2008 Woodie Awards
Pilates and Yoga: helping students stay fit
Theresa Vosilla & Ashley Bonora
Issue date: 9/21/06 Section: Features
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Staying fit in college is difficult, but the Pitt Center offers a wide variety of classes to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Recently, a popular way to stay in shape is taking yoga and Pilates classes. Everyone from Madonna to Angelina Jolie stays tone and trim with these workouts. Just like the stars, you can now take part participate in these workouts at our very own Pitt center.
For those of you unfamiliar with these trends, we'll break it down.
"The Pilates technique consists of a series of controlled flows and smooth movements, it is a form of body conditioning that has proven to be as popular," states the web site Healthy-choices.com.
Some of the benefits include an improved body shape, flexibility, and posture.
"In addition to muscle toning, strengthening, and relaxation, Pilates develops core abdominal strength so that any activity you embark on your skeleton is supported and your spine protected," states Healthy-choices.com.
Pilates is a great way to tone up without bulking up.
The results you will soon to see are a flat stomach, balanced legs and a strong back. Also, because of improved, one appears to have lost weight.
When trying to stay in shape, relaxation of the muscles is just as important as the toning of the muscles. This type of workout is a great way to achieve a balance between the both.
"I liked Pilates a lot. My first time I was shocked. Pilates is intense. The fact that you didn't use any weights, at least we didn't at the time, or any elastic bands, just your own body weight, and it still felt like a weight-training work out was great," said Jess Boy, senior, Saugus, Mass.
"The way we positioned ourselves and everything; it was an intense workout that could be performed at home on a mat. It still felt like a six-mile run and weight training," said Boy.
"Of course I would go again. It is a great workout that has a friendly feeling to it, like you are on a team," said Boy.
Another type of workout that relaxes the mind and body while improving physically fitness is Yoga.
The word Yoga means "'union'" in Sanskrit, the language of ancient India where Yoga originated. "We can think of the union occurring between the mind, body, and spirit," stated Yoga.about.com.
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