Christy Dotson PSF 217 Pilates October 6, 2012 Article Summaries Pilates claims to be beneficial in many ways and

is increasingly popular among gymgoers. These exercises supposedly improve balance, flexibility and strength. However, there have been very few studies that have proven the actual benefit offered to the heart. In the ACE-sponsored study: Can Pilates do it all, the researchers also looked into benefits in terms of calorie burning, as well as flexibility and strength, by including Pilates in the studys fitness regimen. This study was undertaken to see the actual benefits that Pilates can provide. It attempted to see if regular inclusion of Pilates during exercise could improve aerobic fitness and qualify as good cardio workouts for women. The study included 15 women volunteers who were healthy and aged between 18 and 26 years. All these women had prior experience with Pilates. The exercise regimen was for 50 minutes: five-minute warm-up, five minutes of basic Pilates, 40 minutes of advanced Pilates, followed by a five-minute cool down period. All throughout the session, the participants heart and breathing was monitored. At the end of the exercise session, all women were asked to rate their perception of the intensity of the exercise. The results showed that heart rates rose by 54 percent with basic Pilates. This is below the recommended 64 to 94 percent rise that ensures a good workout for the heart. Oxygen consumption was at 28 percent, which is also below the recommended level of 50 to 85 percent. During advanced Pilates, heart rates rose to 62 percent and oxygen consumption to 43 percent; levels that were still below recommendations. However, according to participants, they thought that their exercising was that of a heavy muscular workout for both the basic and advanced Pilates. The study was carried out using healthy women participants who had at least an intermediate experience with Pilates. There is a significant difference between beginner levels and intermediate levels of Pilates training and its effects on the body. Pilates might not have the required cardiovascular benefits, but the exercise regime does improve core strength. Additional research is required to find out the exact effects on the body during beginner,

intermediate and advanced Pilates, as well as the use of a trained instructor. The authors agree that in their study, heart benefits of Pilates were not seen. They suggest that Pilates could be adopted by people who are looking for more strength and suppleness rather than burning calories and benefiting the heart. One of the authors stated, Pilates is a great form of exercise for most populations especially those looking for some toning and flexibility help. It can be modified somewhat or scaled down to fit everyones needs. These exercises make the person feel they are working out harder than they actually are, and there is a major difference in heart rate and oxygen utilization between basic and advanced levels of Pilates. This could mean that each person may choose Pilates according to their fitness levels and benefit by building core strength and stability. The Pilates Exercise: Lessons from the Lab article was similar to the article above however, it also detailed what the benefits of certain exercises were. Regarding abdominal strength, the 2005 laboratory research used electromyography electrodes to show that the Roll Up produced high amounts of rectus abdominis activity. In this study, the electromyography electrodes were used on the rectus abdominis and external obliques of 12 test subjects. They measured the amount of electrical output elicited by these muscles during 10 reps of the Hundred, Double Leg Stretch, Criss-Cross, Roll Up and the Teaser with a traditional crunch used as the control. With respect to external oblique activity, all four Pilates exercises beat out the crunch- especially Roll Up and Criss Cross. Double Leg Stretch and Teaser need to be used with caution in this population because it is very easy to overuse hip flexors. The EMG results indicate that the Teaser is relatively tough on the hip flexors, registering three times more activity in this area than the crunch. Pilates is a nice change from the everyday workouts that I do. Its slow paced, relaxing environment helps set the pace for the rest of my day. I feel that I am better able to focus after I am all stretched out. My flexibility has improved greatly. Plus, I get the benefits of a workout without all the extra added stress to my joints. I work out anywhere from 3 to 5 hours a day so Pilates low impact exercises really help me recover from that. I find that I dont have nearly as

many cramps in my legs since I have started this class. My only question is: Will I get the same results with a resistance matt workout as with a Reformer workout?