Why Start Pilates?

If you've ever tried Pilates, you know it's a workout that can change your life. Not only does Pilates help improve your strength and flexibility, but it also has real life benefits that can make a positive impact on your health. By improving coordination, posture, and balance, Pilates can help you look and feel better than ever before. In this blog post, we'll discuss the real life benefits of Pilates and why it should be an essential part of any fitness routine.

• Improved posture

Good posture can make a huge difference to our wellbeing, and it’s something many of us don’t pay enough attention to. As a tall person I used to hunch, but Pilates allowed my body to correct itself over time. The spine has a memory that needs reprogramming sometimes, and Pilates does just that.

Each of the four segments of the spine – cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacrum – have different purposes, and when in alignment they help to support the whole body. Poor posture can cause tension, tightness, and pain in the neck, shoulders, and lower back. It can also affect our breathing, energy levels, balance and overall performance.

Pilates is a great way to restore strength and flexibility in the spine while promoting good posture. Through Pilates we can gain greater awareness of our body alignment and build the strength to support ourselves with greater ease. Strengthening the muscles around our spine will help keep it in proper alignment and reduce pain or fatigue due to poor posture.

• A strong and stable core

People tend to think the core is solely comprised of the abdominal muscles, but they're wrong. Your core consists of much more than your abs – it’s your whole midsection, including your lower back and glutes. Having a strong core can help you control and stabilize your entire body. 

By engaging your core while doing other exercises, you can actually enhance your strength. Pilates exercises focus on creating a strong and stable core by isolating the movements of other body parts and connecting them to your core. This helps you train the different parts of your body together, providing stability and maximizing strength. 

Incorporating Pilates into your exercise routine will help you develop a strong, stable core, which in turn can help improve your overall physical health. You'll be able to keep good posture, reduce the risk of injury, and maintain control of your entire body.

• Greater flexibility

Flexibility is something that many people struggle with, and it’s not always easy to know the best way to improve it. People often believe that stretching is the only way to become more flexible, but this is not always true. Pilates is an effective way to improve your flexibility in a safe and controlled way.

Unlike traditional stretching, Pilates does not rely solely on holding stretches for extended periods of time. Instead, Pilates encourages repetition of movements and teaches the body new movements. This allows the body to become accustomed to different ranges of motion, thus increasing flexibility over time. The exercises are also designed in such a way that they can be easily modified to accommodate all levels of ability, ensuring that everyone can find the right challenge for their own level of flexibility.

In addition, Pilates focuses on strengthening and stabilizing the core, which is essential for improving overall flexibility. By developing a strong and stable core, you will find it easier to move into different positions without putting undue stress on your muscles and joints. This makes Pilates a great choice for anyone looking to increase their flexibility without risking injury.

• Increased muscle strength

When it comes to increasing muscle strength, Pilates is one of the most efficient forms of exercise. Your own body weight can be used to do a variety of movements that can target different muscles and help to build strength.  Through the various Pilates exercises, you can find increased strength throughout the body and improved muscular control. Not only will you be able to see an increase in strength but also a greater sense of control over your own body, enabling you to perform better during other physical activities.

• Enhanced joint mobility

Pilates is well known for improving flexibility, but it can also help enhance joint mobility. Joint mobility is the ability of your joints to move freely in a range of directions. Pilates encourages movement in all planes of movement, including extension and circumduction. By introducing and practising these movements regularly, your joints will become more mobile.

Your joints also have a memory, so if you sit at a desk all day or spend too much time in a single position, your body will adapt to that position and create shortened hip flexors, tight shoulders, and other issues. Pilates can help combat this by introducing corrective exercises that help to bring your body back into alignment and create a balance between flexibility and strength. By introducing these movements on a regular basis, you can help ensure that your joints remain mobile, healthy, and strong.

• Improved breathing

Breathing is an essential part of pilates practice. Correct breathing helps to stabilize the body and make your movements more efficient and effective. Accessory breathing can be corrected so that you can focus on the breath, which will improve your overall workout. 

The most efficient way to breath while doing Pilates is three-dimensional breathing. This type of breathing helps to achieve the most efficient gaseous exchange in the lungs. It also aids in extension and flexion during exercises. Three-dimensional breathing is done by inhaling deeply into the back, sides and lower ribs and then exhaling fully. Practicing this type of breathing in Pilates can be beneficial for many things, including improving posture, strengthening the core, increasing flexibility, and helping to reduce stress. 

By practicing mindful breathing during pilates practice, you can learn how to properly breathe for a better workout. This will help you get the most out of your exercises and maximize your results. Improved breathing can also help improve focus and concentration and lead to improved sleep quality.

• Improved focus and concentration

One of the major benefits of Pilates is improved focus and concentration. Many of us have hectic lives, which can be physically and mentally taxing. Pilates can help to ease some of that stress, as it helps to realign your body and strengthen your core muscles. 

With improved posture and greater flexibility, your body feels lighter, looser and taller, making it easier to concentrate and stay focused on the task at hand. In addition, the breathing exercises associated with Pilates can help you to control your gas exchange, resulting in improved energy levels and mental clarity. This can help to improve your overall focus and concentration, making it easier to stay on top of your work.

• Improved sleep quality

Getting enough sleep is essential for our overall health and wellbeing, and it’s not always easy to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep. Pilates can help with improving the quality of sleep, by providing a gentle yet effective form of exercise for our bodies. The physical challenge that Pilates poses helps to tire out our bodies, allowing us to fall asleep faster and more deeply. 

In addition, Pilates helps to energize our body throughout the day, due to its targeted workouts that help improve our overall strength and flexibility. By regularly working out your body, you will feel more energized during the day and your body will be better able to rest at night.

Pilates also increases the amount of endorphins released in our bodies. Endorphins are hormones that give us a feeling of happiness and relaxation, which in turn helps us to fall asleep more easily. Exercise also helps us regulate our melatonin levels, which allows us to have deeper and more consistent sleep patterns.

By making Pilates a regular part of your life, you will be able to get the good quality sleep you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. With improved sleep quality, you will have the energy and focus you need to tackle your daily tasks with ease.