Get the most out of your next Pilates session

Other than a mat and a little know-how Pilates doesn’t really require any special equipment, but there are several products that can be used to make the moves a lot more challenging and fun. Besides that is the apparel  and footwear that keeps you comfortable and

What you’ll need
•    Mat - This is most important when it comes to Pilates and Yoga equipment. A good mat should be thick enough that you can kneel on it comfortably and it shouldn’t slide around. Rubber mats are a popular choice.
•    Comfy clothing - Dressing for Pilates is all about being able to move. Close fitting items in stretchy fabrics are some of the best choices. It’s also a good idea to avoid apparel with buttons or other closures that can make certain moves uncomfortable.
•    Good instructions – If you’ve joined a class with a certified instructor you probably won’t need to worry about this one. But if you’re planning to get into Pilates at home you should make sure you’re performing the moves right, or you’ll risk injury. There are a number of Pilates workout videos and instructional manuals that will have you mastering one hundreds in no time.
•    Footwear - Many people prefer to perform Pilates barefoot or in socks, but stretchy slip-on Pilates shoes keep your feet warm, maintain foot flexibility and allow beginners to grip the floor easier.  Many cost as little as $40.

Extras
•    Reformer – A gliding platform atop a frame made of metal or wood, this machine allows the user to stand, sit, kneel or lie in almost any direction. Using handles and bands they perform various pushing and pulling motions to slide the platform against spring tension. This machine is for serious Pilates enthusiasts.
•    Stability ball – The unstable surface of the stability ball is often used in Pilates to activate core stabilizing muscles.
•    Strength training accessories – Resistance bands, light free weights, weighted balls, circles, rings and more can be used while performing Pilates exercises.
•    Pilates chair – This stool has a spring controlled step and allows the user to perform over 75 exercises.

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Supersets help you get things done faster
When most people tackle the weight room, they start with a plan that includes straight sets. This method involves performing two or more sets of each exercise, with about a minute or more rest in between each set. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with doing straight sets, it does have some negatives, including the fact that your sessions take longer to complete and your body will eventually adapt and quit realizing results. That’s where supersets and all its variations come in.
What are supersets?
Supersetting is when you perform two exercise sets without rest in between. Some pros recommend you perform sets on opposing muscle groups, meaning if you do one set of barbell curls to work your biceps, you immediately follow it with one set of skull crushers to work your triceps.

You can also perform two exercises that target the same muscle, such as leg extensions and squats. This method is known as pre-exhaustion supersets because the first move isolates and fatigues the quads and the second involves them in a compound exercise. Post-exhaustion supersets are the exact opposite, you do the compound move first and the isolation move second.

Why you should try supersets
• Supersets are a great way to blast through a weight loss plateau because they challenge your body to do work it isn’t used to.
• They make gym time go a lot faster since you’re resting less.
• They allow you to reach muscle fatigue without lifting heavy weights. This is good for someone working out without a spotter or who doesn’t want to lift heavy.
• They make for an easy session. All you have to do is pick two exercises, rest, then repeat. While you’re resting after those two you can decide on two more, until before you know it you’re done.

Types of supersets
• Pre-exhaustion supersets – See above.
• Post-exhaustion supersets – See above.
• Tri-sets - This one is pretty self-explanatory. Perform three exercises in a row instead of two.
• Opposing muscle groups - As explained, this method involves working one muscle group and then its opposing group. It can be very beneficial because you’ll be working both muscle groups evenly.
• Compound supersets – Two different compound exercises are performed in a row.
• Isolation supersets – This is also known as same-part supersetting. An example would be doing incline curls followed by barbell curls.
• Staggered supersets – This type of supersetting involves performing an exercise for a larger muscle group, followed by one for a smaller muscle group.
• In-set supersets - two different exercises within a rep. One example would be doing a dumbbell bench press and transitioning immediately into a dumbbell flye.
• Upper body/lower body supersets – It doesn’t matter which part of your body you target first, just that you follow up an upper body exercise with a lower body one, or vice versa.

