Pilates Power Gym
From LoveToKnow Exercise
Using a Pilates Power Gym is a great way to get the benefits of a Pilates workout without having to pay for an expensive gym membership or private lessons on a reformer.
About the Power Gym
The Pilates Power Gym is a piece of at-home fitness equipment that aims to make it easy for anyone, whether a beginner or a more experienced Pilates athlete, to do the Pilates exercises and build a stronger, leaner body.
The machine allows people to do classic Pilates moves but is simplified to eliminate the learning curve found with other Pilates equipment so as to be "almost foolproof," according to a promotional video for the machine.
It allows users to perform simple, intuitive movements that are also said to be quite effective at toning and shaping the body. Multiple incline levels and four built-in variable resistance cords also make it easy to make movements more challenging – a feature that's not available on traditional Pilates reformers.
The equipment's carbon steel frame is durable and can hold up to 300 pounds, yet it folds easily to store in a closet or under the bed.
Pilates Power Gym Features
The Power Gym is basically a large padded board that glides along a track. It can be adjusted to different heights for different exercises and to make moves more challenging.
Padded foot straps are connected to one end of the board with cables, allowing the person using the machine to work through a wide variety of exercises holding the straps with the hands or feet.
There's also a head rest that folds out of the way when you aren't using it. This makes it possible to lie down on the board comfortably and work the cables with your hands, moving your body up and down on the machine.
An optional push-up bar is also available, which can be attached to the opposite end of the machine. It also has wheels mounted on the frame to make it easy to move around.
When assembled, the machine is 56 inches long, 17.75 inches wide and 13 inches tall. It weighs 61 pounds, but the wheels make it relatively easy to move it around if you need to store it somewhere out of the way and only have it pulled out when you are using it.
What Comes with the Machine
If you decide to try the Pilates Power Gym, you'll get the fully assembled machine, an exercise DVD and a nutrition plan that can help make it even easier for you to lose weight if you need to.
The company offers two options for buying the machine. People can either buy it outright with a one-time payment or pay an installment (at the time of this writing it was $49.95) to try the machine for 30 days.
After that time the machine can be returned or more monthly payments will be billed.
No matter which way you pay, the company allows 12 months for returns if the machine has defects in materials or workmanship.
Alternatives to the Power Gym
The Pilates Power Gym is just Pilates exercise machine, but there are others, such as:
Instead of buying a full workout machine, you can also do Pilates at home just with the help of a Pilates ball, some good exercise DVDs, and maybe some other equipment such as straps and other equipment that might be used in yoga.
You can also find basic Pilates exercises online to help you begin and extend your practice. It's not a bad idea to do a session or two in a class with a qualified trainer so that you can be assured that you are doing the exercises in the correct and safe way when you work out on your own.
Pilates is a great way to get a long, lean, strong look without the heavy lifting of weight training. Whether you choose a heavy-duty piece of equipment or a simple ball to do your workout on, doing Pilates regularly will have profound effects on your body, mind and spirit.
This page has been accessed 569 times. This page was last modified 01:47, 31 July 2008.
© 2006-2008 LoveToKnow Corp.
