Top Ten Benefits of Pilates

Pilates builds up the strength of your core muscles

Not only that Pilates builds up your flexibility, your range of movement through your joints and relieves back pain.  Practising Pilates at least twice a week is a great foundation for good health and a happy mobile retirement.  You don’t want to simply celebrate your 80th Birthday you want to ROCK your 90th 😉  That is exactly what I plan to do.  I have been teaching Pilates for nearly 20 years – that time period changes according to my feeling of vigour on the day you ask 😉

I love Pilates as much today as I have always done. Pilates makes you fit for life. Everything you do has its basis in good posture and body awareness, that is what Pilates gives you.

“Good Posture Good health” Adele’s Pilates

Pilates mat exercises work you through routines of subtle movements of your spine and your joints. It gently builds your muscle strength from the inside out.

Professional rugby players like Sir Ian McKellen to funky Madonna are fans. Many people use Pilates to help relieve back pain and enjoy the all-over body workout stretching and relaxation it provides. I love Lynne Robinson from Body Control Pilates explanation of Pilates:

“Pilates puts the mind and body back together” Lynne Robinson

And I agree with Lynne’s belief that Pilates can be adapted to suit every different level of fitness or condition that people might be in, that is why it is so popular.

Here are 10 good reasons you should be practising Pilates 

1. Pilates relaxes you
There is nothing like focusing on your breathing to maintain a steady feeling of calm and focus. Your breath relieves stress and calms you.  Each move in Pilates is linked to your breath, your Pilates workout focuses your mind and tunes it into your body. Pilates will increase your lung capacity and your ribs will move more freely.

Joseph Pilates was insistent that Pilates was about “the complete coordination of body, mind and spirit”. Pilates practice gives complete attention to each movement by instructing the brain to release tension, centre oneself, control movement and breath with precision and flow.

2. Pilates does wonders for your spine

Pilates has a particular focus on increasing the mobility of your spine. It also focuses on the stress storing muscles around your shoulders and upper back with a tension-relieving workout

3. Pilates is great for pelvic floor

Pilates is focusing on your body and your core muscles including those of your pelvic floor.  This sling muscle supports your pelvic organs and gives you better control over your bladder.  It will add with incontinence during pregnancy

4. Reduces injury

Many athletes enjoy Pilates for injury prevention, whether you are a 10k or marathon runner.  Pilates strengthens specific areas that might have had a previous injury and build up the movement in that area. It, therefore, makes you more resistance to future injuries.  It makes you feel more toned and feel the strength in the areas you have been working on.

5. Increased muscle mass

Pilates is not a calorie burning exercise routine, it is not an aerobic exercise or cardiovascular.  Pilates tones the body and increases your muscle mass and pulls your body into a longer leaner shape.

6. Pilates improves your posture

Poor posture creates a string of structural changes throughout the body that can cause pain and imbalance in the shoulders, neck and head as well as a tilt of the pelvis or a shift of the hips adding pressure to muscles and joints. This, in turn, may cause migraines, neck, lower back, hip, knee and foot pain. For example, if the head is tilted forward 20 degrees it is forced to bear twice the weight than if it were vertical. Pilates targets the deep postural muscles creating a strong, aligned core from which to move.

7. Increased brainpower

Brain activity is increased with Pilates, research has shown that those practising Pilates regularly have a better attention span.

8. Pilates reduces your menopause systems

Pilates makes a significant difference to menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and muscle and joint problems.  Pilates also helps to build up bone density which is vital for women to lessen the risk of osteoporosis after the menopause.

9. Improves your balance

Falls don’t have to be an inevitable part of your ageing process Pilates works on balance and improving your coordination and helps create a stable base.

10. Pilates creates balance in your body

For example, the golfer will repeatedly bend over a ball and twist in one direction. This overuse of the same muscles creates an imbalance in the shoulders, neck, hips and feet, but the most vulnerable are your lumbar spine – lower back. Pilates works to restore the balance and realign your body.

I love Pilates and my job is to make it fun, exciting and exhilarating. Oh okay maybe not all of the above, but I will have a go at trying to help you fall in love with Pilates.

Practising your Pilates techniques with a full Pilates class online in the comfort of your own home, at your convenience.   Each exercise is broken down into three levels, there is always a level for you. Plus there is so much more like meditations and low impact cardio workouts.  Find out more click here

PS.  SUBSCRIBE on YouTube click here to find my channel and press the SUBSCRIBE button 

Find out what others have to say about Adele’s Pilates…

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