Why Pilates is Beneficial For Our Health
Why is Pilates so beneficial for our health?
Pilates is a low impact exercise method focusing on improving your mobility, flexibility and core strength which leads to a better posture and a stronger body that moves more freely and easily.
The great thing about Pilates is that it can be performed by anyone!
Regardless of your age, ability, whether you have medical conditions or injuries or even if you are pregnant.
It is so easily adapted to cater for every individual.
So what are the benefits of Pilates?
Why are people raving about it?
Here are a few of the benefits from practicing Pilates:
1. It’s a great full body workout that can be performed with no equipment.
Pilates focuses on a full body approach incorporating deep core muscles as well as larger muscle groups.
It also includes several different aspects of fitness such as mobility, flexibility, balance and improving muscle imbalances and strength which makes it a great exercise method for rehabilitation as well as complimenting other exercise training you may do.
2. Pilates focuses on the mind-body connection
Pilates is one of the few exercise methods that also focuses on the mind-body connection and the breath, making it relaxing as well as challenging.
In our classes at our Pilates studio in Sheffield we use gentle soothing music and essential oils in our diffuser to create a calming and relaxing environment. Sounds and scents are a powerful anchor for creating the right environment to facilitate the mind-body connection.
Pilates focuses on 6 key principles – centering, concentration, control, precision, breath and flow.
When you attend a Pilates class you will find that your mind is not wondering as much as usual as you are concentrating on yourself and the movements.
Customers are always telling me how they find that the Pilates class passes very quickly and they regularly say it’s their ‘Me Time’ – not only doing something great for their physical health but also their mental health too.
3. Pilates improves your posture and reduces back pain and other aches and pains
In today’s society poor posture is becoming the norm, due to our daily habits. We find ourselves slumping over computers, laptops and other electronic devices, watching TV, reading and other activities. This causes bad alignment, chin forward, slumped shoulders and rounded upper back which all puts excess pressure on our spine. We also spend hours and hours in seated positions that tightens and shortens the hip flexors causing our pelvis to tilt forwards and compresses the discs in the lower back, which contributes to back pain.
Pilates helps to correct these imbalances by strengthening areas that are overstretched and weak and increasing flexibility in tight areas of the body. It also focuses on improving your core strength and stability which will creates a good strong stable frame, enabling the body to feel sufficiently supported and move more freely and easily which reduces back pain and other aches and pains.
4. Pilates increases your energy levels
We all know exercise in general increases your energy levels and feel-good hormones. But Pilates is something else, the movements not only stimulate the spine and circulation but you get the added benefit are using deep controlled breathes.
90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine!