Very recently I developed this urge to exercise, but I am ashamed to admit that this urge only emerged after i realised i was gaining weight. I was further embarrassed by the fact that while i always associated exercise with weight loss, exercise too many people was a completely different ball game.  It’s an essential part of their lives just like food, water etc. Feeling rather guilty about never exercising i got caught up with this whole new world of exercise and embraced it as part of my lifestyle. However i was still struggling with what form of exercise best suited my lifestyle. I tried yoga, headed out to the gym, signed in for aerobics classes but none were stimulating me enough to stick to exercise as a part of my daily routine. I had just about decided that maybe exercise wasn’t my thing and was mentally starting to convince myself otherwise, when Pippa Middleton (Kate Middleton’s sister) finally spilled the beans on how she got her perfect figure. Kate’s sister revealed that weekly Pilate’s sessions are the secret to her svelte shape, which captivated millions during the Royal Wedding.

 

 

In her interview with the press she quoted “From breathing techniques, muscle toning to overall flexibility and relaxation, my Pilates sessions have become something of a weekly necessity that keeps me fit, happy and energized.” This was something that really caught my attention and I immediately got busy trying to find everything I could about Pilates. I found that the Pilates method is designed to increase the strength, flexibility and control of the body. Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps to not only build flexibility, but also strength, endurance, and coordination in the legs, abdominals, arms and back. Pilates demands intense focus. This is not easy, but in Pilates the way that exercises are done is more important than the exercises themselves. Nothing about the Pilates Method is haphazard. The reason you need to concentrate so thoroughly is so you can be in control of every aspect of every moment.  All exercises are done with control with the muscles working to lift against gravity and the resistance of the springs and thereby control the movement of the body and the apparatus. The Pilates Method teaches you to be in control of your body and not at its mercy. Hence, you’re not just learning to control your body but your mind too.