If you have observed Kareena Kapoor Khan’s fitness journey and wondered how she could achieve and maintain her chiseled body, it comes with a lot of effort, coupled with fun – thanks to Pilates.

Pilates is a form of exercise that is done using specially designed apparatus, aiming at improving the strength of core muscles, flexibility, posture and to develop a strong body, mind connection.

Pilates exercises are done in a specific manner, one after the other and each workout has specific and interesting names like “the 100”, “The rocker with open legs”, “the corkscrew and the saw”, “the swan drive”, “roll like a ball” etc.,

If these names interest you and thought it might be easy, let’s tell you, Pilates workouts require a lot of precision and control and loads of technique to get it right.

Who Can Do Pilates?

Pilates is recommended for all age groups from children to adults, for those recovering from cancer, backache and even pregnant women, but only under a well-trained Pilates instructor.

Benefits of Pilates:

Full Body Workout:

A series of Pilates exercises serve like a full body workout as they lay focus on abs, thighs, hips and lower back through repetitive movements. These workouts help in achieving balanced muscle strength by developing strong, lean and toned muscles throughout the body.

Eases Back Pain:

If you are suffering from a chronic back pain, see a Pilates instructor right away. These workouts ensure a good posture by releasing stress and pressure in the muscles in back, abdomen and pelvic regions, thus alleviating nagging backache.

Weight Loss:

Pilates lets you burn more calories than you take in, hence making it easy for you to shed those extra kilograms. If you are focusing on losing weight, combine these workouts with a little bit of running and jogging to tone your muscles, shed weight and to transform your body.

Heightens Energy:

Pilates workouts increase energy levels by regulating blood circulation, channelizing breathing and stimulating all muscles throughout the body. Many Pilates enthusiasts swear by a good rush of energy flowing in the body, post these workouts.

Mind and Body:

It may be surprising to know but Pilates is like Yoga in certain ways. As these workouts require full attention, it helps in focusing on breathing, spinal and pelvic alignment and taking full control over body movements and releases stress levels.