12 reasons to try pilates

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Pilates is suitable for people of all fitness levels, helps to become stronger and more flexible, increases awareness and changes breathing habits. Find out what other health benefits you can get by exercising regularly with this system.

What is Pilates

The Pilates exercise system emerged in the 1920s in New York City. Its creator, Joseph Pilates, took a little from different practices such as yoga and tai chi, including physical exercises and stretching, breathing techniques and concentration on body movement into his system.

Initially, the system was used for the rehabilitation of injured dancers, therefore all its movements are very smooth and accurate, great attention is paid to the correct execution technique, breathing control and body position. While all muscles receive the load, special attention is paid to the core muscles and the development of balance.

If you are not active or physically fit, Pilates can help you maintain muscle tone and improve flexibility, and for athletes, Pilates is a good workout on recovery days, helping to reduce muscle pain and improve joint mobility.

No matter what reason you choose Pilates, the health benefits will be significant.

Why try

1. Pilates develops flexibility

While your body is young and flexible, you do not notice this: any movement seems simple and natural. However, over time, due to age, sedentary work, or injury, flexibility can deteriorate so much that it begins to reduce the quality of life.

Stretching, resistance exercises, strength movements, and breathing techniques all increase flexibility when practicing Pilates.

It is not necessary to practice every day. A study found that practicing Pilates for just two hours a week for 12 weeks significantly increased the flexibility and endurance of its participants.

2. Pilates increases strength

It will be funny for people who are involved in strength sports to see this fact about Pilates. How can smooth, no-weighted exercise increase strength in chest pressers?

In fact, it can. Past injuries, sedentary work, uncomfortable posture during sleep - all this makes our body get used to an unnatural position and reduces the effectiveness of movements, leading to posture disorders and pain.

Pilates helps bring your body back to its natural position, which directly affects strength. The body begins to move in the most efficient way and strength increases.

Plus, Pilates can help regain strength after injury. Exercise develops healthy muscles and prevents injured people from overgrowing with scar tissue, which increases range of motion and speeds recovery.

3. Pilates develops core muscles

The core muscles cover your core in several layers and are involved in any movement you make. They are responsible for maintaining balance and stabilizing the body, which is essential for preventing injury in both sports and everyday life.

Research proves that the development of stability in dynamics and statics, activation of the core muscles and the development of neuromuscular control help prevent sports injuries.

In Pilates, a lot of attention is paid to creating a strong center - a "belt of strength". Any exercise begins with the activation of the stabilizing core muscles, due to which they quickly come to tone. This is one of the many reasons athletes often do Pilates during their recovery period.

4. Pilates is safe during the rehabilitation period

Properly performed rehabilitation is the key to getting an athlete back to training as soon as possible.

Because Pilates is light on the body and can adapt to a person of all abilities, this system is great for keeping you active during rehabilitation.

In addition, trauma can depress an athlete not only physically, but also mentally. Pilates will help you cope with this too. The system allows you to clear your mind of negative thoughts and emotions, at least during training.

5. Pilates improves blood circulation

Since the blood provides all organs and systems with oxygen and nutrients, normal circulation is essential for the health of the entire body as a whole. Impaired blood circulation can cause numbness, fatigue, dizziness, hair loss, swelling, and skin problems.

Pilates has a positive effect on blood circulation in two ways at once:

1. Improves it in the process of training, like any other system of physical exercise.
2. Returns the correct position of the back, thereby increasing blood flow and lowering blood pressure.

6. Pilates improves breathing

If, due to poor posture, the diaphragm is constantly depressed, you begin to breathe shallowly. The body does not have enough oxygen, you breathe more often and spend more energy. Pilates stretches the core muscles, improving posture and allowing deeper breathing.

Moreover, due to conscious inhalation and exhalation during training, you change the very habit of breathing, which has a positive effect on strength, endurance, and efficiency of movements.

7. Pilates teaches mindfulness

Practicing Pilates trains mindfulness on its own. To perform a movement in the most effective way, the mind must act in close connection with the body.

Once you get used to being aware of your movements in class, you will do this in your everyday life. Your movements will become more graceful, you will be able to maintain your balance better. This is especially useful in winter when the risk of falls and related injuries increases. In general, this skill will come in handy in any life situation, for example, in a crowded subway or bus, when you have to literally stand on one leg and keep your balance during sudden jolts of traffic.

8. Pilates reduces stress

Stress causes our body to react "fight or flight", raises the heart rate, the production of adrenaline and cortisol, inhibits the digestive function. When the body is under stress for a long time, it leads to diseases of the digestive system, emotional and mental problems, and other ailments.

Pilates helps to effectively deal with stress. One of the key factors in this system is breathing control. By concentrating on your breathing, you learn to be in the present moment, to feel your body, and to calm your mind.

Research confirms that breathing practices can help lower levels of cortisol - the stress hormone - and even protect the body from the damaging effects of free radicals.

9. Pilates teaches you to better feel your body

We are used to not paying attention to our body, so we do not notice bad posture, muscle imbalance and other problems until the pain tells us that it is time to take up our health.

Pilates teaches us to always stay in touch with our body, to feel what is happening to it. In class, you will have to concentrate on the work of each small muscle, thanks to which you make a movement. This will make you in the habit of always monitoring your body and feeling how well it is functioning.

10. Pilates Prevents Sports Injuries

The main causes of sports injuries are improper exercise technique, too much stress on joints, muscles and tendons, poor posture and weak body muscles. Pilates can help solve these problems. It increases strength, helps develop a sense of balance, teaches you to focus on your body and track the effectiveness of its movements, so that the athlete will pay more attention to technique.

Plus, Pilates uses muscles that rarely work with normal movements. Working out these muscles allows you to evenly distribute the load throughout the body, making the joints stronger, mobile and ready for stress during normal workouts.

11. Pilates Improves Cognitive Ability

One study found that 20 minutes of yoga improved cognitive performance more than aerobic exercise or inactivity.

Scientists hypothesized that increased awareness from meditation exercises and reduced stress and anxiety contribute to cognitive recovery.

Pilates has all the same benefits in terms of body control and mindfulness as yoga. Therefore, by reducing stress and learning to be mindful of your body, you can increase your cognitive ability.

12. Pilates helps fight insomnia

Controlling your breathing, focusing on your body, and gentle Pilates exercises can help you relieve stress and improve sleep. You can exercise right before bed as a daily calming ritual.

The main principles of Pilates

As you can see, there are many reasons to do Pilates. If you decide to try this system, you can download a book, find an instructor, or learn from YouTube videos. Whichever way you choose, always remember the six principles of Pilates that its founder bequeathed:

1. Concentration. It is important to focus on your body, not to be distracted by anything in the process. If you are doing exercises, and at this time planning things for tomorrow or dreaming about something, this is not Pilates.
2. Centering. The main focus is on the core muscles.
3. Control. Each movement should be performed under your control - only this will help you perform the exercises correctly.
4. Breath. Control your breathing with each exercise. It should be rhythmic, in line with your movements.
5. Accuracy. Each movement must be performed with precise technique. Since all exercises are done slowly and deliberately, with proper attention, even a beginner will be able to perform the movements accurately.
6. Smoothness. Absolutely all movements in Pilates are performed smoothly and gracefully.

By these principles, you can always understand what is in front of you: Pilates or fitness with Pilates elements. For example, if the instructor is abrupt or doesn’t talk about breathing at all, it may be worth looking for another teacher.

Try this exercise system. Perhaps you will be fascinated by the flowing movements, or you will enjoy the meditative state of mind while exercising. Pilates has won the hearts of many people around the world, maybe you will like it too.