Effect of Muscle Strengthening Training with Pilates Reformer on Overweight/obese and Normal Body Weight Women (PRET)

Pilates Reformer (PR) is one of the most popular types of exercise worldwide and is considered a gentle and safe method for untrained and overweight people. The PR training approach has been found to contribute positively to various health conditions (vascular function, blood pressure, physical fitness, musculoskeletal problems), improving the quality of life and mental well-being of the participants. At the same time, it seems that it can have a positive effect on the lipid profile and other biochemical markers such as insulin and fasting glucose. Furthermore, muscle strengthening training with PR equipment provides better levels of mobility, increasing active range of motion, and also provides greater pelvic and trunk stability for both adult and middle-aged participants.

This study is designed to investigate the physiological and metabolic burden of a muscle-strengthening session with PR equipment in 20 pre-menopausal and physically inactive women with a body mass index (BMI) of 18-24, 99 & 25.01-39.9, as well as to determine the contribution of energy systems (mitochondrial, glycolytic) during and after the exercise. Each training session will last approximately 60 minutes, will be led by at least one trainer, and will include a warm-up of 7-10 minutes, muscle strengthening and mobility exercises of 35 minutes, and a recovery of 5 minutes. Anthropometric indicators, dietary intake, resting heart rate, blood lactate, resting metabolic rate, muscle soreness, rate of perceived exertion, blood pressure, and performance measurements will be measured at baseline. The metabolic cost during PR training session will be estimated from heart rate, blood lactate, resting oxygen uptake, exercise oxygen uptake, and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption measurements using a portable gas analyzer. After the PR training session will be measured the rate of perceived exertion, blood pressure, blood lactate, and muscle soreness levels.

Inclusion criteria

• Be approved for participation by an orthopedist and internist
• Have not followed any diet or nutritional supplements for weight loss in the last six months before the study
• The group with overweight/obesity will consist of women with a body mass index of 25.01 - 39.9 kg/m2
• Be physically Inactive in the last six months before the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Musculoskeletal injury
• Weight loss>10% in 6 months
• <20 years
• >50 years
• Μenopause
• Chronic diseases
• Use of alcohol, caffeine and any type of ergogenic supplements or medication during the study
• Physically active.