Get your cardio workout with Pilates! Try "Aerobic Pilates"

"It's tremendous conditioning, but different than people are used to. Pilates demands that you concentrate on each movement," said Stacy Sims, owner of Pendleton Pilates in Cincinnati, Ohio. "If you like to 'check out' mentally while exercising -- for example, with headphones on the treadmill -- it may not be for you. But if you focus on performing the exercises correctly, you'll definitely feel like you've had a good workout."

Recently, innovative Pilates instructors are creating routines that add more cardiovascular "punch" to their Pilates classes. One instructor, Barbara Wintroub, owner of Retrofit Pilates Rx in Santa Monica, California, has developed a cardio workout for her classes which she calls "Aerobic Pilates."

Aerobic Pilates is not the "speeding up" of Pilates exercises, but rather a choreographed cardio exercise routine on the jump board -- a padded, vertical platform attached to the foot-end of the Reformer. Users can spring up and down off the jump board while lying on the moving carriage of the Reformer.

A serendipitous find

Wintroub, an avid triathlete, discovered the program one rainy day when she decided it was too stormy to run. As an alternative to a wet workout, she put on her running shoes, lay down on the Reformer carriage and began to simulate running on the jump board. 

After awhile, she noticed a definite increase in heart rate and wondered if her clients might enjoy this type of workout. They did, and now the cardio routines on the jump board have become a popular part of her Pilates sessions. "We usually do about 10 to 15 minutes of the aerobic routines and then go back to the actual Pilates exercises. It's a great way for my students to get their heart rate up and ready for the rest of the class. Plus, they really enjoy it."

Exercise overview

Basic exercises on the jump board include double-leg and single-leg jumping, running in place, jumping jacks and prancing. Wintroub adds music for extra fun. Balance and coordination are also challenged while using the jump board.

Cardio workouts on the jump board can also challenge the core, elevate the heart rate and train coordination. Other benefits include burning more calories, working the core in a different setting, and strengthening your muscles.

"In our practice, we experience great results by adding the cardio section for stress reduction and endurance training because many of our clients simply do not enjoy the treadmill or other aerobic equipment," says Wintroub. "It's also a great way for runners to get their cardio workout without the gravitational pull that can strain the body in a normal running program."

Good for one, good for all

The beauty of Pilates is that it can help everybody -- young or old, fit or sedentary. However, one segment of the population that can significantly benefit from a cardio-based Pilates workout is older adults, particularly the baby boomer generation. The boomers created the fitness craze in the 1970s and are looking to stay fit as they enter their golden years. But many can no longer jog or do high-impact workouts because of the risk of injury. A cardio-based Pilates program gives them a great alternative -- a low-impact cardio workout on the jump board.

Even without an aerobic component, Pilates exercises help you increase your stamina and performance in other cardio activities. It trains several muscle groups at once in smooth, continuous movements, lengthens your abdominals, and increases your flexibility. You can re-train your body to move in safer, more efficient patterns of motion -- invaluable for injury recovery, increased sports performance, good posture and optimal health.