Seven benefits of Pilates right now
Building our health and fitness is one of the smartest things we can do right now. And the great thing about Pilates is that it’s good for pretty much everyone.
Core strength, great posture, flexibility and balance, plus strong, toned muscles are the key wins of a good, regular Pilates practice.
Plus, it’s super relaxing.
You can think of Pilates as an education in how you move, so whether you are a pro on the pitch or you want to make the first move from the Couch to 5K, applying what you learn in Pilates will help you move better, with more efficiency and precision.
It’s also ace for older people, as the exercises are low impact and a slow build. For the same reason Pilates exercises are often used to help those recovering from injury.
So is Pilates easy? Erm, nope. But can you do it from an everso stationary standing start? Absolutely.
(In fact, I’ll be launching an online Pilates for beginners course in the near future, so watch this space…)
As with any form of exercise, if you have a pre-existing condition or any health concerns, you should check with your GP or relevant health professional before jumping on in to a class.
Another huge plus for Pilates matwork classes right now, is that they require little or no equipment (beyond you and your floor). So if you have space enough to swing a cat, you’re set.
It’s also worth noting that there is no leaping up and down, a la inspirational Joe Wicks — so no fear of alarming the neighbours should you live in a flat.
In short, here are a few reasons to give Pilates a whirl right now:
Pilates is relaxing
And Lord knows we could all do with a little more of that at present.
So silence your phone, open a window, step onto the mat, close your eyes…and take a deep deep breath.
Cue the stretch: flexing and mobilising bits of your body that you probably hadn’t even noticed were tense.
Before you know it, we’re down on the mat and into the hard work of the class, using our breath to continue connecting mind and body throughout each exercise.
But is it really hard work? Indeed it is. For mind and body both.
Ask any Pilates regular — there are always at least twelve things to think about, at any given moment. Intense as this may sound, it’s actually here that the true relaxation happens.
Your mind will be totally focused, completely engaged by the movement your body is performing. You have to leave everything else at the door.
I’m not a mindfulness expert by any stretch, but I reckon Pilates does tick a bunch of the mindful boxes. Call it headspace. Call it ‘me time’. Mindfulness, whatever. It works.
(Anecdotally, I’ve heard Zoom Pilates in your PJs only adds to the relaxation factor. Though I really wouldn’t know.)
Pilates can boost energy levels
When feeling lacklustre, likely the last thing we want to do is jump into the spandex and launch on into a workout. But. Exercise is inherently energising!
How can burning buckets of energy, and generally exhausting yourself actually give you an energy boost?
Endorphins. That’s how. They are the ‘feel good’ hormones that fire around your body following a workout. They are super energising. And can lift your mood too.
Getting oxygen pumping to extremities that might otherwise have remained stationary and chair-shaped — that’s another reason you’ll feel good post-Pilates.
And I’m sure there’s something a bit primal involved here too, getting our bodies fired up and moving is our natural response in the face of danger. Run! Or similar.
That’s why exercise is particularly important right now, for reducing stress as we collectively try to live with the challenges posed by this global pandemic.
In times of stress we were not made for slumpiness. We were not designed for desks.
We were designed to move.
And when your body is doing what it was designed for, it feels good.
Which leads us to the virtuous circle factor. The satisfaction of progress: feeling better and becoming stronger — it’s motivational stuff!
pilates is a core strength workout
A strong core: also known as, the holy grail. We all need it. We all want it.
But what even is it?
Your core is a couple of sets of super smart muscles working in tandem to support the lower back and the pelvis — mainly your deep lower abdominals and your pelvic floor.
Pilates exercises are designed to build strength and control in these deep core muscles, and from this stable centre, strength radiates out.
A strong core will support your spine through all sorts of the tough stuff we do each day: lifting heavy shopping, climbing stairs, opening stiff doors and the like.
It also gives us an ace foundation for sports and all the adventuring that make life beautiful. That’s why Pilates for runners, cyclists, golfers and so on are such popular classes.
So is core strength important? Yes. It’s foundational.
Building a strong core can help prevent lower back pain as well as all sorts of issues related to a weak pelvic floor. So it’s important for the real basics of everyday life, as well as the super exciting stuff.
It’s not a quick fix, but just like any other set of muscles, it requires practice and regular work to build strength and tone. The great news is, you can begin right now. Join an online Pilates class — and get started with your core strength exercises at home.
Pilates can help improve your balance
Well now, this is essential as we head into the autumn and winter months.
Contending with wet leaves, slippery pavements, muddy hills…and as every Edinburger will know, perilously damp cobbles.
Your core strength training will centre you, and help your weight sit evenly. Which can only be a good thing in a slippery situation.
