4 basic accessories to start doing Pilates
Are you going to start doing Pilates at home or are you going to attend your first class in this discipline? If you want to get the most out of each of your sessions, discover the basic accessories to get started in the Pilates method. With them, you will take advantage of each class and you will know all the possibilities that you have within your reach to work, at the same time, body and mind. That is the goal!
More and more people are following this discipline to keep fit and feel good. By doing Pilates , you not only enhance your ability to concentrate or control your breathing, you also perform intense strength work, essential to achieve a more solid core that helps you keep your body in balance, and limbs with just the right muscle tone . It is in this work of strength in which some elements commonly used in Pilates take center stage, because they are effective in achieving the goals that you set yourself more easily and in less time.
What material do you need to get started in Pilates?
Doing Pilates does not require a lot of equipment. Comfortable clothing, too wide, some non-slip socks (optional) and a mat or mat to perform the floor exercises, is practically all you need, but if you want to intensify the practice and achieve greater effectiveness in each movement, it is convenient to familiarize yourself with The 4 accessories that are part of the basic material for your first Pilates sessions:
1. Elastic bands
When it comes to training with elastic bands, you should know that you have two types: tubular (rope type) and fabric, wide and flat. The band is one of the basic Pilates accessories. It will soon become an essential part of your equipment due to its versatility and its ability to increase the intensity of a multitude of exercises, especially those aimed at strengthening arms and legs in a short time.
It is also very useful to help you become aware of your own breathing (by placing it around the chest). Elastic bands are ideal for strength training at home, as they create a resistance that you will have to overcome when performing certain movements such as those involving, for example, leg extensions or arms and pectoral openings.
2. Fit ball (Ball)
The fit ball is an essential element in many basic Pilate’s exercises that is especially useful to work the tone and flexibility of the muscles of the central area of the body: abdomen and back. These large balls, common in Pilates, must be adapted to the height of the person who is going to use them. The most common have a diameter measurement of between 50 and 70 cm.
With the ball you work on balance, correct body posture and elasticity of the whole body, being useful also in exercises such as pelvic elevation (with the legs resting on it), hip twists, sitting on the ball, arm elevation and leg at the same time with the abdomen on the fit ball, etc. The ball is an ideal Pilate’s accessory also to aid relaxation. Try, for example, to support your back on it with arms and legs extended and you will notice how the feeling of relaxation comes while you rest your lower back.
3. Roller
More and more people are encouraged to do sit-ups with the roller. Probably, it will become one of your favorite Pilates accessories because this simple element is simply that, a foam roller that is mainly used to perform stretches on the floor that help eliminate possible discomfort or muscle aches, making you undo, in addition, of the accumulated tension.
Without realizing it, with the exercises done with the roller, you work on strength and balance, also receiving a pleasant massage.
4. Pilates rings
The so-called magic rings are as simple as they are effective. This accessory to start doing Pilates is perfect as a complement to exercises that tone the muscles of the legs, arms and abdomen. It is a sturdy rubber circle with two side handles so you can hold it comfortably.
Holding the hoop in your hands or placing it between your feet while straining to keep it in place without it falling off, will optimize the work you do in each session
