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Pilates is a powerful form of exercise that tights the core, improves posture, and enhances function. This sculpts an unmistakable appearance. The upright posture, long, lean limbs, and toned waistline.
These characteristics do more than just change your physique, they overhaul your quality of life.
In this article, we cover the 10 incredible benefits of Pilates for your mind and body. We discuss physical and mental benefits, as well as beginner tips and programming.
Introduction to Pilates and Its Origins
What is Pilates?
Pilates is a gentle form of exercise, that uses various holds, poses, and stretches to strengthen the core, improve flexibility, and enhance functional movement.
Created by Joseph Pilates, the son of a gymnast, and a naturopath. As a child, he suffered form asthma and rickets, which drove him to create a method of exercise that would strengthen his frail body.
Over the years he studied yoga, martial arts, Zen meditation, and Greek and Roman exercises. During the First World War, he served as an orderly and assisted injured soldiers, aiding their movement with springs attached to their hospital beds.
Soon after, it began to get the attention of medical staff as patients began to recover faster. This led to him creating a method of training that would not only strengthen the body, but the mind. In 1923 he would move to the United States.
Over the past two decades, Pilates has become increasingly popular for rehabilitation, improving strength, and enhancing function.
Each exercise flows using five essentials — breathing, cervical alignment, rib and scapula stabilization, pelvic mobility, and utilizing the transverse abdominis.
The style of training engages the core in relation to upper and body movements, enhancing full-body functional movement.
Physical Benefits of Pilates
Pilates has the power to transform our function and physique. Below is a list of physical benefits that come with Pilates.
Improved Core Strength
At the center of every Pilates movement is our powerhouse, which creates a rigid core. This consists of the transverse abdominis, diaphragm, spinal erectors, and pelvic floor. These muscles are active through all pilates exercises to form a solid base.
When we perform our Pilates movement, the core engages, providing stability in response to the changes in the upper and lower limbs. This progressively overloads the core muscles, and given enough intensity, duration, and volume, the stimulus with increase core strength.
Enhanced Flexibility
Pilates movements consist of a combination of holds and stretches to help us enhance flexibility. From the single let stretch and the roll-up, to the Pilates scissors, and corkscrew, these movements require dynamic and sustained stretches and contraction to create flowing movements.
When this is done with increasing volume and duration, our muscles adapt and increase flexibility.
Improves Function
What sets Pilates apart from other exercise methods is that every movement is created to improve function. Unlike the gym which isolated muscle groups without full-body or core engagement, Pilates demands that our core muscles engage in relation to the movement of our upper and lower limbs.
This makes the core, upper, and lower body work as a cohesive unit, which carries over into everyday living activities. As a result, actions such as lifting objects, balancing, and pushing and pulling movements will all intuitively engage the core. This creates one fluid kinetic chain, improving function.
Better Posture
Improving our posture requires the overloading of the core and back muscles. Pilates is fantastic for this as it focuses on the five essentials that directly target the powerhouse with sustained and dynamic contraction, overloading the entire body.
Pilates movements strengthen the spinal muscles, transverse abdominis, core, and pelvic muscles. This also positively impacts spinal alignment, and mobility, which improves posture.
Improves Balance
Pilates ability to improve function leads to greater balance. As we develop our mind muscle connection with our powerhouse, we create a greater body awareness. This improves functional autonomy, mobility and gait, which all contribute to fall reduction.
Increased Muscle Tone
Pilates is amazing for improving muscle tone. This refers to both the appearance of leaner look muscles and the passive, partial contraction of a muscle which helps us maintain things such as posture.
As mentioned, Pilates movements are based on a range of holds, poses, and stretches that engage the full body.
When we hold certain poses, muscles simultaneously stretch, shorten, lengthen, and isometrically contract. Resulting in greater muscular endurance, functional strength, flexibility, and mobility.
Mental Benefits of Pilates
Below are the benefits of Pilates for mental health.
