With years of experience as a Physical Therapist, Jenna Smith has dedicated their career to helping patients achieve their maximum physical potential and improve their quality of life.
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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.
Pilates improves the way you move. When you move well your movement efficiency improves. Efficient movement will help all types of exercise be more effective.
I attended The Citadel in Charleston, S.C. on a full football scholarship. I was introduced to boxing while attending The Citadel, both sports allowed me to experience the camaraderie of a successful team atmosphere and the challenges of an individual combat sport.
If we think of being ‘toned’ as meaning that someone has good muscle definition then we want to know how to get muscle definition.
Start to spin the tailbone up to the sky and peel each vertebra off the mat until the hips are lifted in line with the lower ribs. Articulate the spine back down to the mat.
While traditional Pilates doesn’t use heavy weights, it incorporates resistance—especially with equipment like the Reformer—and focuses on eccentric muscle contractions (lengthening under tension), both of which can strengthen muscles.
This allowed me to experience various styles of high-level conditioning. Working with fighters I was able to experiment with and develop real-world functional conditioning programs and hybrid-style strength movements using body weight, kettlebell, and other functional implements.
I remember the day one of my clients walked into my office, frustrated. “I’ve been running and dieting for months,” she said, “but my body still looks the same. I just want to look toned—will Pilates help?”
You’ve seen those Pilates before and after photos and are wondering which exercises will help you achieve a similar transformation. While there are countless Pilates exercises to choose from, here are eight suggested moves for building lean muscle mass and achieving a toned physique:
Exercises that target multiple muscle groups, mindfulness in food choices, and a well-rounded fitness norton pines gym routine can all work together to give you the toned physique you desire.
One of the great things about Pilates is that it can target a variety of muscle groups, all while using your own body weight as resistance.
So, if you’ve been wondering whether Pilates can truly transform your body—the answer is yes. The only thing left to do is try it for yourself.