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A change of pace can reignite your metabolism

When people are trying to lose weight – no matter how valiant their efforts – there often comes a time when the scale stops moving. It’s known as a weight loss plateau and it happens to the best of us.

There are a few reasons for plateaus. When our bodies weigh more they are forced to work harder, meaning they burn more calories. So as we lose weight our bodies inevitably begin to burn fewer calories during the same activities.

The calorie burn of aerobic activity is further reduced if our bodies become used to a cardio routine. Only if the body stays challenged will it continue to burn calories at the same rate.

Best ways to beat a weight loss plateau
Before you decide to restrict your diet, make some changes to your fitness routine. If you don’t already lift weights, now is definitely the time to start. When you build muscle your metabolism speeds up. If you build enough muscle while losing weight your metabolic rate may not even decline.

• Compound resistance training moves - If you spend most of your time in the weight room doing isolation exercises, such as leg and bicep curls and decline bench crunches, you’re missing out on what compound exercises have to offer. By doing one set of deadlifts you’re working not just your glutes, but your hamstrings, lower back, abs and more. It’s the perfect way to challenge your body without spending any extra time in the gym.
• Superset your strength training – Supersets are when you move from one strength training set to the next with 30 seconds or less rest time. Some people simplify this method by doing a circuit. They perform one set of each exercise in their routine and repeat the circuit up to two more times. Switching just one of your weekly strength training sessions to supersets can be enough to get your body burning again.
• Switch up cardio – Even if your cardio involves a strenuous 40 minute elliptical session, five days a week, at some point your body will become efficient at it, burning less calories as a result. That’s where cardio variation comes in. Try switching to the treadmill or stationary bike one or two days a week, or use more than one cardio machine during a single cardio session. When using the elliptical try choosing a different preset program than you’re used to and switch between workouts that are low, moderate and high intensity. One of the best ways to beat a plateau is by incorporating intervals, which can mean alternating between brisk walking, jogging and running during the workout.

Before you get too concerned, ask yourself if you’ve really stopped losing weight. It might be as little as a fourth of a pound a week, but it’s still something – 12 pounds a year to be exact.

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Build more muscle in a lot less time

I’ve been thinking about my criticism of isolation exercises and I think I should say something more about a better way. Below are some ideas on compound exercises.

When you’re in the gym, moving monotonously from one machine to the next, you might be wondering if there’s a faster way to get fit. All you have to do is ask – any personal trainer worth his or her salt will tell you there is. Incorporate compound strength training exercises into your routine and you’ll soon find out why multi-joint moves are favored by the enviably fit.

What is a compound exercise?
Instead of working just one muscle, as an isolation exercise does, compound exercises often work two or more at the same time. They also take the body through more than one joint movement. A bicep curl is considered an isolation move, because it targets only the biceps. The clean and jerk (a very advanced move) on the other hand, works almost every muscle and joint in the body.

Which is better, compound or isolation?
Isolation exercises are great for bodybuilders and fitness athletes, or for anyone wanting to target a specific muscle. When rehabbing an injury or dealing with a muscle imbalance, isolation exercises may be what’s required.

But most people don’t have the same goals as bodybuilders, so why should they follow the same strategy? Compound exercises help us build strength evenly over our entire bodies. They let us work more muscle groups in a shorter amount of time, which is great for the average person who has to juggle a full-time job, family life and fitness.

Why compound exercises are better
• They save time – If the length of your typical strength training session allows you to complete 10 different exercises and you choose all isolation, you’ll only be working about 10 muscles total. If your 10 moves are compound you can easily work 30 or more muscles in one session!
• They allow you to build more muscle – The more muscles you work, the more new muscle you’ll gain when they repair themselves. And as I’ve mentioned, more muscle equals a higher metabolism.
• They burn more calories – The calorie burn you get when doing one-muscle exercises, such as bicep curls (biceps) or leg extensions (quads), is nothing compared to an exercise that requires you to use your legs, butt, abs and arms all at once.
• They mimic real-life movements – When you bend down and pick up one of your kids, or reach up to a top shelf to pull down a heavy box of Christmas ornaments, several of your muscles and joints are working together. Compound exercises better prepare you for these tasks because they also require simultaneous movement in more than one joint and draw strength from more than one muscle group.

