Callanetics is a training system invented by former ballerina Callan Pinckney in the early 1970s. She adapted exercises from ballet and yoga to relieve her back problems, and then began using the technique for people with similar problems.
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Later, callanetics was presented as an effective training method that allows you to exercise only two or three times a week, perform calm exercises without any equipment, and at the same time quickly get a toned body with excellent posture.
What is the essence of callanetics?
This is a series of static poses to stretch and strengthen muscles. Poses include standing forward and side bends, abdominal crunches, various lying leg and pelvic lifts, shallow squats and stretching movements for the muscles of the legs and hips. In total, the callanetics system includes about 30 exercises that work different muscles of the body.
Each pose is held for 25–100 seconds, depending on the person’s preparation. At the very beginning of training, the exercise is performed as long as possible, and then its duration gradually increases.
The main difference between callanetics and other similar practices is the presence of pulsation. These are barely noticeable movements in the range of about 1 centimeter that are performed in each position. CALLAN PINCKNEY claims that such pulsation, together with the correct execution of poses, ensures muscle tone.
What is callanetics
Alternative gymnastics, despite its similarities with yoga, has a number of differences. Classes include static exercises - there are 29 of them. Callan Pinkney has simplified classic asanas, adapting them for people with back problems.
The classic system of yoga exercises includes active bending, bending, and standing on the shoulder blades and head - spinal diseases do not allow such aggressive physical intervention. Callanetics eliminates the risk of stress and complications for the spine.
Static load results:
- Formation of a muscle corset;
- Beautiful posture, fit figure with proportional shapes;
- Acceleration of metabolism;
- Strengthening weak muscles;
- Improved flexibility.
Not immediately, but gradually the extra centimeters disappear, the body becomes toned - subject to regular exercise at least twice a week.
Callanetics exercises include:
- Bends while standing forward and sideways;
- Press folds;
- Raising the legs and pelvis from a lying position;
- Light squats;
- Stretching the muscles of the thighs and legs.
There are no strict requirements for the time of holding each pose: at the initial stage of training, exercises are performed whenever possible, with a subsequent increase in duration to 100 seconds. A distinctive feature of this practice is pulsation. A range of motion of about 1 cm in each exercise provides additional muscle tone.
Does callanetics help you lose weight?
Proponents of callanetics claim that the system loads the deep layers of muscles and allows you to burn fat, and one hour of exercise is equivalent to seven hours of gymnastics. However, such statements have no scientific basis: no research has simply been conducted.
Moreover, compared to active exercise, static exercise burns much fewer calories. For example, in an hour of yoga How Many Calories Does Yoga Burn and Can It Help You Lose Weight? you can burn about 180 kcal (if you weigh 80 kilograms), whereas regular walking will burn How Many Calories Do You Burn While Walking? about 250 kcal.
Based on this, we can conclude that callanetics is an ineffective method for losing weight compared to walking, not to mention more intense activities like running or interval training.
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