Pilates for Beginners: A Guide for Sri Lankan Women

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Pilates is one of the best-kept secrets of the fitness industry. It is calm, slow and appears very simple to look at. While on the surface, Pilates works the deep core muscles, which are almost impossible to reach by any other exercise. Gaining real muscle mass, better posture, a flat tummy, and decreased chronic back pain in one, without using a single jump, weight, or high-impact move. For women who have recently returned to fitness, those who have just postpartum, ladies who have joint pain, or simply seeking a safer strength and leaner, Pilates is an uplifting and extremely productive first step in the fitness course.

What Is Pilates

The German fitness trainer, Joseph Pilates, developed Pilates in the early 1900’s. It is a succession of controlled actions which are targeted at working the core muscles, realigning the body and developing the mind to body connection. Pilates exercises your body as a whole, balanced, coordinated unit rather than individual muscle groups, as in a regular gym program. That’s why Pilates practitioners tend to be lean and toned, rather than bulky, and why it is adopted by dancers, athletes, physiotherapists and women everywhere in the world to create functional and enduring strength.

Why Pilates Works Especially Well for Sri Lankan Women

Women in Sri Lanka spend a considerable amount of time seated on their desks, on the floor, while preparing food or while doing domestic chores. This results in short hip flexors, a weak core, rounded shoulders, and chronic, day-to-day lower back pain. All of these challenges are addressed head-on by Pilates. Stretches chronically tight muscles associated with sitting and strengthens weak muscles from sitting. Pilates is also an expert in proper breathing, and this decreases the stress hormone cortisol, which actually promotes the storage of belly fat in women. No studio, no expensive reformer machine, no equipment is required. All you need is a yoga mat or a clean, folded blanket on the floor.

The Basic Pilates Principles

Prior to your initial workout, it is useful to familiarise yourself with the five principles to make the most of each exercise. Breathe: breathe in through the nose and exhale completely through the mouth, contracting the tummy on the exhale. Lightness: all movements start in the centre, not from the arms or legs alone. Control: all movements are slow, deliberate and controlled – not swinging, rushing or momentum. Precision – perform each movement correctly, and not dog them too fast and carelessly. Movement: movements link one to another like a flow of ideas rather than as separate exercises with full stops between.

Your beginner Pilates workout

It’s a full-body workout in just 20 minutes and is for the complete beginner. It is best to do four to five times a week for the best results. Perform the exercises slowly and concentrate on how they feel in the proper muscle group and not the number of repetitions.

The Hundred serves as a warm-up. Lift legs so that feet are flat on the floor and knees are bent. With knees bent and feet on the floor, lie on your back. Raise your head and shoulders off the floor and stretch your arms long at the side. Move arms up and down in small controlled movements, inhale 5, exhale 5. Make 100 arm pumps. This stimulates deep core muscles and gives a whole-body warmup.

Single Leg Stretch works the lower abs. Lying on your back with both knees brought to your chest. Raise head and shoulders. Stretch one leg straight as you hold the knee with both hands. Slow and controlled alternation of legs for 10 reps on each side. Squeeze your buttocks down to the mat to maintain a properly supported spine throughout.

The Bridge works your buttocks, hamstrings and lower back in one stroke. Lying on your back, knees bent and feet together, hip distance. Lower feet and raise hips towards the ceiling, vertebra by vertebra. Breathe out totally at the top of the movement and slowly return to a single vertebra at a time. Repeat 12 times. This exercise releases tension in the lower back right away, while strengthening muscles to maintain a healthy spine all day long.

The Swimming exercise is effective for both exercising your back extensors and improving posture. Face down with arms up and over head. Raise right arm and left leg at the same time, then the other leg and arm at the same time while moving slowly up and down. Continue for 20 counts. Keep core pulled in, keep neck long throughout the movement, without strain.

While lying on your side, lift your legs up and down to tone your outer thighs and hips. Now lie on your side, in a straight line. Raise the top leg slowly to hip height and slowly lower it back. Do 15 repetitions with each side. This focuses on the hip and outer thigh, which is the greatest area that most women in Sri Lanka wish to achieve a slim and toned look in the area over the years.

What to Expect in Your First Month

By the end of the first week, you’ll find you have muscles you didn’t know you had! It’s completely OK if the deep abdominals and inside of the thighs are a bit sore. Your posture will begin to look better and pain in the lower part of your back will decrease by week 2. After practising regularly for 4 weeks, women’s stomachs look flat, their cores are stronger, and they generally have increased energy levels and self-confidence every day. Pilates is not a quick fix; it is a transformation that is subtle, tangible, and lasting. Each workout you do directly builds on the previous workout, increasing your strength and gradually working your body from the inside out. Stay consistent, be kind and patient with your own pace on the tough days and trust it 100% of the time. It’s 100% worthwhile.