Pilates is a course of exercises with some similarities to Yoga, but its chief purpose is to strengthen your core. Pilates urges you to focus on your breath, your body, and how they move together. It can be demanding on your concentration as you work on your “core”, legs, back, and rear end. However, the slow and controlled movements increase strength, add to endurance, improves flexibility, muscle elasticity and joint mobility while it puts minimal impact on your joints, taking the pressure off your back and knees. You go through a series of exercises, in certain order, and like Yoga, Pilates has a mind-body-spirit connection, but only with more physical intensity.
