Thursday, March 08, 2007

Exploring the blogosphere

Like all of you, I had some difficulties in finding something responding my expectations, since I got lost several times in the blogsphere!!

The first blog I chose is http://www.pilates-method-exercise.com/pilates-blog.html.

It is a blog related to a web site dedicated to the quite recent discipline called Pilates.
In the first page the history and origin of this discipline are introduced so that surfers know exactly what they are dealing with.

I chose this blog because it gives good tips for videos, equipment, instructors, official organizations, and phone numbers in order to contact experts.

I think that among those I visited, it is well structured, simple to read, follow, explore and "exploit" : this is the primary reason why I would recomend people who are interested in learning Pilates visiting this blog.

Moreover I would recomend it because I believe that simplicity is an important feature for blogs. Surfing the net I found that sometimes blogs are confusing: there are too many pictures, too many colours, links through which one can easily get lost.

In this one, there are many external links as well but they bind the surfer to very good sites on Pilates and they basccaly facilitate surfers in finding what they really looking for.

To be critical, I think the blog lacks of pictures of practical exercises. However, this aspect conveys the blog itself an informative role. In fact, although the language used is informative and objective it is also rather informal, and so is the language used in comments written to thank or to give further information that may be useful for others.


2) The second blog I chose is
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/blogs/travel_blog/.
The reason is very simple: firstly, I think Lonely Planet guides are the most accurate. They tell everything about the place one wants to visit and they provide many practical hints and curiosities. Thus, I was curious to see how Lonly Planet organized its blog.

I think that exchanging opinions, impressions, advices and suggestions is really helpful for travellers and I must admit that the blog respects the guides style: simple but effective.
The difference between the blog and a guide is that the language used in the blog is more colloquial and informal as if people knew eachother. In the comments sections they ask questions, exchange impressions and even add links or sources.

I appreciated the essential structure and the amount of information provided trought internal links and tags.

Elena

4 comments:

Shoun (aka Tania) said...

Ciao Elena!! I read your post because I was really interested in your topics. I have never practiced pilates and I don't know very well how it works and what it is so I think your post is very useful for my bad knowledge and also because I've been practicing water gym for 3 years and it's time to change...maybe pilates?! Then I appreciate your second topic because every time I plan my holiday abroad I'm looking for advice like where to go, what to do...so I thank you because I have never heard about Lonely Planet guides!
Tania

Erica Buzz said...

Dear Elena,
I don't know why you chose a topic (pilates) such this; I mean, I don't want to say that pilates is not interesting, but only that it is a strange argument...I read your post and went through the blog you suggested and I had the possibility to learn what "Pilates" means. I've never practiced it, but I think it can be very useful to everyone!!I've practiced classical dance for 10 years and I've attended swimming courses for 6 years, so this might be a new activity for me. However, after reading the blog, I think I would floow a yoga course, rather than a pilates one, because-as it was written in the blog- pilates provide only physical aid, while yoga provides physical and even phsychological aid and balance. For this reason I would like to practice yoga, because I think the body is only a part of us, we are made of body and mind, and, according to the chinese culture and philosophy, ourmind plays an important role in influencing the wellness of a person.

Her Royal Highness Susanne said...

Hi Elena! I found the two blog very interesting! A friend of mine is Pilates instructor and she has told me a lot about it! I like this blog because it is well structured and useful in order to get information about Pilates. I will tell my fiend about it!
The Lonley Planet Blog is amazing! I love travel blogs and I like when they are structured like diaries. Moreover, I often use Lonley Planet guides and as you said they are very accurate.
See you soon Susanne

Elena said...

I chose this topic because I've been practicing Pilates for a couple of months and I really like it.
I would like to point out that both Pilates and Yoga are considered mind-body exercises and I can tell you that while practicing Pilates you have to be focused on what you are doing, you have to control your body and its movements and this implys effort and concentration. As the blog states "both employ breathing, both incorporate resistance for toning muscles. Both are used therapeutically. And both can produce lean, toned bodies techniques". However it's true they are different -otherwise there would not be a differentiation- and the choice depends on your personality, your lifestyle. I agree with you when you said that the mind plays an essential role but I also think that even going out for a walk helps the wellness of the mind. "Mens sana in corpore sano", said Juvenal, no matter which activity you are pratcing and maybe Chinese would agree?!
Elena
Elena