Want to burn 350 calories in just 40 minutes without getting tired? Try Moscow's new fitness trend, Pilates. Both a workout and a philosophy, Hollywood celebrities have been practicing Pilates for years, even though at first it was an underground thing. Originally developed by Joseph Pilates nearly a century ago, Pilates is still regarded as a unique fitness phenomenon.

Pilates consists of sustained movements, diaphragmatic breathing and mental concentration. Popular as an alternative form of low-impact exercise and meditation, it's been linked to lower blood pressure and gastrointestinal improvements. No one is born with a perfect body or a perfect set of abs - the key lies in the correct technique. Each movement in Pilates is designed to strengthen your muscles so that they function more efficiently in everyday life, leading to better posture and fewer aches and pains, not to mention a more toned physique.
"As you go through the variety of exercise movements, you visualize yourself swimming across a river," explained Oksana Marchenko, a fitness trainer whose stated goal is "to help people find the champion within."

"The river is Zen. It doesn't really exist but, with the right mental tools, you can get through a harder workout," Marchenko added. Pilates is more about building up resistance to injury and illness and supplying the energy to enjoy life to the fullest. One Pilates lesson costs 250 rubles in the Fit Olympics sport club. "I've noticed that I get much more motivated after a session," said Marina Petrova, 27, an HR manager who works out at Planeta Fitness. "While I'm doing Pilates, I don't think about anything else, and I come out really focused. Physically, it's an unbelievable workout that has increased my metabolism, and I've slimmed down all over."

Alla Potovina, a fit television producer in her 30s, has been doing Pilates for nearly two years in the Dr. Loder club. "I used to be so moody. But there's something very peaceful about Pilates that makes you feel happy and relaxed. Pilates is similar to yoga because it involves plenty of stretching and slow movements and is usually done to relaxing music," she said. Instructors stress that you can come into Pilates at any point in life and get something out of it.

Even for beginners, Pilates increases strength, flexibility and endurance. Don't be discouraged if you're not sweating. Your mind, muscles, posture and breathing are all getting a workout. Although Moscow is slow to pick up on fitness novelties, Pilates instructors admit that, far from being a mere exercise fad, Pilates is here to stay. There has been an amazing rise in people seeking Pilates programs in Moscow. And not just foreigners who have been doing it for years, but fitness-oriented Muscovites in search of physical perfection. It attracts people of all ages (and not just women), though most people come along either out of curiosity or fueled by skepticism, wondering how Pilates can help in their quest for fitness. But they leave feeling they have worked their muscles harder than before, and the fact that nearly everyone returns is an indicator of the workout's effectiveness.


Locations:


Fit Olympics

16 Olympisky Prospekt
Metro: Prospekt Mira
Tel: 288-2088


Dr. Loder Fitness Center

25 Ostozhenka Ul.
Metro: Kropotkinskaya
Tel: 201-4076


Planeta Fitness

9 Bolshoi Kislovsky Per.
Metro: Pushkinskaya
Tel: 933-7100