Reduce Feelings of Stress & Anxiety
Pilates can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Exercise releases feel-good hormones, improving mood, while reducing of stress and anxiety. Pilates builds on this as movements are based on breath work, which has been shown to decrease stress and improve mental health.
Pilates sessions require a great deal of focus and concentration, which helps us remain present. This can provide you with clarity, decreasing negative thoughts and anxiety.
Enhanced Mind-Body Connection
Pilates has been shown to improve mind-body awareness. Unlike other forms of exercise, Pilates demands we connect with our body, as instructors cue muscular contractions. This helps us develop a greater mind-muscle connection, and improves our proprioception, which is our body’s awareness of itself in space.
These improvements lead to greater function and improved coordination, which can be carried over to improve tasks in daily life.
Boosts Cognitive Function
Cognitive function is our mental process that includes our perception, memory, attention, decision-making, learning, and comprehension. As we age, elements of our cognitive function begin to decline.
Pilates has been shown to boost cognitive function, as it requires us to learn, memorize and execute different movement cues. This stimulates different areas of the brain, improving our mental capacity.
Reduces Feelings of Depression
Tips for Beginners
The beginning of your Pilates journey can be exciting, however, like learning any new skill, it isn’t always smooth sailing. Below are our beginner tips to create a solid foundation. These will help set you up for success with your training.
Use Correct Technique
When you are just starting out, correct technique is key. While others in your class may be breezing through the movement, it can be tempting to rush through your exercises. However, this should be avoided as Pilates is about control, and poised, which help you target those smaller muscles.
Taking your time and ensuring your technique is spot on allows you to connect with your body, muscles and the movements. Creating a deep body awareness that will help improve your function.
Focus on Contractions
Each Pilates exercise requires focused muscle contraction to create elegant, free-flowing movements. When you perform your Pilates exercises, you should focus on tense, engaging and squeezing your core, thighs, back, and arms. This will help enhance that mind muscle connection, improving results.
Concentrate on Breathing
Breathing is the key component to all your Pilates exercise. It is created by the contraction of the diaphragm, and accessory breathing muscles surrounding the torso.
This is why it is such a central component to Pilates, as it is used to create rigidity through our torso and helps us to maintain control during different exercises.
When you begin, pay close attention to your instructor’s breathing cues. They are specifically timed to enhance stability, improve control, and enhance your function.
Recommended Pilates Workouts
Here is a beginner Pilates to get you started.
Conclusion
Pilates is incredible for our physical and mental health. From the improvements in core strength, and function, to improved mood and body awareness, it is a powerful tool that can make a positive impact on our life.
If you are considering trying Pilates, focus on technique, control your breathing, and take your time. Do these things and the results will come.
Other Pilates Comparisons that Might interest You
Explore more Pilates comparisons on our site to see how it stacks up against other training methods. Check out our article on Pilates vs Weight Training Body to understand the differences in training styles and results. Additionally, delve into Pilates Body vs Gym Body to discover how Pilates and gym workouts differ in building muscle, enhancing strength, and improving overall fitness. For those interested in the holistic benefits of both practices, don't miss our detailed comparison of Pilates vs Yoga. This article breaks down the key differences and similarities, helping you decide which discipline best suits your fitness goals and lifestyle preferences.
FAQs
What does Pilates do to your body?
Pilates improves your flexibility, strengthens muscles, enhances posture, and boosts overall physical fitness.
Can Pilates change your body shape?
Yes, Pilates can help tone and sculpt your body, leading to a leaner and more defined shape.
Is Pilates a good way to lose weight?
While Pilates can support weight loss by building muscle and boosting metabolism, it is most effective when combined with cardio and a healthy diet.
How many times a week should you do Pilates?
For optimal results, aim to practice Pilates 2–3 times a week.
How long does Pilates take to show results?
You can start seeing improvements in strength, flexibility, and posture within a few weeks of regular Pilates practice. Significant changes typically appear after 2-3 months.
