Training date with my wife

Introducing the Pierini DIET here

Last Saturday I attended my first Pilates class at the gym where I train. I joined my wife who has been going to these classes for about one month. I’m entitled to two Pilates classes per week without charge as part of my basic gym membership privileges.

Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates in Germany. Pilates training focuses on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and which are essential to providing spine support. Pilate exercises emphasize breath awareness, spine alignment and aim to strengthen the deep torso muscles.

The original Pilates repertoire consisted of 34 exercises done on the floor on a padded mat. Eventually, Mr. Pilates invented equipment for use with Pilates training, including the Reformer that I used during my introductory session. The Reformer consists of a carriage, in a rectangular wooden platform, connected to springs along with pulleys and ropes that are attached to the frame.

A person using the Reformer uses their own resistance in addition to the resistance provided by the machine’s springs. Essentially, the Reformer looks like a platform bed with resistance cords at the end. Pilates’ exercises performed on the Reformer are resistance training because the Reformer’s springs provide additional resistance. Using these springs creates progressive resistance because the resistance increases as the springs are stretched.

My initial impression is that I like Pilates training as a supplement to my current training methods but not exclusively as my wife is currently doing. Therefore, once a week I’ll be going on a Pilates’ training date with my wife.

Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum