Ask the Trainer Corner

Do you have a have a topic that you would like us to feature? Send your burning personal training/health & fitness questions to Nicole Pizzi at hemtrain@fas.harvard.edu

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“ASK THE TRAINER”

THIS MONTH'S FITNESS Q&A IS BY RAMON GOMEZ, PERSONAL TRAINER AND PILATES INSTRUCTOR.

As part of our group exercise curriculum, we offer Pilates Mat classes. Pilates is an exercise methodology that has steadily gained popularity in the past decade due to the benefits in terms of core strength, flexibility, posture, and overall mobility. Despite this, our community is not aware of the benefits of this method and that we have numerous Pilates classes being offered every semester.

The following Q&A is meant to clarify common questions and misconceptions related to the Pilates method.

Why is it called Pilates?

Joseph Pilates, a German acrobat, bodybuilder and boxer, moved to the US in the late 1920s, and established his studio in NYC. It was there that he perfected his method, called Contrology at the time, and finalized the design for the apparatus that we use today. His method was embraced and kept alive by the dance community. As it went mainstream in the early 90s, it was renamed after him.

What is Pilates all about?

When you boil it down, Pilates = strong and flexible spine. All the core strengthening, working in different planes of motion, and stretching, all tie back to that basic premise. Pilates has been quoted as having said: “You’re as young as your spine is supple”. Few other methods have that emphasis, and that is why his method has stood the test of time.

What’s the difference between yoga and Pilates?

Both focus on [1] strength, [2] flexibility, and [3] breathing, but Pilates follows that hierarchy. Plus, Pilates strengthens you from the proximal to the distal. This means that the focus is mostly on core conditioning at the beginning, then as the individual gets stronger, other strength cues are added that involve the legs, arms and neck.

Can you get a cardio workout from Pilates?

Absolutely. It’s important to remember that each Pilates exercise is a full body effort for every set. That means that if a part of your body is relaxing while you’re performing the moves, then you’re not getting the most out of your Pilates workout. The brain needs to send the message to the individual muscle groups so that you’re engaging them from the inside. When you do that, the cardiovascular rate goes up, and you don’t need to do many reps to get the full benefit of the routine.

Can you do Pilates everyday?

Certainly. Joseph Pilates conceived the Mat Series as a full body workout of approximately 40 exercises to be done with a mat in under an hour everyday. You can also do apparatus work everyday. Since it’s a full body workout, no muscle group is exhausted and when you’re done you feel re-energized, not fatigued.

Do you “plateau” in Pilates?

The concept doesn’t apply, because Pilates is about mobility. As you get stronger and more flexible, you gain more control over your body and can execute the different exercises with more precision. Your brain allows you to engage more muscle groups as you progress and so it’s a never ending quest towards mobile perfection.

Can men do Pilates?

Well of course. After all, this method was created by a guy who moved to the US under a contract to train boxers. His method was meant to restructure the body and prepare it for the ring, so this was not a “light” workout routine. Then again, it’s very different from straightforward weight lifting. Men can benefit immensely from the flexibility component, the balance challenge, and the strengthening of the core. That in turn translates to better performance in competitive sports or strength training method.

*Above photos (in order): Single Leg Lift, Spine Stretch, Criss Cross (or Bicycle) exercises

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Be sure to stretch after you work out. View our Personal Trainers' Stretching Gallery here.