In high school, I began my search of a form of exercise that would make me look forward to working out. My usual routine of going to my local gym and running on the treadmill or using the elliptical became tedious, and made me dread my daily exercise.
Soon after I became bored of my gym routine, I discovered the form of exercise that would enlighten the views I had regarding working out and how it can be much more enjoyable. This new (to me) form of exercise, called Pilates, was introduced to me during my junior year of high school. Now, as a senior in college, it is something I still look forward to doing and plan on learning more about in the near future.
Pilates, a fitness system designed by a man named Joseph Pilates, has been commonly practiced ever since it was discovered by him in the early twentieth century.
There are several different types of Pilates. The two most commonly practiced are on the mat and the reformer. Mat Pilates consists of just a rubber mat on a hard surface, and a few accessories such as a medicine ball, bands, and more. Most of mat Pilates only requires one's own body weight and no other tools.
Pilates on a reformer is much more intricate, and to me, results in a better workout that leaves me feeling sore for several days after. There are countless exercises that can be done on the reformer. Any exercise done on the mat can be done on the reformer, but not every exercise done on the reformer can be done on the mat. For this reason, I believe reformer Pilates is much more effective, and much more fun!
If you have not tried Pilates yet, I highly recommend that you do. With the right instructor, the right studio, and the right music, doing this exercise can be a very fun and rewarding experience. I do not plan on giving up on Pilates any time soon, and I'm actually looking into becoming an instructor myself! I think it will be a great way for me to do what I love while teaching others to become passionate about their health.
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