Examples of compound exercises
• Squat – This, my favorite of all the compound exercises, works the glutes, lower back, hamstrings and calves. To step it up a notch try to barbell squat which involves even more of your body’s muscles.
• Lunge – Not only does this lower body move really hit your quads and glutes, it also requires balance that can only come from a number of stabilizer muscles working together.
• Push-up – There’s a reason push-ups are hard, they work a lot of muscles. For the upper body push-ups hit the chest, shoulders and triceps. When you do full push-ups (on your toes) your lower body is also getting a workout. Core stabilizer muscles hold your body steady throughout.
• Bench Press – Your upper body will thank you for this one, which along with squats and deadlifts is considered one of the three kings of bodybuilding. But don’t worry, the amount of weight you’ll be lifting and the amount of time you’ll be performing it isn’t nearly enough to make you actually look like a bodybuilder. It works the pecs, delts and triceps.
• Deadlift – This one works the upper and lower body, and it’s one of the best for targeting the butt as long as you make sure to squeeze your glutes. Deadlifts work the back, shoulders and legs.

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Absolutely no quick fixes

Last time, we talked about spot reduction, but let’s expand on that a little… I’m going to lay it all out right now to avoid any confusion. Tight, defined abs are difficult to get and even harder to keep. Only those who are genetically blessed with a body that doesn’t store fat in the stomach, and those who stick to a strict diet and fitness routine, will reach what might be considered perfect abs. Even if they work hard and eat right, some people’s bodies just aren’t meant to lose the amount of fat necessary to reveal stomach muscles.

That doesn’t mean you should give up, just that it’s not something you’ll accomplish without a lot of hard work. It’s a good idea to become comfortable with the thought that your stomach may never be washboard flat. You should just be happy your strong abs are doing what they were originally meant for – moving and stabilizing the torso and preventing injury.

Can an ab machine get you cut?
If you incorporate the ab machine’s moves into a complete fitness routine the answer is yes, sort of, depending on how effective the machine is at working your abdominals. For the most part you don’t need a machine to work your abs. Regular, bicycle and side crunches isolate each of the abdominal muscle groups, while a number of compound strength training moves, such as push-ups and deadlifts, utilize ab muscles to stabilize the body.

Quality not quantity
When targeting their abs many women go for the all-or-nothing approach, doing hundreds of sit-ups a week. They’re often so concerned with numbers that they don’t give much though to their form.

If you’re not focusing on engaging your abdominals each time you perform a crunch, of course you’ll be able to do a huge number of them. Once you start doing ab exercises right you’ll feel results with a fraction of the repetitions. If you’re devoting more than two or three strength training exercises to abs you’re probably doing too many.

Are ab exercises the key?
It’s not just ab exercises that’ll give you a six pack. In fact, ab exercises make up the smallest part of the formula. Many of us already have firm abdominal muscles, they’re just hidden beneath fat. To uncover your abs you need to consistently eat a well-balanced diet. If that diet consists of more calories than your body needs at its usual activity level, you’ll have to burn enough calories through aerobic exercise to lose fat. Add to that a consistent routine of total body strength training and you’ve got the “secret to flat abs”.

The abdominal muscles
• Rectus abdominis – These abdominis muscles are responsible for the “six-pack” look. Work them and lose the overlying fat and you’ll eventually see those telltale stomach bumps appear.
• Transverse abdominis – These muscles lie underneath the others and act as a sort of natural girdle for your midsection. Really focusing on pulling in the abs during crunches and even during other exercise can strengthen these muscles and trim your waist.
• Obliques – These muscles line the sides of your abdomen, often right below love handles and are responsible for torso twists. Side crunches, weighted side bends and medicine ball twists can really hit the obliques.

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