It is necessary to learn to control the body so that at the moment when some muscles intensively work, others, not involved in this exercise, were completely weakened and had a rest. This approach allows to achieve uniform study of all muscles in a complex, without causing the general feeling of fatigue and overfatigue. Being engaged in Pilates correctly, the person has to derive physical and emotional pleasure from process.
- Regularity. Pilates assumes absolute orderliness in everything, including the schedule of trainings. In order that occupations gave the expected effect, they have to be carried out at the same time at least five times a week (sometimes speak about a four times course of trainings, but such option nevertheless is less preferable).
Exercises Pilates for men: video
The system developed hundred years ago by Josef Pilates and won the world popularity is constructed on a successful combination of the correct breath, repeated dynamic repetition, pulling of muscles and the isolated application of the efforts complemented with the correct emotional spirit and full return.
Important! Occupations at which one of the fundamental principles stated above is broken at least can be useful to the man and even to give quite notable visual effect, but they are not Pilates.
Having understood an essence of a technique and its main differences from an ordinary physical training, even the weak man having the whole bunch of chronic diseases in the anamnesis can turn into the true athlete radiating force, health, self-confidence and sexual power within a short period of time.