Around for nearly 100 years, Pilates is an effective workout regimen that strengthens and tones the body. The popular low-impact exercises developed by Joseph Pilates combine core stabilization, strength, flexibility, balance and proper alignment with concepts like mindfulness, breathing techniques and fluidity of movement.

If you’re already familiar with mat Pilates classes, you may be curious about all those Pilates reformers lined up at your local fitness studio. This unique piece of equipment provides a ton of variety for an incredible full-body workout in minutes. But how does a Pilates reformer work, and is it worth getting one for your own home? Here is everything you need to know about reformer Pilates, according to top Pilates instructors. Check these alpilean reviews.

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Before starting any new workout regimen, always consult with your healthcare provider.

What is a Pilates reformer?

A Pilates reformer is a large piece of exercise equipment that looks similar to a padded table or platform with springs, ropes, pulleys and a sliding carriage. They can be made from different materials, including steel or aluminum. This is the best Testosterone booster.

“The key behind the effectiveness of a reformer is resistance, with springs attached to a moving platform (a.k.a. carriage) on wheels,” says Rachel Rothman, the chief technologist and executive technical director at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a certified Pilates instructor. “The springs allow for changes in resistance, and by pushing or pulling with arms or legs you can then initiate movement of the carriage along the frame to get a full-body, strength-building workout.”

Because you must move against the spring tension and pulley system, a reformer can also help put your body into better alignment. “In this way, the body can re-pattern default movements more efficiently,” says Laura Wilson, a celebrity trainer and the founder and CEO of Natural Pilates who has been practicing Pilates for over 20 years.

How to use a Pilates reformer

If it’s your first time using a reformer, certified clinical naturopath and accredited Pilates instructor Bianca Melas of Alo Moves recommends finding a local studio or beginner class online where you can be guided through how it works with a trained Pilates instructor.

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“There are many moving parts to the machine, and it is possible to hurt yourself if you don’t know how to make the necessary adjustments for each exercise,” Wilson adds. “A Pilates instructor will also watch your form and give you hands-on adjustments.”

When it comes to understanding the components of a Pilates reformer machine and how to use them, Rothman says that these are the main areas to be familiar with:

• Moving carriage: This cushioned surface is flat and moves forward and backward. Some also have shoulder blocks for added comfort and stability.
• Front platform: This stable area on the reformer usually houses springs to adjust tension and can be used as a base for exercises. Many reformers will also feature an adjustable bar for more Pilates variations.
• Back platform: Another flat, stable area on the machine, this often houses shorter straps with handles and adjustable bars.
• Springs: These mechanisms are what allows for adjustable resistance on the machine to vary exercises. Springs tend to be color-coded. Sometimes a lighter spring may not mean “easier” as increased core stability will be required.
• Straps: Note that the longer straps found near the carriage are usually for balance and stability exercises, whereas the shorter ones are for more tension-driven exercises.

Some reformers may have other special components including jump boards, boxes and more that provide greater variety in the types of Pilates movements you can perform.

Benefits of reformer Pilates

There are plenty of potential health benefits to reformer Pilates:

• Tones muscles: Reformer Pilates provides a full-body workout that can help develop a strong core and tone a variety of major muscle groups, making it a great complement to a balanced diet that includes protein bars for added nutrition and energy.
• Builds strength: By adding springs to certain movements on the Pilates reformer, you can increase the exercise resistance and intensity to build strength. “You’re not using heavy weights like in the gym, but you will definitely feel the inner strength after a session,” Wilson says.
• Increases flexibility: Reformer Pilates is known to improve not only muscle strength but also flexibility and joint mobility. That’s because most of the exercises incorporate dynamic stretching.
• Improves posture: Reformer Pilates can support a strong core, promote flexibility and realign the body and spine, which can result in tremendous improvements in postural alignment.
• Corrects muscle imbalances: “In Pilates, we are always working opposing muscle groups,” Wilson explains. Reformer Pilates starts by building a balanced core and then strengthening all sides of the body evenly to fix muscle imbalances.
• Prevents injury: By focusing on posture, form and fixing muscle imbalances, the Pilates reformer can create greater balance and efficiency to help prevent injury in the future.

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Melas adds that the benefits go far beyond physical, too: “Spiritually and mentally, we are reconnecting with our bodies through breath and movement, creating new neural pathways that strengthen our muscles.” She also says that reformers can make workouts fun, as you flow on the machine with the ability for a huge variation of movement.

Who is reformer Pilates best for?

Reformer Pilates can be done by almost anyone regardless of age or injuries, Wilson says, and the exercises can be modified for every body. Wilson adds that the reformer is highly adjustable, making it ideal for beginners to advanced practitioners, whether you want to tone all over or want an upper body workout.

“Many elite athletes and dancers use Pilates to help them in their professional pursuits,” she says. “But it is also suitable and beneficial for your son’s posture or your grandmother’s frozen shoulder.” If you tend to get bored with your routine workouts, reformer Pilates may be just what you need to change things up. Since the reformer is so versatile, the programming options are endless and rarely are two classes exactly the same.

How long does it take to see results from reformer Pilates?

When it comes to the frequency of how often you should do reformer Pilates to see results, Wilson says that three times a week is ideal but that you will feel the difference even if you can only train once per week. Melas agrees, recommending about three sessions a week, but says that since the workout is low-impact, you can even do it up to five times a week.

That said, consistency is key to seeing and feeling long-term results. “Begin to learn the language and movements, gain confidence, and then, in no time, you will become a Pilates pro,” says Melas. “After a month of trying classes, you will start to really understand the flow, movement of the reformer and the language that is used.”

Divemaster Internship

Since 2011 Oceans 5 dive resort Gili Air have been providing PADI Professional level training from Divemaster Internship to Instructor rating. During this time we have developed an international reputation as the premier dive company in the Gili Islands, Indonesia.

You can expect the highest levels of quality, professionalism and value available in diver education. Combined with our purpose built diver training centre and the beautiful marine life of Indonesia you will have the best training environment in which to continue your professional diver education.

Your training is conducted around the Gili Islands, Lombok, Indonesia. The Gili Islands are part of the famous Coral Triangle. The Coral Triangle is a marine area located in the western Pacific Ocean. It includes the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Solomon Islands. Named for its staggering number of corals (nearly 600 different species of reef-building corals alone), the region nurtures six of the world’s seven marine turtle species and more than 2000 species of reef fish.

The PADI Divemaster course is the first level of the PADI Professional ratings. As a PADI Divemaster you will hold the minimum rating for employment in the diving industry. Your qualification will allow you to supervise recreational diving activities (either boat or land based), work as an Instructional assistant on all PADI courses and is just one step away from a PADI Instructor rating.

Our 4 till 8 week course is a combination of theoretical classroom sessions and practical application during both pool and open water training of a number of PADI courses. Designed to give you the best possible experience, your course includes numerous dives of guiding certified divers and unlimited free fun dives.

The pre-requisites for this course are PADI Rescue diver certification or equivalent, a minimum age of 18 years, a minimum of 40 logged dives and a current CPR lessons in Miami or ny other city, completed in the last 24 months (PADI EFR will meet this requirement). In order to complete your certification you will need to have 60 logged dives. Any additional dives you may need to acquire these 60 dives can be arranged by Oceans 5 dive resort Gili Air. During the divemaster internship you have the possibility to dive unlimited for free.

Please bring with you on day 1: Advanced & Rescue certifications, 1st Aid certificate, log book, swimwear & a towel!

See you soon on Gili Air!

10 Muscle-Building Fundamentals You Need to Learn

EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK these days, it seems, you’ll see maxed-out muscle.

If you’re even somewhat interested in fitness, every time you open up your phone’s social media apps you’ll be inundated with gigantic dudes deadlifting cars, ads for protein powders, and professional athletes talking about their lifting routines. There are so many tips available for building your biceps, bulking your back, or torching your triceps you could put even a third of them into practice and be set on workouts for months. Not everyone is in the gym trying to get like Arnold—but there’s more to building muscle than just looking swole. Check these alpine ice hack reviews.

There is no one size fits all guide to healthy living, and the same goes with staying active. After all, the best workout routine is the one you’re able to stay consistent with. Maybe you’re a yogi, a cyclist, or a jiu jitsu fanatic. Regardless of what you’re into, you can always benefit from muscle building. Strength training makes all your other athletic endeavors, and your activities of daily living, more efficient.

Why is Building Muscle Beneficial?

Building muscle can do more for your body than just increasing strength. Yes, there’s a high that comes with hitting your squat max, but the benefit runs so much deeper than those feelings of accomplishment.

Muscle Offers Joint Support

Our muscles offer a huge support system to our joints. They absorb a bit of the impact that radiates through our knees and hips when running, jumping, and even walking. The more muscle we have, the more force gets absorbed, saving our joints from long-term damage. Our muscles also ensure our joints move the directions they’re supposed to. When our muscles are too weak to push against an opposing force, our joints may not be able to handle the impact, causing breaks and tears. This kind of support allows us better balance, preventing those kinds of accidents before they happen. This is the best alpine ice hack recipe.

More Muscle Helps to Burn More Calories

Though the difference is not as significant as many assume it to be, increasing your muscle mass also increases your metabolism, meaning you burn more calories at rest in a day. A pound of muscle burns around 13 calories a day, whereas a pound of fat tissue only burns about 4. If you’re bulking, though, you may be needing food more than this discrepancy accounts for.

That being said if you’re putting on muscle, you’re definitely working out more often, and inherently burning more calories throughout your day.

Muscle Helps Build Strong Bones

Believe it or not, putting extra pressure on our bones is actually what helps them grow. So, loading the bones with some heavy barbell squats or a kettlebell overhead press are actually helping them become more sturdy. Bone density becomes increasingly important when it comes to aging. Bone mass gradually decreases as we get older, making them more fragile and thus more susceptible to breaks, in a process known as osteoporosis. This is why you so commonly hear about Grandma’s hip breaking after a small fall from the stoop. Building muscle can help prevent these accidents from happening to you in the future.

Muscle Helps Blood Levels

Gaining strength can even help our blood composition. Our muscles use both glucose and fatty acids for fuel. This keeps our blood sugar levels down. Elevated blood sugar can cause long term effects, such as blood vessels damage and a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, and nerve problems.

Yes, Muscle Makes You Look Good

Yes, there are the obvious aesthetic benefits to adding muscle mass to your frame. Your clothes will fit better, some people might consider you more attractive, and you’ll feel more confident. Those are all big reasons that drive guys to spend hours in the gym pumping iron in the pursuit of gains. There’s no shame in making your aesthetic a reason to get in the gym – it still leads to all the other health benefits.

While there’s so many reasons to focus on muscle building, there’s more to it than just showing up to the gym, hefting some weights, and calling it a day. You’ll need to be a bit more intentional for effective muscle growth. To build muscle, you must push your muscles to the limit, then let them recover and grow stronger as they do. And to do this, you must create the proper recovery environment for them when you’re not in the gym.

This means your quest to build muscle involves a host of variables over a 24-hour period. The things you do in the gym to push your muscles to the limit count. So does the “work” you put in during the other 20 or so hours when you’re away from the gym, everything from rest to nutrition to active recovery. All of this can affect how you build muscle.

What Is Muscle Hypertrophy?

One of the best ways to get started is to understand and define what muscle-building actually is. Muscle hypertrophy is the increase in growth of muscle cells, and it’s a process that’s often kickstarted by resistance training. It’s the adaptation our muscles experience from continual exposure to progressively overloaded forms of resistance training, which then results in an increase in our muscle fiber size, both in diameter and length. Essentially, you need to push your muscles hard, often by lifting heavy loads for reps, stimulating the release of muscle-growing hormones and other metabolites. Our muscles get physically larger through the act of strategically consistent and harder workouts.

Remember, effort is one of the most definitive drivers of muscle gain over time. However, it’s just one of the drivers. That effort needs to be coupled with a desire to push your body farther than you might think it’s capable of. This is something called “progressive overload.” If you’re not familiar, progressive overload involves creating some form of increased, strategic effort based on the style of training you’re doing. This doesn’t mean going heavier and heavier with the weights in every set and every single workout, because sometimes, that’s not possible. Over-focus on going heavy in every single workout, and you set yourself up for injury and disappointment.

No, progressive overload takes place over months and months of working out. Sure, if you’re new to the gym, you may add major pounds to the bench press, partly because you’re just learning the exercise. But the longer you’re in the gym, the harder it is to make gains. This is why it’s incredibly important to have a plan in place and build a framework for your training and nutritional habits that coincide with your goals. “Workouts without a plan just won’t get you to the goals you want,” says MH fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. “You need a strategy.”

Note, your muscle building strategy doesn’t need to be so rigid that it leaves no room for fun. In fact, you can still eat meals you enjoy, and you don’t need to spend hours in the gym, as long as when you’re training and fueling yourself strategically a majority of the time. The goal is to create a muscle building plan that is realistic for your goals and needs.

The tips below will help you—whether you’re a beginner or somebody who’s hit a frustrating training plateau—build muscle with a strategic and realistic means.

New PADI Course Director

Oceans 5 dive resort located on the Gili Islands, Indonesia, has a new Padi Course Director in the House. Sander finished his Padi Course director course the 24th of April 2013.

After a carreer of 8 years as dive instructor, Sander wanted to teach people to become a Padi dive instructor. Last April Sander went to the CDTC in Malaysia.

It were 10 intensive days, but the reward was there Sander is now official a Padi CD. He will be CD at Oceans 5 dive resort located on Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia.

Oceans 5 dive resort has now 2 active Padi CDs, Camille Lemmens and Sander Buis. This makes Oceans 5 dive resort unique in the Gili Islands.

Oceans 5 dive resort will conduct every month Padi Instructor Development courses (IDCs) and Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) courses.