If you peek into any Pilates class, it’ll look like a lot of small movements and core-focused
exercises.
While it’s true that Pilates is centered around your core muscles, the low-intensity
workout modality has an extensive list of benefits that you might not even realize.
Hi viewers and welcome back to Bestie!
Pilates may be all about slow, controlled movements—but its fitness and health rewards
are supercharged.
Whether you go for a class on a mat, using gravity for resistance, one on a reformer,
or a more contemporary variation with equipment like spring-loaded chairs and larger magformers,
you’ll walk away feeling healthier from day one.
And in today’s video, we will tell you all about the proven health benefits of Pilates.
From improving posture, lowering back pain, better balance, improving mental health to
increased endurance and more, watch till the end to learn about all of them.
Improved Sports Performance: When you start focusing on your core, you realize that all
of your muscles are connected there.
Try doing lunges without your abdominals.
You'll crumble over.
With a stronger core, you can run faster, your yoga is on point, and overall, the rest
of your workouts improve.
Plus, by working in small groups or one-on-one with a Pilates instructor, you can learn moves
that mimic and improve performance in your sport of choice.
What’s your favourite outdoor sport?
How often do you play it?
Daily?
Weekly?
Tell us quickly down below in the comments section!
Improved posture: Since Pilates is all about lengthening and connecting to your muscles,
one of the main benefits is better posture.
You build awareness of how to find postural support with your muscles, not just to reverse
slouching.
An increased understanding and awareness of how you hold your body plays a big role in
this as well.
In Pilates you learn about correct positioning of the spine and how to support yourself with
your legs, glutes, and core.
Better performance in other workouts: If you practice Pilates regularly, it’ll do you
a favor in all of the other movements and workouts that you do.
It is a very helpful supplement for most any activity, since it brings more awareness into
your midsection and to those more postural movement patterns.
Your midsection is the “hub” of your body mechanics.
If your midsection is off, the rest of your body can be off.
And Pilates does a really good job of tying all of your muscles together.
Less Back Pain: A stronger core equals a better back.
That's why those with chronic lower back pain who practiced Pilates for just four weeks
experienced more relief than those who visited a physician and other specialists, a study
found.
What's more, their pain stayed away for a full year post-Pilates.
Researchers believe that by stabilizing your core's lower-back region, Pilates alleviates
stress on the area and ups mobility.
Rock Solid Core: Probably the most well-known Pilates move—the Hundred—is all about
abs.
But exercises that target your tummy are hardly the only reason it’s a dynamo core workout.
Most Pilate moves require you to keep proper alignment and challenge your stability to
stay balanced, which helps fire up your midsection.
In fact, after just 12 weeks of a Pilates routine, a majority of people showed improved
core strength.
Increased Flexibility: Pilates focuses on lengthening and expanding the muscles, instead
of bunching them up.
This allows them to become longer and leaner, plus you’ll feel taller.
The exercises are dynamic stretches, which mean they are active movements.
A muscle is stretched but is not held in the end position, and this is usually done through
movement.
By using this technique of stretching this will increase your range of movement.
Having good overall flexibility will prevent injury, improve your posture and overall health.
Boosted Brain Power: Pilates is often called the thinking man's exercise.
And there’s a reason for it.
In a study, researchers measured changes in participant’s brain activity after 10 weeks
of Pilates training.
And they found an increase in the brain's alpha peak power, which is related to memory
performance, and other cognitive functions.
Researchers believe Pilates may even hold potential as a treatment option for people
with brain-degenerative diseases and cognitive dysfunctions.
Better Balance: Pilates exercises require more thought than other workouts that rely
on repetition.
This has the added benefit of keeping the mind active and alert.
You don't just have to learn a series of movements; you must also learn the concept.
For example, standing on one leg with your eyes open, and then closed, requires a lot
of balance.
But with slow movements of the limbs while maintaining a strong core, your balance will
quickly improve.
Some of these exercises are more complex because they are based on the introduction of a more
complicated concept than simple physical movement.
