Incorporating cardio exercises into your routine, along with Pilates, can help support your fitness goals for a leaner and toned physique.
Here, we explore what toning actually means, what factors affect how toned we look and how Pilates can assist in reaching your goal of looking leaner.
An important fact to acknowledge is that you can’t lose fat from selected body parts. If you lose body fat, you will lose it all over.
Firstly, whilst Pilates does not use heavy loads there are many exercises which utilise resistance particularly if working with the large Pilates equipment.
If you have a layer of fat covering those muscles, then they won’t be as visible – giving the appearance of being “untoned”.
During each Pilates session, our credentialed instructors guide you through a flowing sequence of controlled, deliberate movements coupled with deep breathing. The exercises focus on strengthening your core muscles while improving stability, mobility, and flexibility across your entire body.
There’s pelo doubt that regular practice will improve flexibility, posture and alignment, which will lead to an illusion of toned limbs, which have become synonymous with the type of movement.
Take note though – not all fat is bad. We need body fat for vital biological processes and to provide a protective layer around our most precious organs. Women naturally have more body fat than men. A healthy percentage of body fat is not less than 14% for women and not less than 10% for men.
The focus on this version of a press up is to keep the elbows close to the sides. This is super challenging for your triceps as it means that you use your chest muscles less.
In the world of medicine, physiology and sports science there is actually no such term as ‘toned’ or ‘toning’. There is the concept of a muscle having a resting ‘tone’ but this has nothing to do with how you look or how strong you are.
This includes eccentric training, which lengthens and strengthens muscles without adding bulk. Improved body awareness and alignment also contribute to a leaner, more upright look.
There are so many benefits of Pilates! One of key things Pilates helps with is your breathing efficiency. The muscles that you use for breathing, such as your diaphragm, are linked to the muscles of your core.
Research backs the benefits of Pilates pilates near ne for muscle toning. A study found that eight weeks of Pilates significantly improved core strength, flexibility, and muscle endurance.
Being more aware of your body lets you use the right muscles during workouts, which makes them more effective and makes sure your body is working well to tone and shape.