Fitness, Pilates
This is not an unusual question and it makes me smile every time I hear it, however, on a more serious level it really does expose a dangerous misconception amongst many Women.
Madonna is 54, a working mother and business woman who works out a lot, she clearly eats a strict diet and lives in the public eye, as such it’s in her interest to look the way she does. Irrespective of whether one appreciates her silhouette the fact that people are still discussing it means she really is a modern female enigma. I don’t know her personally and whilst the media continues to speculate almost daily about her fitness and diet regime including suggestions of weight training, Pilates, Gyrotonics, Yoga,….etc (it tends to be whatever is currently in fashion) In truth I have no idea exactly what she does, I don’t know her. However, what she does clearly do is a lot of resistance training which is pivotal in maintaining muscle mass, and since muscle requires more calories than fat to sustain itself it makes sense to keep the muscle we have and make sure we maintain it as part of controlling our overall weight.
So to clarify the answer, a press up does not give you arms like Madonna, even two press ups won’t do it. Within the Pilates studio context the resistance of reformers, Wunda chairs etc. cannot bulk you- there just isn’t enough resistance and you’re probably not putting in the protein rich diet that would be required. However, what resistance work does do is help increase bone density, essential for those with Osteopenia or Osteoporosis and as a preventative measure against developing them. In an age where dairy has been shunned and extreme dieting positively encouraged in the general consciousness we will I’m sure we will see more and more women increasingly younger starting to show clinical signs of this silent disease.
Therefore more now than ever women of all ages but particularly post 35 should be including some resistance work into their exercise routines. Traditionally women have avoided upper body work, sometimes blaming the bulk issue but more realistically in my experience I think its because it’s a genuine challenge to work our upper bodies, simply put we don’t find it very easy so we tend to avoid it. But since upper body strength is part of having a strong body overall its time to take on the challenge. Pilates is the perfect way to approach the balanced body dilemma, all my clients have to take on the upper body repertoire often starting with baby steps and gradually exploring exercises they never thought possible.
When we ignore our arms and shoulders we encourage weakness in the upper back, tightness in the chest and facilitate poor overall posture, suddenly being able to lengthen your neck and hold your head up is so much more of a challenge. So the next time you shy away from the harder exercises approach them understanding that when you achieve them you will be arming your body with more strength, flexibility and a healthier fitter body less prone to aches, pains and injuries, and yes you still won’t end up with arms like Madonna unless of course you train as hard as she does for them!
