The Hundred: Engages the core, arms, and legs for endurance. This exercise requires controlled breathing and sustained abdominal contraction, which helps tone the entire midsection and improves circulation.
Exhale as you continue to roll up, reaching forward towards your toes while keeping your legs straight.
Trainers will use their best knowledge of not only Pilates, but other mind/body disciplines like Suspension Training, Rebounding and Neurology applied to movement to help restore natural movement and allow you to perform to the best of your potential!
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.
And there is plenty about the celeb-favourite workout that lives up to this reputation – but that’s far from all it has to offer.
Strength training exercises help build muscle mass, while reducing overall body fat through a combination of a healthy diet and cardio exercises, can make muscles appear more toned.
The term “toning” as applied to exercise was likely introduced to the fitness world as a marketing term. Its purpose? To encourage women to do strength training during decades when the concept of gaining muscle bulk was considered unfeminine and therefore off putting to women.
Take note though – not all fat is bad. We need body fat for vital biological processes and to provide a protective layer around our most precious organs. Women naturally have more body fat than men. A healthy percentage of body fat is not less than 14% for women and not less than 10% for men.
Our instructors incorporate targeted stretches and full-range movements designed to lengthen tight muscles and enhance joint mobility. Proper stretching keeps muscles pliable and joints fluid, reducing stiffness and risk of strains or sprains. Consistent Pilates helps reopen tight hips, improve hamstring and lower back flexibility, and restore mobility for increased agility and ease of motion.
Tech neck, anyone? Yep – us too. Hours spent working on laptops and then evenings spent scrolling mindlessly on social media are wreaking havoc on our neck and back health, leading to postural issues such as neck humps and lower back pain.
This means even at rest you are burning more calories. Pilates can prepare your body for strength training and cardiovascular exercise by waking up your muscles and improving the efficiency of your movements.
The truth is, neither approach is automatically “better” for toning. What matters most is how you’re practicing: the quality of movement, consistency over time, and the level of challenge being applied.
At Vitality At Home in Grand Rapids, our Pilates program welcomes adults hoping to regain or improve their active lifestyle after injury or haus of b pilates hiatus. We offer personalized attention from certified instructors in a supportive, upscale environment conducive to holistic healing.
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.