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When can we Pilate again? When can we Pilate again?”A client of ours at our NYC Pilates studio, Pilates on Fifth, shared this amusing story with us the other day. Apparently, her three year old watched her doing a Pilates DVD and developed a love for one of the favorite Pilates mat exercises, Rolling Like a Ball. Anyone who’s seen this trademark Pilates move, even a Pilates beginner, would know why a three year old would gravitate to it, but many may not know its benefits, or the benefits of Pilates in general.
The benefits of Pilates, or, more specifically, the benefits of the Pilates mat exercise Rolling Like a Ball are many. First of all, you are contracting the full range of your abdominal muscles to hold the C-curve shape of the spine, and, on top of that, using your abdominal muscles to control speed and accuracy as you roll. A Pilates beginner might find this a little tricky at first, even more so than the three year old who likes to “Pilate!” But Rolling Like a Ball, practiced along with many other Pilates mat exercises will both tone your abdominal muscles as well as increase the flexibility of your spine. Joseph Pilates believed that a flexible spine was key to a healthy life and longevity. He also believed that the benefits of Pilates also included never being injured and never needing aspirin!
Even if you are a Pilates beginner and taking a Pilates class or trying a Pilates DVD for the first time, you will surely do Rolling Like a Ball. Simply remember to pull your abs in tight as you roll, without using momentum, and you are sure to experience the many benefits of Pilates. Whether you “Pilate” or do Pilates mat exercises, your abs will surely thank you. For more information on the benefits of Pilates or for a full library of Pilates mat exercises, visit our NYC Pilates studio, Pilates on Fifth, or log on to our Pilates online website, www.ultimatepilatesworkouts.com.
