Pilates: Strengthen Your Body and Mind

     Last night, feeling a bit low on energy and not much in the mood for a long run, I decided to try an old faithful favorite -- pilates.  For those of you unaware, pilates is a body conditioning routine that places emphasis on stretching and strengthening the entire body, particularly the legs, back, hips, and core.  It's somewhat similar to yoga, but not quite as relaxing -- I like it because there is a bit more strength training involved, and my heart rate seems to get up there when I do pilates more so than it does during yoga.  If you are anything like me, then you might carry all your stress, anxiety, and tension in your back, which can be a debilitating ailment.  After a particularly difficult and emotional several days, I definitely felt in need of a good stretch and effective workout.  Pilates did not let me down.  With focus on back strength, stretching, and alignment, I felt like a whole new person at the end of the hour-long class.  There were plenty of core and ab exercises, which are areas I sometimes tend to neglect on my own.  The instructor also dedicated a portion of the class to legs and glutes, so those were nice and sore today, as well (I love that next-day soreness -- it reminds me that I got a great workout).  Additionally, with a lot of weight and support being placed on hands, forearms, and shoulders, it's a great upper-body workout.  Last night's pilates session was a win-win for me -- I got the stretching and relaxation I needed combined with the awesome full-body workout I wanted.  If you've never tried it, I'd recommend you do so asap; you won't be disappointed!