Spending hours at the gym definitely helps in losing weight and becoming fit. I personally recommend running once a week as it blows off steam and dispels unnecessary negative energy. But the workout Madonna swears by apparently enhances strength and cardiovascular training while not overtiring you or making you sweat like a dog. It sounds improbable especially when it is suggested that it will have a positive effect on your body, health and well being. So what is this regime?
Pilates is the answer. It is said to get your mind in tune with your body while offering strength and flexibility. Of utmost importance are proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and complete concentration on smooth, flowing movements. In this manner you become acutely aware of how your body feels, where it is in space, and how to control its movement.
The fitness system actually dates back to the First World War when Joseph Pilates proposed it to improve the rehabilitation program for the many returning veterans. In addition to his equipments, Pilates developed a series of mat exercises that rely on body resistance which is why (unlike most other sports) it results in toning instead of bulkiness. He based his theory on various exercise methods from around the world, among them the mind-body formats of yoga and Chinese martial arts. Crucially he believed that our physical and mental healths are intertwined.
You see, by circulating the blood you can awaken all the cells in the body and detoxify your system from the toxins that lead to fatigue. This circulation is achieved via full and thorough inhalation and exhalation as part of every Pilates exercise. Joseph Pilates saw forced exhalation as the key to full inhalation. “Squeeze out the lungs as you would wring a wet towel dry.” By learning to breathe correctly you reduce stress which is one of the main factors that leads to weight gain and improper aging.
In standard conventional workouts, weak muscles tend to get weaker and strong muscles tend to get stronger leading to improper muscular balance - a primary cause of injury and back pain. Pilates trains the whole body equally, even the ankles and feet. With proper eating and a healthy lifestyle, you are bound to have a stable weight with a toned and well-developed figure for life.
What Mr. Pilates essentially did was create a work out that can be done at home or in a health club. One in which you feel slim, lean and fit. Need I say more? Just look at the latest photos of Madge, it is enough to put younger women to shame. So if you yearn for Madonna's results, now you know what to do. Get into her groove!
