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.
It is recommended to incorporate other forms of exercise such as cardio and strength training for a well-rounded fitness routine (6).
Pilates focuses on slow, controlled, flowing movements which helps with coordination. It focusses on precision which means that the forces produced during movement are equally distributed between joints and muscle groups. This reduces the likelihood of imbalance between muscle groups.
Many people find the best results come from a mix of both, which is why The Pilates Circuit incorporates both Reformer and bodyweight-based movement into personalized training plans.
Pilates is often overlooked and dismissed as a stretching routine, yet it’s one of the most effective ways to build long lean muscles.
We have a class for you, whether you like the dynamic challenge of reformer pilates or the precise control of mat work.
By increasing muscle tone and promoting better body awareness, Pilates can be a valuable component of a comprehensive fitness plan aimed at achieving a toned physique.
The Reformer also allows for more movement variety, which can help target muscles from multiple angles — a useful factor when you're aiming to sculpt specific areas.
Tone refers to the amount of tension in a muscle at rest. Resting muscle tone is a spectrum and very high or very low muscle tone could be problematic as in the medical world it could indicate a problem with the brain and nervous system. This is quite different to the concept of tone when we are thinking about exercise and aesthetics.
It’s a common misconception that you can “tone” muscles. Muscles by nature are lean mass – they can only grow or shrink in size.
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.
This is known as neuromuscular adaptation. Firing up your muscles in this way is likely to make you feel different and you may experience this as a feeling of being stronger.
Pilates is renowned for enhancing athletic performance, expediting injury recovery, and helping adults maintain their best selves through middle age and beyond. Here are three targeted benefits our clients experience from consistent Pilates lake pilates training:
When you move with control, your muscles stay engaged for longer periods of time. This is what helps build endurance and tone. It also means you're using the right muscles for each movement rather than relying on momentum or overcompensating with stronger areas.