The Pilates/Gyrotonic® Combination-Weight Loss Magic?
By: David Wayburne, Iso fit Director
Being overweight and looking bulkier than you would like to, is a situation that a significant part of the population is trying to avoid almost at any cost. Slimming and “fat burning” medications, creams, gizmos and “wonder diets’ are the rage and the fact that they may cause more harm than good and contribute little if not nothing at all to the slimming process seems to be irrelevant as the consumer, bent on weight reduction, continues to place endless faith in them.
Fortunately there are proven methods that everyone can employ in the quest for a healthier, more streamlined and toned body. As boring as it may sound, healthy eating and regular, consistent doses of safe and effective exercise will do the trick in the vast majority of cases. The key is to consistently maintain a healthier overall lifestyle. Just as healthful eating does not mean a life of deprivation and frustration, an effective exercise regimen does not mean boot camp discipline, sweat and pain. It does mean eating a satisfying amount of nutritious food including foods that you enjoy and believe it or not, turning the dread of exercise into something you really take pleasure in and look forward to.
The Pilates exercise method invented by Joseph Pilates in the 1920’s and the Gyrotonic® exercise system created by Juliu Horvath in the 1970’s are both exercise methods that encompass an uncanny understanding of the way the human body works. They are safe, highly enjoyable and with consistent use, transform the way you look, feel and move in an almost magical way. It is no wonder that right from the start, professional ballet dancers in their pursuit of grace, strength and movement control, benefited enormously from the practice of Pilates in their conditioning programmes.
Although they are mutually distinct, the manner in which they act to transform the body is similar in many aspects. The body is literally ‘reformed’ as little by little the exercises increase strength, flexibility and balance as they reintroduce skeletal and muscular alignment, gradually undoing years of the very common “behind-a-desk” posture. The exercises strengthen and stretch encouraging the torso and limbs to take on a more elongated, leaner and graceful shape. Pilates exercise also focuses on the body’s core structure and the resulting improvement in posture in itself does wonders for appearance and well-being.
It is well established that in addition to aerobic exercise such as walking, jogging and swimming, resistance training is an essential mode of physical activity needed for the preservation of a healthy body composition (fatty tissue as a % of total body weight). Having said that, ladies need not worry about building large unfeminine muscles as they do not possess enough testosterone (the male muscle building hormone) in their bodies to do so. Pilates and Gyrotonic exercises involve movement against resistance - gravity in floor exercises - and an ingenious spring and pulley system that form part of the Pilates and Gyrotonic equipment. Without bulking up, this resistance works to tone the muscles and builds lean body mass essential for enhancing metabolic rate, especially RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate). In simple terms RMR is the fat burning action of the body while at rest. An increased RMR is an essential and healthy element of weight management and control.
The fluidity of movement and breathing patterns associated with these exercises enhance the operation of the Lymphatic system essential for the removal of waste and toxins from the body. Energy flow is stimulated during the exercise session and for a considerable period afterwards enabling the Pilates and Gyrotonic practitioner to engage in a more active lifestyle, another vital element of weight control.
It would be wonderful if taking a pill, rubbing in some cream or strapping an electronic pulsating device to your body actually enhanced good health and brought about permanent healthy weight loss. Unfortunately they do not. The effects of healthy eating and enjoyable exercise are as close to magic as we can get. Consider including some Pilates and Gyrotonic exercises into your workout routine and you will experience the difference it makes in you and your life.
David Wayburne is a director of Iso Fit studio in Central. Iso Fit is a Master Trainer centre for Pilates and Gyrotonic® and was established in 1998. Iso Fit offers private, semi-private and group classes for men and woman for all levels of fitness and experience. Visit – www.isofit.com.hk -or call 2869 8630 to find out more about the Pilates/Gyrotonic® Mix.
