So what’s the hype on pilates? Over the years, the Pilates Method of exercising has become increasingly popular. I don’t think that when Joseph Pilates invented Pilates over 80 years ago, he could have predicted that almost every fitness center these days would incorporate some exercises from his method into their exercise routines.  I believe the media and endorsement from celebrities like Daisy Fuentes, Julia Roberts, and Madonna about the Pilates Method have caused the fitness world to sit up and take notice.  Different versions of the program have been developed into the most popular trends in exercise today, including Power Pilates, Aero Pilates, and Yoga Pilates.  The popular fitness expert, Denise Austin, has incorporated the Pilates Method into her brand of exercise training.

One of the main goals of the Pilates Method of exercising is to balance the mind and body.  Building muscle tone and increasing strength and flexibility in the muscles by using the core muscles is the primary goal of the Pilates Method.  Unlike Yoga, which primarily concentrates on stretching, the Pilates workout build muscle as you stretch, by mimicking the basic movements of everyday life.  In addition, a lot of attention is paid to breathing in the Pilates Method, which adds extra oxygen to the blood to the brain, causing improvements in circulation and in removing toxins from the body as you exercise.