It reintroduces the mind to the body.
Coordination is key to the way the exercises flow.
And it concentrates on working the body as a whole instead of individual parts.
It requires little space: When it comes to Pilates, all you really need is a spot on
the floor.
While Pilates in the studio with equipment is absolutely brilliant, it isn’t always
possible.
Fortunately, the mat work is equally as good and is still an excellent workout – and
all you need is somewhere to lie down.
Weight Loss: If you practice Pilates regularly, it will change your body.
Known for creating long, strong muscles, it improves muscle tone, balances musculature,
supports beautiful posture, and teaches you to move with ease and grace.
All of these things can make you look and feel very fit.
The formula for weight loss requires burning more calories than you take in.
As a full-body fitness method, Pilates can help you do that.
Combined with aerobic activity and a healthy eating plan, it becomes a prime weight loss
and body toning tool.
To get started, you might look into a group Pilates class, read up on how to incorporate
Pilates into your workout routine, or meet with a physical trainer to help you design
your Pilates workout for weight loss.
More Energy: Pilates gets your breath and circulation moving, stimulates the spine and
muscles, and floods the body with the good feelings you get from exercising the whole
body.
The more you exercise, the more energy you have.
And the more energized you are, the more you'll feel like doing your exercise routine.
Pilates is a great low-impact form of exercise that can be incorporated into your daily routine.
Improved Mental Health: Various studies support the notion that exercise can benefit mental
health and, Pilates is no exception.
Breathing has been shown to cause a reduction in stress and blood pressure.
Deep breathing also encourages correct blood flow and helps with sleep.
Pilates can improve your mood as physical activity releases endorphins and causes a
positive feeling in the body.
Some scientists believe that being active can enhance wellbeing as it brings about a
sense of better self-confidence, self-control and the ability to rise to a challenge.
Mental health is a very serious problem and it’s important to identify the signs at
an early stage.
Learn more about what they are by watching this video titled “7 Warning Signs You Are
Emotionally And Mentally Exhausted”
Now back to Proven Health Benefits Of Pilates.
Increased Overall Body Strength: If you want long, toned, lean muscles without bulk, the
slow, deliberate movements of a Pilates sequence delivers.
Weight lifting targets small groups of muscles, while Pilates focuses on improving your body’s
overall strength.
This helps correct muscle imbalances that can lead to stress and injury.
It is especially effective at challenging the deep abdominal muscles and obliques to
support the core, which improves balance.
Athletes often use Pilates to strength train for other sports because it’s low impact
so there’s a reduced risk of injury.
Better Endurance: A Pilates workout consists of repeated exercises you perform in a row.
At first, you might feel tired after completing a class, but as your muscles adapt and get
stronger, you’ll have more energy when you’re done.
The mental focus required to push through a Pilates sequence will also help you build
confidence and enhance your body awareness.
Requires No Expensive Equipment: Forget kettlebells and resistance bands – a kick-ass Pilates
workout requires just you and your yoga mat.
Often the best and most effective results come from body weight, and the best example
of this is a ballerina.
They never need any extra equipment other than a ballet barre, yet they are able to
tone and strengthen just as much as a footballer.
In Pilates, a great example of this is the plank for your core and modified push-ups,
which are incredible for toning arms.
To add variety, equipment like dumbbells, Pilates rings and straps can help you take
your workout to the next level.
You can also pick up a mat or small equipment very easily at many stores, so workouts can
be varied from home with just a ball or TheraBand.
This also means you can travel and easily take this equipment wherever you need.
While there are benefits of doing Pilates everyday, there are other exercises which
you should not ignore and do them regularly as well for maximum health benefits.
Learn more about such exercises by:
Watching: Do Lunges Every Day And See What Happens To Your Body
Or
Finding out What doing crunches everyday would do to your body
These 2 videos will definitely help you pick the best exercises to do on a daily basis
for better health.
So go ahead and pick a video, or watch them both for maximum benefits.
How often do you do pilates?
Is it everyday?
Every week?
Let us know in the comments section below!