Pilates mats are available in a variety of styles, sizes and colors. Pilates and yoga mats are similar in that they are about the same size and used for exercises done on the floor. However, a Pilates mat needs to be thicker than most yoga mats. Because there are so many standing poses in yoga, mats used for yoga have to let the practitioner feel the floor. This is not so important with a Pilates mat. In fact, Pilates mats are thicker so that we are padded from the floor.
Basically, Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps build flexibility and long, lean muscles, strength and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms, hips, and back. It puts emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, breathing to relieve stress and allow adequate oxygen flow to muscles, developing a strong core or center (tones abdominals while strengthening the back), and improving coordination and balance. Pilates’ flexible system allows for different exercises to be modified in range of difficulty from beginning to advanced. Intensity can be increased overtime as the body conditions and adapts to the exercises. No muscle group is under or over trained.
