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What the Heck Is Pilates?

You may have heard about Pilates (pronounced puh LAH teez), a form of fitness training, but how does it help your body?

Pilates combines strength and flexibility training, using exercises that tone and condition the entire body. Particular attention is paid to building and developing the area of the body called the “powerhouse,” the core region of the body that includes the abdomen, pelvis, lower back and buttocks.

Pilates also creates a powerful mind-body connection, developed through proper breathing technique and concentration on smooth body movements to achieve better mental and physical health and reduce stress.

Some of the benefits of Pilates include:
  • Increases flexibility and agility
  • Develops muscle strength, without “bulking” up
  • Reduces stress
  • Provides effective rehabilitation for injuries
  • Flattens abdominals and strengthens back muscles
  • Provides a gentle, low-impact, whole body workout
  • Increases energy, invigorates the body
  • Strengthens the mind-body connection
  • Alleviates back pain
  • Improves body posture and movement

Many gyms offer Pilates classes and Pilates tapes are available in many places that sell videos. You might want to rent one and try it out before investing in it. It only takes a few weeks to produce a noticeably toned body and it may very well be the workout that works for you!

Dr. Scott  Asks some important questions of interest to Shelby Township residents - Chiropractor Shelby Township Dr. Scott Asks...

What's the difference between sick care and health care?
Sick care is largely about relieving or suppressing symptoms. Health care is about improving performance. While sick care is about how you feel, health care is about how you function. Sick care is what you do to treat an obvious problem, and health care is what you do to avoid the problem and advance your well-being.
What's the difference between maintenance, prevention and wellness?
Maintenance chiropractic care is an attempt to keep a dynamic, ever-changing and adapting organism (you) in a static relationship with your environment. Preventive chiropractic care is mostly about early detection. Wellness chiropractic care is an attempt to optimize our health and be all that you were designed to be.