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Jun 5, 2024 · There are many health benefits of pilates, from improving flexibility to increasing muscle strength and toning the body. Here’s what you need to know.
- Cristina Mutchler
- Overview
- What is Pilates?
- 19 benefits of Pilates
- Benefits of the Pilates reformer
- Benefits of Pilates in pregnancy
- Benefits of Pilates for weight loss
- The bottom line
Pilates can help increase core strength, improve posture, and prevent injuries, among other benefits. Practicing this form of exercise consistently can help you reap the benefits.
Pilates, popularized by celebrities for its long, lean, and sculpted aesthetic, has become a household name.
It’s much more than the oversimplified marketing that promotes a “long and lean” figure, and more than the misconception that it’s primarily for women.
Pilates is for everybody, regardless of gender, age, race, size, ability, or current fitness level.
The Pilates repertoire, which includes mat and specialized equipment exercises, is made up of over 600 exercises and variations.
There’s something for everyone, whether you have a sedentary lifestyle, are a weekend warrior, are pregnant, are undergoing rehab, have anxiety, or if you’re a professional athlete.
Originally called “Contrology,” Pilates is a method of whole body exercise designed to improve daily activities and livelihood.
Though there is an emphasis on core work, core strength alone is not the end goal. Rather, using that core strength to develop functional and sustainable movement patterns throughout the body is the goal.
Created in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates, the exercises coordinate movement and breath together to work the smaller and deeper stabilizing muscles of the body as much as your prime movers.
Pilates aligns your entire body’s overall structure and supports its joints. What appears to look simple can be deceptively challenging and incredibly effective when done correctly with good form.
Pilates is a low impact exercise that creates optimal strength through muscle balance and fine-tuning neuromuscular patterns.
The optimal strength gained from a consistent Pilates practice is nonrigid, balancing strength with mobility and flexibility. It helps you move and breathe through your daily activities with more freedom and power and less pain.
1. It increases core strength
Pilates is famously known for its emphasis on the core — the center of the body from which all movement stems. The core is all of the surrounding muscles of the trunk that when strengthened and pliable, support and stabilize the body. Pilates improves core strength and function (5). Core strength is a key factor in decreasing back and hip pain, decreasing pelvic floor dysfunction, and is the area from which explosive movement derives, hence its nickname “the powerhouse.”
2. It improves posture
Your parents had the right idea when they told you to stop slouching and sit up straight. Improved posture is the difference between weak, imbalanced muscles, headaches, shoulder or back pain, and sitting or standing tall with ease. Pilates focuses on the full body’s alignment, ideal range of motion at the joints, and a balance of all opposing muscles. It improves posture by bringing awareness to your alignment and strengthening neglected postural muscles (6, 7).
3. It decreases back pain
Pilates targets the deeper abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor to both contract and release — a true sign of strength. These muscles work like a brace to lift and support the organs and protect and stabilize the back (1, 7, 8).
The Pilates reformer, after mat exercises, is the most popular and used piece of Pilates equipment. It’s a sleek pulley system consisting of a sliding carriage and springs with varying degrees of tension.
The reformer is an adaptable machine full of variety that is perfect for beginners, challenging for the avid fitness enthusiast, and suitable for those recovering from an injury.
The reformer can build muscular endurance efficiently in a non-weight bearing manner, making it more comfortable for the joints. A 2016 study concluded that Pilates equipment has an edge over mat exercises in regards to injury rehabilitation (8).
Summary
Modified Pilates supports the ever-changing body throughout pregnancy. It alleviates the pressure from a growing baby with its target on the muscles of the butt, core, and pelvic floor.
Specific prenatal Pilates exercises can aid with managing diastasis recti (the separation of the abdominals, which is common in pregnancy) and its recovery postpartum.
Prenatal Pilates, through its focus on the breath, body awareness, and strengthening benefits, can prepare you mentally and physically for labor and birth.
Summary
Pilates can change your shape through toning and its emphasis on alignment and improving posture. It’s known for working from the inside out and can give you the appearance of being taller and slimmer.
While you can work up a sweat from Pilates, on its own it isn’t the most effective way to lose weight. Losing weight involves quality sleep, decreased stress, and most importantly, creating a caloric deficit.
Pilates supports weight loss goals through the mind-body connection. By aiding in the regulation of the nervous system to decrease stress levels, increasing body awareness, and increasing motivation, you will be prepared for other cardio-based activities.
Summary
Pilates has tremendous benefits and is suitable for everyone regardless of fitness level, age, size, or any other factor.
Incorporating a Pilates practice into your training regimen can greatly support and enhance any endeavor you take on.
Oct 1, 2024 · Learn what Pilates is, whether it can help weight loss, and the difference between reformer Pilates, mat Pilates and yoga.
- Bridie Wilkins
- Fitness Director
May 2, 2024 · Research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training can help curb symptoms, maintain balance, keep joints flexible, and help you get to and keep an ideal body...
Mar 10, 2023 · Pilates is a full-body workout that improves muscle tone, flexibility and strength. It can also help heal injuries and improve chronic issues like back pain.
May 26, 2024 · Increases Muscular Endurance and Flexibility. Pilates exercises help build muscle in the entire body and improve muscle strength. Regular Pilates practice emphasizes...
Jul 3, 2023 · Discover the impressive list of Pilates benefits, backed by science and Pilates experts, including better mental health and improved back pain.
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