title: The effects of a reformer Pilates program on body composition and morphological characteristics in active women after a detraining period.
abstract: The aim of this quasi-experimental pilot study was to explore the effects of a reformer Pilates program on the anthropometry, body composition, and somatotype of active adult women after a short non-exercise period. Twenty-eight women (mean age: 40.21 ± standard deviation of 8.12 years old) with one to three years of reformer Pilates experience participated in the study. The women participated in a reformer Pilates program for 16 weeks (one hour, twice per week) after 4 weeks of detraining (summer holidays) in 2012. The International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry full profile was assessed before and after the intervention program. Significant decreases (p ≤ 0.05) from pre- to post-program were observed for triceps, iliac crest, supraspinale, abdominal, front thigh and medial calf skinfold thicknesses, six and eight skinfold thickness sums, forearm and ankle girths, waist/hip ratio, endomorphy, and fat mass. Significant increases (p ≤ .05) were observed for corrected arm, corrected calf girths, and muscle mass. Generally, women showed a mesomorphic endomorph (endomorphy predominant) and mesomorph-endomorph (endomorphy and mesomorphy predominant) in the pre- and posttests, respectively. In conclusion, the practice of reformer Pilates was associated with healthy changes in anthropometric parameters, body composition, and somatotype in Pilates-experienced women after 4 weeks of no physical exercise.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sport Traumatology , Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia (UCAM) , Murcia , Spain.|b Department of Sport Science , Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia (UCAM) , Murcia , Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vaquero-Cristóbal
authors.affiliation: b Department of Sport Science , Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia (UCAM) , Murcia , Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alacid
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sport Traumatology , Catholic University San Antonio of Murcia (UCAM) , Murcia , Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Esparza-Ros
authors.affiliation: c Department of Sport, Coaching and Exercise Science , University of Lincoln , Lincoln , England.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: López-Plaza
authors.affiliation: d Laboratory of Kinesiology, Biomechanics and Ergonomics (KIBIOMER) , University of Almería , Almería , Spain.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Muyor
authors.affiliation: e Department of Physical Education , University of Murcia , Murcia , Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: López-Miñarro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000070496:Kinanthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013008:Somatotypes / Q000502:physiology; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
keywords: Body mass index; Pilates method; physical activity; quality of life; weight; women