Experienced a quick five-minute Pilates workout focusing on arms, here's my unbiased opinion
A recent discovery for many fitness enthusiasts is Lidia Mera's Pilates arm workout, a five-minute routine that promises to deliver the famous Pilates muscle burn without the need for any equipment. We decided to give it a try and share our experience.
Performing the workout involves following along with Mera's video in real time, with no instructions or audio, and executing each exercise for 45 seconds. The arm movements provide a constant burn in the arms, a sensation that is different from the burn felt during weight training.
Lidia Mera claims that this workout will provide the famous Pilates muscle burn. However, it's important to note that while this workout can improve muscle endurance, toning, and stabilizer muscle control, it is generally less effective than weight training for building significant arm strength and muscle size.
Weight training targets larger prime mover muscles with heavier loads, which is more optimal for strength gains. On the other hand, Pilates focuses on controlled, slow movements that activate stabilizer muscles and improve endurance and flexibility, making it excellent for posture, joint stability, and injury prevention.
For beginners or for rehabilitation, Pilates can be a good starting point. Stronger arm muscles and greater muscle mass come from lifting heavier weights with fewer reps, a hallmark of weight training compared to Pilates' high-rep, low-weight approach.
However, combining Pilates with weight training offers balanced benefits. Pilates enhances core stability, muscle coordination, and flexibility, which supports safer and more efficient strength training.
Our personal experience with Mera's workout was positive. Performing the movements for 45 seconds was a challenge, especially for someone new to Pilates. We found the workout effective in activating the muscles and testing our endurance. The workout was mostly done from a kneeling position, and we used a yoga mat for extra knee support. We used the Yogi Bare mat, which is soft, supportive, and ideal for Pilates and yoga.
In conclusion, if your primary goal is building arm strength and muscle size, traditional weight training is more effective. However, if you seek improved muscle endurance, control, and injury prevention, Lidia Mera’s Pilates arm workout is beneficial, particularly when combined with some form of resistance training. It's a great addition to any weight-focused workouts since it reduces injuries, increases endurance, and provides a strong foundation for weight-bearing movements. Personal trainer Eloise Skinner suggests that for significant muscle mass increase, weight training or adding handheld weights to a Pilates routine might be preferable.
- Yoga mats, like the Yogi Bare mat, can provide extra support during Lidia Mera's Pilates arm workout, making it more comfortable for those performing the workout.
- Combining traditional weight training with Pilates, such as Lidia Mera’s arm workout, offers a balanced approach to fitness, as it improves muscle endurance, control, and reduces the risk of injury.
- Although weight training is more effective for building arm strength and muscle size, incorporating Pilates workouts, like Mera's arm routine, into a health-and-wellness lifestyle can enhance endurance, control, and injury prevention.
