Proven Reasons Why You Should do Pilates

From neon leg warmers, workout tapes, and cookie diets, fitness and wellness have come a long way with notable strides that have birthed a generation who want more out of exercise than a toned body.

Pilates seems to answer this call because it transcends physical fitness and includes the wellness of the mind. It sticks to the beliefs of its originator, Joseph Pilates, who believed that the mind and the body are connected and the state of one affects the other.

We’ll take a look at pilates and why you should include them in your exercise routine.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is an exercise system meant to improve flexibility, body awareness and strength through a series of controlled movements inspired by ballet, yoga, boxing and callisthenics. It focuses on lengthening and stretching major muscle groups in a balanced manner.

Pilates is performed on spring-resistant equipment such as the Wunda chair, spine corrector, ladder barrel, the Cadillac and the reformer. There’s also a multitude of exercises done on a mat on the floor. 

Soldiers returning from war in the 20th century were the first beneficiaries of these exercises along with dancers Martha Graham and George Balanchine –helping them to find pain relief and healing, and to strengthen their bodies.

Pilate instructors typically prompt you to concentrate on your muscle contractions and how they move, your breathing, and the quality of your movements. The point is to drive coordination between your mind, body and spirit.

Who is Pilates Suitable for?

According to Medicine.net, Pilates can be a great workout because it helps in strengthening and toning muscles, improving flexibility, and is fun to do.

Pilates can also have the same effect as intense workouts because it often involves slow, controlled and deliberate movements.  These facts qualify it for the following types of people and their workout needs:

1. People looking for an option to lifting weights or to add on to it
2. Who may require resistance exercise
3. Would like to change the speed of their exercises

Important Pilates Health Benefits

Beyond strengthening and toning muscles, experts recommend pilates for these additional benefits:

1. Weight loss

Pilates involves full-body workouts. Because weight loss demands that you burn more calories than you consume, doing pilates can help you to lose weight.

If you combine it with aerobics and a healthy diet, you’re on your way to achieving your weight loss and body toning goals.

2. Decreases Back Pain

Pilate movements make the muscles in the abdomen and the pelvic floor contract and release, enabling them to protect the back. These muscles are part of your core and are key to supporting your pelvis and spine, in turn alleviating back pain. 

3. Helps with Dysmenorrhea

If you suffer from painful menstrual cramps, research proves that Pilates can help to alleviate the pain. This effect is rooted in how these exercises affect the abdominal, pelvic and buttocks’ muscles, making it possible to reduce lower back pain.

4. Improves Bone Density

Research from the National Institutes of Health shows that Pilates is effective in increasing bone mineral density. With better bone density, you can prevent osteoporosis and osteoarthritis and find relief from common body and muscle aches.

5. Helpful During Pregnancy

Modified Pilates supports pregnancy by alleviating the pressure on the pelvis and buttocks. Particular Pilates is helpful in dealing with diastasis recti –a common condition caused by the widening of the space between the right and left abdominal muscles, especially during pregnancy.

Prenatal Pilates help prepare pregnant women for labour and birth by helping them to focus on breath, body awareness, and strengthening.

Lastly

Other than mind and body wellness benefits, Pilates also offers other exercise benefits like improved mood, combating diseases, boosting energy, and promoting better sleep.

If you want to improve your flexibility, muscle tone and strength, de-stress and lower anxiety, improve balance and coordination, Pilates can help you achieve all of that.

At Village Pilates, helping our clients achieve a fit body and mind is our top priority. We offer both reformer and mat classes that complement each other, increasing your chances of gaining much more from Pilates. We also offer personalised studio sessions. Book now to see what the rage is all about!