In Pilates we begin at the core and build strength out, challenging the muscles of the hips, gluteals (your bum!), thighs, shoulders, arms. Over time, these muscles will automatically begin to activate when needed. Few of us plan to take a tumble — so automatic activation is just the job for damage limitation!
I also think of balance in Pilates as referring to building equal strength, through both sides of the body.
Because Pilates exercises target specific muscles, we can begin to identify specific areas of weakness, and focus our efforts to rebalance.
That’s why Pilates is so often used for rehabilitation following injury or operation, and also to help injury prevention. Many injuries in sport are irritatingly caused by weakness or imbalance related to previous injuries.
Ultimately building balance is a work in progress. Most of us need a consistent approach to balancing our bodies, as we use them so differently through each stage of life.
pilates is ace for Posture improvement
Text neck, tight shoulders, weak back, tight hips…anyone?! You may even have dormant butt syndrome. Lawks.
Basically if you use any kind of tech for any significant amount of time, your posture is likely to take a hammering, because it all seems designed to fold us forwards and inwards.
This is exacerbated right now as so many of us are working from home, with a makeshift desk set up at the kitchen table, or even on the sofa.
Add to this the fact that many of us hold our anxiety scrunched up in our shoulders, head, neck, and hip flexors. And then add the onset of the colder weather, when shoulders tend to shoot up into the ears.
It’s the perfect storm for horrible posture. Which can lead to back pain, headaches, and all sorts of rubbish that we could absolutely do without just now.
Can posture be corrected? Thankfully yes, it can be improved hugely. By strategic stretching of some muscles, and strengthening others.
Pilates can work actual wonders for posture alignment as it stretches, strengthens and re-educates the body to support itself in a natural and comfy position. Many of my clients report walking out of class feeling a good two inches taller. Lovely stuff.
Posture like a ballerina? Yes please!
And in more good news, joining an online Pilates class you can jump from your desk to the mat in two seconds flat! Returning to work relaxed, stretched, aligned…and yes, perhaps a little smug.
Plus, that little bit of ‘me time’ during the working day can give your focus and productivity a jolly good boost. Tell the boss.
NB. To really improve your posture you may need to make some lifestyle changes too. No amount of Pilates can counter a 16-hour day slumped at a desk.
pilates can help Increase flexibility
Use it or lose it? Thankfully this is not 100 per cent the case with flexibility.
Though it is true that unless you get a good regular stretch in, you are likely to seize up a bit, or have a smaller range of movement at least.
Why does this matter? Well, because we need to be flexible and agile to negotiate all the surprises life throws at us. Puddle dodging, ducking under unexpected branches or umbrellas, plus all the strange manoeuvres required for the DIY craze that is apparently due to sweep the nation any moment.
Can flexibility be improved? Yes it can. At Lark Pilates each session begins with a series of stretches targeting specific muscles (those that we go on to work hard during the class). And we use the breath to connect mind to body, further aiding relaxation.
So Pilates can help you improve your flexibility and range of movement with stretches. And vitally, it also helps you strengthen the muscles that are needed to support your body as it stretches. This dual strengthen and stretch approach ultimately increases your overall mobility.
Will we become gymnasts? Ballerinas? Pole vaulters even? Doubtful, sadly.
But there is a certain sense of elegant achievement associated with putting on one’s socks without having to sit down.
pilates can help Build muscle strength and tone
Useful stuff! Strong, toned muscles make you feel good. And can make you look good.
In Pilates we build muscle strength and tone slowly but surely. The approach is to challenge muscles with relatively low loads and high repetitions. Sometimes we use small bits of equipment (hand weights or therabands for example) to kick the challenge up a notch. And you are always encouraged to work at the level that suits you.
If you are trying to shape up, building a bit more muscle can help you burn calories quicker. You will be stronger for your cardio work, as well as benefitting from the energising effects of a good Pilates class.
I’m not super interested in ‘looking good’ as a motivator for Pilates practice. It feels pretty trapping. It’s looking down and in.
It’s far more interesting to get up and out. And far more fun to think about where your stronger body will take you — the adventures it will enable you to have.
Whether that’s galloping up and down six munros in a day, or to the 18th hole, or to the park with your grandchildren. This is the stuff that makes life beautiful!
And for me, that’s the beauty of Pilates.
So that’s why you will see very few pictures of spandex-clad bods at Lark, but rather everyday snaps taken while out and about adventuring with my brilliant people.
I hope to see you on the mat soon!
If you would like to find out more about Lark Pilates, give me a ring, or drop me an email. I’d be delighted to hear from you.
07920 421783 / johanna@larkpilates.com
