Does Pilates exercise really target the core muscles? An interesting article by Michele Olson, PhD is available at IDEA Fitness website. It asks the following questions,
How many calories does a Pilates workout burn?
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Does Pilates exercise raise the heart rate enough to qualify as a cardiovascular fitness workout?
Does Pilates exercise really target the core muscles? Specifically, how does it compare to the gold standard for abdominal exercise—the gym crunch?
“To determine whether a Pilates workout has cardiovascular fitness benefits, we looked at participants’ exercising heart rates and found that they varied throughout the workouts. Some moves, like the more advanced Jack-Knife and Side Lift, boosted the heart rate well into the target zone.”
“EMG Results. Compared to the crunch, the Roll-Up was 38% more effective at targeting the rectus abdominis and 245% more effective at targeting the external obliques.”
Find it here, Vol 2, No 10 Nov 2005.
