Trainer unites Pilates and weight training methods to foster all-around muscle growth; these are the top three dumbbell exercises she advocates.
In the heart of Hollywood, Carrie Minter Ebers has created a unique fitness experience at her studio, Carrie's Pilates Plus. This innovative approach integrates Pilates principles with weight training and cardio, offering a high-intensity workout that targets strength, conditioning, and endurance all in one session [1][2].
Carrie Ebers' method focuses on functional strength, core stability, and muscular endurance. It achieves this by combining Pilates' emphasis on control and alignment with the muscle overload stimulus typical of weight training, while also incorporating cardiovascular elements.
Compared to traditional weightlifting, this combined method can be effective but with some distinctions. While traditional weightlifting is more optimal for maximising muscle hypertrophy, the Carrie Ebers method likely promotes muscular endurance, core strength, and overall functional fitness quite effectively [1][2].
Ebers' method may prioritise lean muscle tone, balance, and endurance over sheer size, making it an excellent approach for well-rounded fitness, injury prevention, and improving movement quality. However, for maximum muscle size and hypertrophy, traditional weightlifting remains superior [1][2].
The studio uses a machine called the Transformer 2.0, a patent-pending take on the classic Pilates reformer machine. Ebers encourages a slower pace, with four counts to move into the exercise and four counts to move out. The weighted sit-up exercise requires holding a light dumbbell in both hands at the chest, while the weighted squat exercise requires holding one end of a dumbbell in both hands by the chest.
Ebers recommends choosing dumbbells that feel challenging, starting with 5 pounds and potentially increasing to 10 pounds. She suggests three dumbbell moves to complement a Pilates practice: the lunge and shoulder press, the weighted squat, and the weighted sit-up.
Dumbbell exercises are also frequently included in classes at Carrie's Pilates. For those with limited time for strength training, Ebers recommends certain weighted exercises to do alongside their Pilates practice. The weighted sit-up exercise involves lying on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, raising the torso until fully upright, and slowly lying back down.
Amazon Basics neoprene dumbbells are currently priced at US$11.03 (previously US$12.99), making them an affordable addition to any home gym. During Amazon Prime Day, these dumbbells are on sale.
Pilates can improve mobility, coordination, balance, and strength, making it a valuable component of any fitness routine. Carrie Ebers' combined method offers a balanced, versatile option for people seeking strength with improved flexibility and cardiovascular health [1][2].
- Carrie Ebers' method at her studio, Carrie's Pilates Plus, offers a unique fitness experience that integrates strength training, cardio, and Pilates for a high-intensity workout.
- Ebers' method focuses on functional strength, core stability, and muscular endurance by combining the principles of Pilates with weight training and cardio elements.
- While traditional weightlifting may be more effective for maximizing muscle hypertrophy, Ebers' method promotes muscular endurance, core strength, and overall functional fitness effectively.
- For those with limited time for strength training, Amazon Basics neoprene dumbbells, currently priced at $11.03, can be an affordable addition to a home gym and are suitable for doing certain weighted exercises alongside a Pilates practice.
