Go The Pilates Way For A Healthy Heart, Back And Toned Body

We humans are always in the quest for the ultimate, most ideal and effective exercise mantra. Pilates is the hot and happening craze among several celebrities laying high claims of the benefits of this exercise technique. This body training technique dates back to the eighteen century where it was first introduced by a man Pilates in Germany, who despite having debilitating ailments like rickets and asthma, overcame his shortcomings and gave to the world, Pilates, a revitalizing experience combining all the senses of mind, body and soul.

The technique aims to accomplish litheness and body strength, laying less emphasis on develop muscle mass. It encompasses exercises aimed at achieve composure, focus, movement, muscle tone and agility.

Pilates resembles Yoga is many ways than one. Both employ the dual mind-body exercise practice, both pays attention to breathing and fluid movements to relax muscle and tone it. Yoga is more static form of the exercise while Pilates is a sequence of more energetic and methodical fluid movements.

Pilates, though not vigorous in nature, is excellent add-on to walking, swimming, and cycling. As it facilitates stress lowering, it encourages long term healthy heart condition.

Many with the debilitating Parkinson’s disease has immense problem in controlling their body movements. These people develop shakiness and shivering, due to which they cannot co-ordinate their movements, and become excessively inflexible and unbending. Many have to resort to medications to even carry out day-to-day movements. For such patients, Pilates comes as a God-sent. People suffering from Parkinson’s disease have meek breathing patterns while reduces the oxygen intake in the body.

Pilates lays emphasis on breathing and firming and strengthening of the key muscle areas. The key muscle areas exercised during Pilates help regain good body posture. The key emphasis is doing fluid, small movements, which is ideal for physiotherapy.

Pilates is an extremely lithe form of exercise routine which can be altered to suit every life style. The neurological disorder of Fibromyalgia, where one experiences severe body pain all over the body accompanied by severe fatigue seems to be treated by Pilates. Pilates offers add-on treatment to provide relief from some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

People experiencing lower back pain experience great change with the onset of Pilates. Pilates improves one’s immunity and aids in averting injury. It greatly tones one’s body, improves one’s posture, ideal for people with arthritis.

Tango and Parkinson's Disease

Effects of Tango on Functional Mobility in Parkinson's Disease: A Preliminary Study. (Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy)
That is the lesson from a new study reporting that when Parkinson’s patients took tango classes, their balance improved.

Problems with walking and balance are common among people with the disease, and often lead to falls. Among the difficulties, the researchers said, are shuffling and trouble turning while walking. Patients may experience a sudden “freezing” that can either slow them down or stop them entirely. They also have trouble walking while performing another activity at the same time.

The study appears in the December issue of The Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy. The lead author is Madeleine E. Hackney of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The researchers described what happened when 19 Parkinson’s patients were given either 20 tango classes or 20 exercise classes. The exercise class consisted of one hour of movement, much of it in chairs or using chairs for support. The tango class was more vigorous, and focused on stretching, balance, footwork and timing.

Both groups demonstrated general improvement, but only the tango students appeared to do better when it came to balance. The improvement was fairly limited, and the researchers said more study was needed.