Nanci Kushner: Should People Rely on Pilates for Weight-Loss Purposes?

 

Weight-Loss
Image: livestrong.com

Holding a master’s degree in education from Fordham University, Nanci Kushner possesses extensive experience as a Pilates instructor. Nanci Kushner worked for two years as an instructor at Jumping Frogs Pilates and subsequently owned her own Pilates studio. Often, people ask whether Pilates is a good activity for losing weight.

Like yoga, Pilates is not an ideal exercise for losing weight. Both of these forms of exercise have relatively low impact and burn few calories, which means that they typically do not result in significant weight loss alone. Studies have shown that Pilates does not cause significant weight loss or loss of body fat in adults, even after prolonged practice. At the same time, Pilates has a number of benefits that can help people on their road to weight loss.

Pilates helps individuals strengthen their core and improve flexibility, both or which reduce risk of injury. In addition, these factors can help individuals engage in other forms of exercise for longer durations to experience greater benefit. Also, Pilates often involves a gym or health club membership that open doors to other forms of exercise.

Reducing Boxing Injuries

Boxing Injuries
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The former Pilates instructor and owner of NPK Pilates in New Jersey, Nanci Perle Kushner maintains a strong commitment to physical activity. In addition to practicing Pilates, Nanci Kushner enjoys playing tennis and boxing in her spare time.

As with many contact sports, boxing puts participants at risk for many injuries. Fortunately, most of boxing’s common injuries can be prevented by wearing the proper protective gear. This includes a head guard, along with boxing gloves that are specifically designed for training and sparring. Hand wraps are also important, but they must be used properly to prevent injury. Boxers should begin wrapping their hand when it is completely outstretched and ensure that their wrist, knuckles, and fingers are carefully cushioned. The hand wrap should be firm, but boxers must avoid wrapping too tightly as not to cut off blood flow.

In addition to wearing the right protective gear, boxing injuries can be prevented through routine exercise. Stretching exercises help the muscles and ligaments become longer and can increase a boxer’s range of movement. They also warm up the body before sparring. Meanwhile, strength exercises reduce the risk of lower body and shoulder injuries, and endurance exercises improve stamina and ensure boxers stay agile over longer periods of time.