Top 3 Ways Pilates can Help You and is More Than a Trend

Pilates is trending right now, aesthetics are in, fancy matching workout sets are the rage, and the girlies are really doing the most when they arrive at the studio.

But…beyond arches, plants, minimalism, matching sets, and slicked back buns, Pilates is an amazing way to feel good and strengthen your body. Pilates was instrumental in supporting my rehabilitation from low back and hip pain. Its gotten me through several major injuries and I have watched it directly benefit my clients after surgeries.

While trends are amazing, they can also over simplify and alienate people from services and products that can really benefit them!

1) Pilates is excellent for mobility

Pilates focuses on breathing and strengthening your muscles not just concentrically (in a contraction) but also in their isometric (still) and lengthened (eccentric) states. By strengthening your muscles in a variety of states you support your bodies ability to mobilize and maintain alignment.

2) Pilates breathing can calm your nervous system

One of our key focuses in Pilates is the breath. While we often take something as automatic as our breath for granted, when you come to class how you breath matters. We focus on cueing different types of breathing to engage your core, engage or relax your pelvic floor. Additionally, by properly breathing, we focus more on being in the moment, in our bodies and less on what is going on around us.

3) Pilates forces your brain and muscles to work together

So often, when we are at the gym, on a run, or just living our lives, we move in a way that takes the path of least resistence. This is not always the way in which our bodies are meant to move or the best way to activate our muscles during a workout. Often times based on posture, genetics, mobility, strength, and a variety of other factors, our bodies tend to move the way they want to, but not always the way they are “supposed” to move or that is best for us. Pilates forces us to break down movement, apply mental energy and really understand how to make our muscles do what they need to do in the best possible way for them to do it.

When I work with clients, I always take steps to break down movement, focus on the breath, and aim to strengthen and mobilize key areas. Every body is different and every person deserves to feel good and gain the long term benefits of Pilates.

So next time you are deterred because you feel like Pilates might not be right for you, take a chance on longevity and remember that it’s not always about a look or an aesthetic, it’s about health and feeling amazing.

Xx

Malissa