[opergolon]

OK, so I know I am well into this getting healthy thing when I "impulsively" buy a pilates machine.

I have seen a lot about pilates and all the benefits from balance and posture to toning and weight loss. So, last night as I was flipping through the channels on the TV, I saw QVC where they were showing their machine. I wasn't in the market, but they showed how it works, that it folds up out of the way, had testimonials and talked about advantages versus just using a tape on the floor. As I watched, I thought "I can do this. I want to start toning this new slimmer me!" Then they made it more attractive by letting me spread the payment out over 4 months so it was not such a hardship and I felt "I am worth it." I know myself well enough to know that I am more likely to use the machine than the tape. Also, this is one of the easier forms of exercise on joints and the like that I can easily do at home, rain or shine, and the machine makes me do the form correctly.

So, soon I will be the proud owner of a pilates machine. This morning I am having a hard time believing I was that impulsive. But, you can be darn sure, now that I committed that money, I will be using that machine!

[i6mbwwdh]

I'll let you know. Like I said, I wasn't really in the market but had been thinking about some similarly priced total gym kind of machines. When I saw this and listened to the people who called in from someone who had a stroke, to someone who was 71, to others who got addicted to it, it seemed that it was going to be something that I didn't have to get fit to use! By varying the nature of the workouts from beginner to advanced you can get a totally different workout and for 20 minutes I can use more muscles than most other kinds of resistance exercises.

So, I will give it a try. My BF told me I could be an ad for it after I described what I thought the benefits to me would be.

[markshome23]

Blueskyes, I take it you are back at work. Recovered???


8)

[gardenerextraordinaire]

Perhaps you could explain how it works? And precisely what Pilates is. If it is something accessible then many people here might benefit from it. I must confess that I've heard the term but have never seen what it is.

Thanks

[Saispapedlimi]

NL, I am back at work, but the back still hurts. I wish it would stop! I am hoping the pilates machine will help with stretching and the like so some of this pain will go away.

Teuthis, Pilates ws originally developed for dancers, I believe, and helped to keep them limber, toned and give them those "long" muscles. The machine forces you to make sure that your body is positioned correctly much like a nautilus machine does the same for lifting weights. Exercises center around your core, which is essentially the trunk of your body (abdomen and back), using a sliding motion and resistance from bands for arms and legs. You can get an overall body workout. From how it looked, it's easier on joints, but still puts your muscles through their paces.
We'll see about that as between my back and my knees, I need to be careful. I am hoping that it will really help my abdomen since all exercise center there. To me it looks like a great way to be able to target all abdomen muscles (upper, lower and obliques) and inner and outer thighs rather than just quads and hamstrings. I'll keep you posted once I have it and try it out.

[Vzkdgdqx]

For blueskyes2. I do Pilates twice a week in a class at the gym'

It's great it really changes your shape...... all exercises and stretches are based on the abdominal muscles. ENJOY!!!!!!!!!

[fil_nurser]

Hi All,

Well I haven't had much time to do a full work out yet as I have been out of town. But I can tell you that the little I did last night really used some muscles! At the time I was doing these simple exercises I didn't think I was doing much of anything. Until I got up!!! Then I "felt" all of those muscles and some joints. What is interesting though is that normally when I lift weights the next day my muscles are very sore. With Pilates, at the time I feel like a really used my muscles and even a little sore. But the next morning I don't have tons of aches and pains.

I will have to spend some time really getting all of my moves down correctly before I know how well it is working. But for now I think this will be great, especially for my abdomen and inner and outer thighs.

[pMJWFoAWD]

I have seen some climber like machines that are really supposed to give you one heck of a work out, although only in the gym. The pilates machine was great because it doesn't take up to much room, can be easily rolled away and if need be can be folded up and still fit under a bed easily. So, no excuses that you don't have room etc. I am looking forward to getting home tonight and trying some of the other exercises and making sure I have everything adjusted correctly. Walking up the stairs at work, I really "noticed" all my leg muscles (hams, calves and quads) not just one set as often happens when I do other things. I don't think this will do much aerobically necessarily. These exercises are slower and involve a lot of breathing and centering - great for really working the muscles hard, although I don't think my heart rate went up that much. It would be good paired with walking or biking or such.

[jelena-nanana]

How do you like the machine?

[boxcigsnick]

I would like to know how machine works out to, im just using a tape , its pilates in 10 mins for abs, buns and thighs. So far i concentrate on the abs and I used to have an upper abdominal muscle that would spasm at least once a day, usually about 3 or 4 times a day. Its not done it once in about 2 weeks! I am not sure if that is the atkins diet or the abs work.
Whatever is going on, pilates is great, walking is wonderful and eating right is making me feel really good. Sorry for rambling...

[Pippoles]

Well, I haven't gotten a whole lot of chance to work out on it. The tape is good and there are over 30 exercises that consist of 5 to 10 repetitions that cover the whole body. When I did the introductory legs I thought, wow that is easy. Then I went to go upstairs and I could definitely feel my legs. Interestingly though, I never felt that pain associated with overdoing it like I get with weights, just a very exhausted set of muscles. Some of the moves are just hard and even my fiance who was watching me do it one night said wow, that looks hard. What I like about the machine is that it forces me to be in the right position so that I can focus on pulling in my abs and centering without worrying about everything else at the same time. I think the little bit of pilates I had done really helped me make it up 31 rows in a bleacher at the Charlotte races without stopping - several times. Definitely something new for me!