• On the one hand, we have those who reject the original Pilates method as too old and anchored in the past. Those who defend this theory state that the Pilates method has not evolved with all scientific progress that has taken place during all this time. They also affirm that obstinately following the original Pilates rules has made practitioners forget the need to eliminate certain practices that may be dangerous and that offer no benefits at all.

• On the other hand, quite naturally, we have those who defend the Pilates method come what may. The latter defend the true, original Pilates method - something that annoys those who are not favour, stating that all the new activities and exercises which have been created recently, although they carry the name of Pilates, are not part of the original method. Consequently, they sustain that it is precisely the exercises that are not part of the Pilates method which can cause serious injuries and problems, whilst the original technique offers all the guarantees, as it has been proven over the years.

It is up to you to decide if it is good or not, to do Pilates. We have listed the numerous advantages of the Pilates method, but you need to be aware that there are still some specialists who are not fully convinced about the benefits that practicing Pilates brings. However, there are many other specialists and doctors who recommend Pilates earnestly, since it aids the development of our body and our mind.

Normal the prices tend to be around £18 to £35 in the UK, 24 to 42 Euros in most Western European countries and $35 to $65 in the US. However, these are just very general price bands and prices will really depend on the club or health centre you go to. There are also offers and passes for 10, 15 or 20 classes which may offer additional discounts.

We may think that it is quite expensive, taking into account that ideally we need to go to two or three classes per week and that each class lasts an hour. Nonetheless, we should never look at it like that because the benefits that we will obtain in our body will outstrip the outlay by far. Still, we must admit that the cost makes the exercise normally affordable to people in higher incomes.

The results of the method developed by the German doctor Joseph Pilates are perceptible in the short term. In contrast to the great number of hours that we must spend working out in the gym to feel changes in our bodies, results with Pilates are clear to the eye and mind in the short term.

The very Joseph Pilates stated that the first changes in our body will take place after 10 sessions. Besides, he assured that after 20 continuous sessions, practicing Pilates will make us conscious of those little changes that are happening in our body. Lastly, Joseph Pilates stated that it is after 30 sessions when our body will truly change.

Therefore, we must be constant when exercising Pilates, we must not stop and we have to keep on doing the exercises as not to lose everything we have gained so far.

• The ideal situation, aiming to achieve the best from Pilates classes, it is to carry out Pilates sessions two to three times a week. .

• This can change as you see fit, perhaps because you may want to achieve higher objectives, because you want to improve your health or simply because you like Pilates a lot.

• Each Pilate session must last around 55 minutes or 1 hour, so that the body neither the mind feels too tired under any circumstances.

On the other hand, we can practice Pilates on the floor. This does not mean that we have to do the exercises directly on the floor at all, since it could cause serious injuries, but that we would make ourselves comfortable on a soft foam mat or a tatami-like a special mat to carry out the different exercises.

But not only on the floor - there are also machines where we can carry out some exercises specifically designed exercises. These machines have been designed with the aim of strengthening a particular muscle area, in spite of the fact that in the great majority of Pilates exercises all the muscles of the body are worked as a whole.

Therefore, we recommend you not to miss any detail of the machines that help you practice Pilates and the materials used for Pilates that we recommend in our website.

• Reformer: it is a rectangular platform with a slider on rails, causing resistance to our movements thanks to a spring-loaded gear. It is made of foam material for the back, the head and the arms, and it has an iron bar to support the feet. It is the perfect machine for all those who are just beginning in Pilates. It works the abdominals, the arms, the waistline and the legs.

• Cadillac: very similar to the Reformer but with a steel structure which places above where all those who practice Pilates can “hook”, thanks to a system of pulleys and ropes. Thus, you can achieve the different positions that the exercise requires. This machine is a development on the Reformer and allows more complex exercises, working out all the muscles.

• Chair: it is a chair, but made up by two bars at each side that you grasp with your hands when doing the exercises. Additionally, there are spring-supported pedals, with which the resistance of the exercise can be increased or reduced. This machine works the legs and it is ideal for people with flat feet or suffering with problems in the Achilles’ tendon.

• Barrel: it is machine with half a cylinder shape that works the waistline particularly, as well as the lower part of the back and the spine as a whole. Perfect for those who are in still at a basic or intermediate level, although it must be carried out under the supervision of a teacher, since it can cause very bad injuries.

• We will lose fat tissue doing Pilates and, consequently, we will be slimmer. However, please remember that fat loss will happen in all muscles equally, not just around the buttocks.

• If we perform our Pilates exercises consistently, the fat in our body will disappear little by little and that will shape our buttocks progressively to our liking day after day.

• Not only we can reduce the size of our buttocks that is not to our liking, we will also work on that extra layer of fat, the so well -known “tyres”

• Women will love this additional Pilates benefit when exercising, but also men, if they practice it, can reduce the size of that unattractive belly whilst strengthening the abdominals.

• Elastic band: It serves to increase resistance in all exercises and its practice is simple. Take the rubber with your hands and hold it with your feet. We can keep the pace we want in each activity.

• Bosu: it is half a ball, but stable on the surface, because the base is flat. We can improve balance and stability with the Bosu, which helps to increase the exercise. The Bosu can be used while standing, sitting, kneeling and even jumping over it, which also allows us to work the muscles.

• Magic circle: flexible ring with two grab handles that are placed at ankle height, knees or you can take it with your own hands. It also has supports for the elbows and the arms, and its flexibility allows you to raise or lower the resistance of the exercise. Pilates designed it especially for pregnant women, so that they could continue exercising without interrupting their training.

• Ball: large circular sphere used to work the flexibilidad of the spine, since it is necessary to lie on top of it to do some exercises or to stretch in a certain way. We may also lie on the mat and support our legs on the ball to work the muscles and flexibility around that area.

Other materials used are weights, boxes and boards in different shapes or foam bars, in addition to the mats.

Many teachers will mix yoga and Pilates techniques during their classes. But, what makes them so similar? Firstly, it is clear that both yoga and Pilates emphasize strengthening both the body and mind, uniting these two elements to converge with the spirit, with the aim of achieving internal harmony.

We must not forget that breathing is very important for both techniques. Yoga and Pilates stress the great importance of breathing as a means to gain concentration keep up and execute all exercises perfectly.

Despite this, is there anything that makes them different? Of course, and it is something that we can see clearly: in yoga movements take place from a static position to another static position, without repetition. By contrast, in Pilates, movements are more dynamic and focus on improving the overall physical condition of certain muscles and body in general. Also, to improve the musculature, each exercise is repeated several times, unlike yoga.

We can say that yoga is perhaps more spiritual, although Pilates also places a lot of importance on it and on the strength of the mind, but its insistence on knowing and using the anatomy and strengthen it, mixed with a knowledge of the mind and spirit give it a different perspective.

Of course, Pilates is perfect for all those who lead a sedentary life, but also for all those who want to keep fit. Even for people who want to recover from an injury, Pilates is a very effective, in fact, many physiotherapists use various Pilates exercises to improve their patients well-being.

Pilates is followed even at hospitals. Older people at around 70 years of age, even though they may be ill, can practice Pilates techniques as a way of not losing muscle mass so they do still exercise as it is not a heavy, demanding sport.