What Is It About Pilates That Makes It So Special, and So Beneficial To Mind, Body and Spirit?
Most exercise techniques and programs focus either on strength (weight/circuit training) or flexibility (yoga/stretch classes). Pilates takes a more holistic approach – strengthening and stabilising muscles that typically aren’t engaged during other forms of exercise.
Pilates has a way of synergising mind, body and spirit to achieve optimal energy levels as well as improved strength, resilience and flexibility. This synergistic effect is at the heart of what makes Pilates so popular, but there are many more reasons we love Pilates. Here, we’ll look at five of our favourite things about pilates that we’re sure you’ll love too.
1. Everyone Benefits From Pilates
No matter your age and current fitness level, or whether you’re in chronic pain, pregnant, or injured, you’ll be able to take part in and benefit from Pilates. Joseph Pilates developed his breathing techniques and resistance-based exercises to rehabilitate WWII vets, and these same techniques continue to deliver exceptional outcomes for people recovering from injuries, surgery, or cancer treatments, and those suffering from medical conditions.
All exercises can easily be scaled and modified to suit your abilities. With regular practice, you’ll see improvement in your weaker areas as well as in your strengths.
2. You Get A Full Body Workout Every Time
Throughout every Pilates class, you’ll be engaging your abdominals, pelvic floor and back muscles. Known as the body’s powerhouse, these muscles make up 70% of all the muscles in your body. By working these “corset” muscles, Pilates ensures that your body is properly aligned to obtain maximum benefit from the exercises.
With continued practice, Pilates will dramatically improve your core stability, strength and mobility. So, you’ll be stronger, have better balance, greater resilience and improved flexibility to do the things you love, avoid injuries and recover more quickly.
3. Improve Performance In Other Activities
The benefits of Pilates are not confined to the studio, by lengthening and strengthening your muscles and providing a total body workout, you’re building the strength, stability, resilience and mobility you need to perform better at the things you love. Whether you’re passionate about dancing, swimming, surfing, playing sports or exploring the great outdoors, there’s not an activity you can think of that won’t benefit from you doing Pilates.
4. Improved Focus And Posture At Your Desk
If you’re one of the growing number of people who spend hour after hour, day after day, sitting in front of a desk, you’ll know the pain that constant sitting brings. Sore backs, stiff necks, hips and legs that ache. All this can take its toll on your ability to focus at work. What’s more, being in constant pain can lead to depression and rob you of your overall enjoyment of life.
In addition to working your corset muscles, Pilates works peripheral postural muscles that other forms of exercise do not engage. As a result, after a few sessions of Pilates, your core strength begins to improve. With stronger stomach, back and hip muscles, you’ll have better posture, which makes sitting at your desk much easier and far less painful. Better still, Pilates improves blood circulation and elevates your mood and energy levels, which means you’ll also be able to focus better at work.
5. Improved Mental Health
In addition to lengthening and strengthening your muscles, improving your posture, stability and mobility, and assisting in recovery, Pilates has been shown to reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and increase endorphins (happy hormones), leaving your body feeling great and boosting your mood naturally. The breathing techniques also help with stress management, relaxation and developing mindfulness in movement.
Give Pilates a Try Today!
These are just a few of the multiple benefits Pilates has to offer. But don’t take our word for it, book in a session with one of our instructors and see for yourself. Try it once, and you’ll love it for a lifetime!
