Piloga: The Answer to a Better Life

Piloga: The Answer to a Better Life
Piloga is the combination of Pilates & Yoga and is an essential part of every day life for men and women across the UK who are looking for that perfect balance between strength and relaxation. Piloga training strengthens the muscles, especially the deep muscles near the spine. It trains endurance and deep breathing, improves posture, flexibility and the physiological function of the joints, it gives your body what it needs to function more effectively during day to day tasks and it has been proven to create better body awareness. TOGU UK believes that movement and mobility is the key to a happier body, mind and soul which ultimately helps improve our physical ability. Piloga is often started by people in their 70’s and many say they wish they had started sooner! It is a perfect activity for every age group and can be enjoyed from childhood to those in advanced years. Here are two really important questions you should ask when you start:

Why should I do Piloga? 
Flatten, Tone and Strengthen Abs – Instead of doing endless sit-ups, lower reps of exercises like the classic ‘Hundreds’ are performed with more control. This combined with a constant focus on the torso stability throughout the workout is what makes Pilates exercises famous for yeilding strong, flat abdominal muscles.
Longer, Leaner Muscles – Because of its aesthetic streamlining effects, magazines like Elle & Vogue have been hot on the trail of this mehtod of exercise. Balancing strength with flexibility not only allows you to achieve a long lean look, it also allows the body to move with ease.
Improve Posture – The exercises are designed to restore the natural curves of the spine and restore its important shock absorbing features.
Prevent Injury – In addition to increasing flexibility , Pilates exercises strengthen muscles concentrically and eccentrically (resistance on both the in and out movement). This in turn, improves muscular control, which prevents injuries that commonly occur upon impact, such as landing when jogging or doing aerobics.
Increase Circulation, Relieve Tension – A continual emphasis on the breathing not only oxygenates the blood and replenishes cells throughout the body, it also increases blood flow to the brain, whch helps with focus and has a revitalising effect.
Enhance Body Awareness – By identifying and strenthening the body’s deeper support system (the muscles of the torso) you learn how to move efficiently so that walking, running and even putting on our shoes becomes easier.
Balance Strength with Flexibility – Most of us have overtrained our muscles by doing way too much forwad bending and not nearly enough stretching and strengthening of the back. Even athletes tend to overuse certain muscles and neglect others. Pilates works on rebalancing the muscles around the joints to work effectively and reduce the chance of injury.
Heighten Concentration – By being conscious of your muscles and how to control them, you gradually strengthen the powerful mind-body connection. This heigtened awareness and focus carries over into every day life.
Enhance Athletic Performance – Dancers have sworn by Pilates based exercises for years because of the precision, performance, focus and injury prevention they achieve. More recently, professional and amateur golfers, cricketers, footballers and the like have noticed a marked difference in their games.
Improve Self-Esteem – Because the method of exercise feels so good to do and yields noticeable results, you’ll feel great about yourself.

What products are best for Piloga and why should I use them? 
The Pilates Circle Premium – Robust and light, this 35cm diameter ring helps to strengthen the muscles through resistance training. It allows for a variety of exercises and is suited for individual and group training at home or in the gym. Due to squeezing the ring, different muscle groups are activated and these exercises can be carried out while standing, lying or being in a seated position.
The Redondo Ball – The Redondo Ball is a soft inflatable ball that is hugely versatile. The air filling can be adjusted to make the ball softer or stiffer, depending on the exercises to be performed by the user. The Redondo Ball can be used to strengthen muscles, support the body or to improve coordination; it is the perfect tool for Pilates, wellness-fitness and mind-body exercises.
The Redondo Ball Plus – The Redondo Ball Plus is a larger ball developed to offer more stability during Piloga exercises. The air filling can be adjusted to make the ball softer or stiffer, depending on the exercises to be performed by the user. The Redondo Ball Plus can be used to strengthen muscles, support the body or to improve coordination; it is the perfect tool for Pilates, wellness-fitness and mind-body exercises.
The Senso Mat – The high quality Senso Mat is a luxurious tool that can be used across an array of classes, such as Yoga, Pilates or just for personal relaxation. The Mat features around 7000 Senso knobs which can awaken the senses of the participants through the soles of their feet.
The Bodybone – The Bodybone has been specifically designed to help you relax. It can be used methodically in any therapy or training session, releasing tension in the body and being especially helpful in spinal treatments. The size and stiffness of the material used in the Bodybone relaxes stressed muscles, while the specially developed attachment at the end of the Bodybone can be used in conjunction with trigger point and acupuncture massage.
The Blackroll – The TOGU Blackroll is a roller ideal for warm-up before exercise and additionally, for recovery after sport. It is the perfect tool for self massage and releasing the myofascia (the connective tissue sheath of muscles and muscle groups.) It is a fantastic way to increase flexibility in performance and can be used in a wide variety of exercises standing or lying.