Have you been looking for a new and exciting workout routine? Has your current exercise routine become stale? Let me disclose my secret about what I consider a perfect workout routine as an experienced fitness trainer.
Having a perfectly toned body is the dream of every fitness enthusiast. However, achieving this dreamy body may be intimidating at first, but remember, DREAMS DO COME TRUE. To make your exercise routine exciting but effective, what could be better than adding Pilates to your routine? Well, nothing!
The trend of Pilates is increasing with every passing day due to its numerous benefits. And it is not just a myth, and Pilates actually helps you strengthen your muscles and tone your body efficiently.
Do you want to know how?
So, in this post, we are going to debunk the supremacy of Pilates, i.e., what is Pilates, what is Pilates good for, and why it is considered an ultimate full-body workout for every age. Are you ready? Let’s get started.
What is Pilates?
Let me put the definition of Pilates in the simplest words possible for your feasibility. It is a full-body and low-impact exercise routine resulting in muscle strengthening and flexibility. People practise it for different purposes.
For instance, if you have a bad posture, Pilates can help maintain body balance and alignment by handing you over the control over your body that you may have lost. That is why people also call it “Contrology.” Isn’t it wonderful?
Pilates was introduced in the early 1900s by Joseph Pilates – a competitive athlete and trainer. It uses over 50 exercises roughly coordinating breath and movement to improve smaller groups of stabilising muscles.
Do you remember how Shari Berkowitz got injured during her live dance performance? She had three herniated discs in the neck, along with an injury in the spinal column. Doctors said she may get paralysed. She incorporated Pilates in her journey to recovery, and after months of exercise, she finally got able to stand on her feet. I feel it’s amazing how Pilates restored her confidence.
So, if any of you are looking for an all-in-one solution, Pilates is going to pop out of my mouth. It’s the ultimate solution for me!
What are the Core Principles of Pilates?
Joseph started teaching in the 1920s, and his students came up with six principles – the crux of his teachings. Pilates trainers debate about the number of principles, but in my view, the following are the primary ones:
- Breath – since it is the first and last act of life, no doubt it was significant to Joseph.
- Concentration – he meant an intense focus to reap not only physical but mental benefits.
- Centre – the powerhouse of your body is your core since it helps calm your muscles.
- Control – the emphasised taking control over your movement and body deliberately.
- Precision – since you have to be accurate in moving your body in different shapes and patterns.
- Flow – to make your body move with fluidity even in difficult patterns.
When I first incorporated Pilates into my routine, I was astonished at how Joseph was so ahead of his time. His principles of Pilates play with the biochemistry of your body, helping you achieve mindfulness with efficient muscle movement.
What is Pilates Good For?
When someone asks me about the benefits of Pilates, I don’t know where to begin. From your posture to injury to stress – everything gets covered under the umbrella of Pilates. I don’t want to brag about it; see for yourself what I am exactly talking about:
1. Builds Core Strength
To stand tall and feel good, it is important to have a strong core. Most people think of their abdomen when we talk about the core, but it’s more than that. I think of it as our trunk. It’s not just about the stomach but the sides, bottom, and lower back. The core strength affects the overall functioning of your body – so make sure your core is strong.
2. Improves Your Posture
Many people have bad posture, and it may happen to anyone. It may be because of your shoe choice, hereditary, stress, or daily habits. Even I used to slouch when I was a teenager. But here, the goal is to improve your posture no matter what the reason is, right?
So, the primary principle of Pilates is to improve your posture. As you know, there are various techniques of Pilates, and each one of them targets different muscles to enhance the solidness and flexibility of your body. Since it increases the credibility of the muscles, you can keep your posture straight effortlessly.
3. Enhance Your Body’s Flexibility
You see how a small change in your routine impacts the overall quality of your life. So does stretching. Adding a little stretching to your Pilates routine doesn’t harm you but improves your body’s flexibility. Additionally, flexibility further protects you from injuries, calms your muscles, and helps you achieve easier movements in different patterns.
4. Helps in Balancing Your Body
Do you feel like you are a bit wobbly on your feet? If yes, Pilates can help you attain balance and stability. If you have a weak core or are out of alignment, you can get injured easily due to less coordination. So, Pilates helps you by strengthening your core to improve your balance and coordination.
5. Recovers Existing Injuries
Recovering from your existing injuries may seem like a dream sometimes, but it is POSSIBLE. There are many case studies that show how Pilates helps people recover from chronic injuries. Actually, Pilates improves the primary muscular support system to offload the joints of the body. It results in reducing the pain and recovering existing injuries.
6. Gives You Breath Control
You might know that all mindful exercises require good breathing control. As I have said before, Pilates not only calms your muscles but brings a soothing and pleasurable feeling to your mind as well. Moreover, controlling your breath not only gives you the power to perform on a higher level but also reduces stress immensely. So, Pilates helps you learn how to have profound control over your breath.
7. Helps You Understand Your Body
If you don’t understand your body, how can you treat it well? When I started my journey in the world of fitness, I spent a measurable amount of time understanding my body to make it work best. Discover your strongest muscles and learn how they compensate for your weaker muscles. Try to understand the needs of your body so you can plan everything accordingly.
8. Releases Stress
As I told you, Pilates play with the body biochemically. You will be astonished to know how it puts our minds at ease. Once you achieve control over your breathing, the process of releasing stress begins. Use of breath can down-regulate your nervous system, taking you out of fight-or-flight mode and decreasing cortisol production to reduce stress levels. Moreover, it results in improving cognitive functioning.
9. Boosts Your Immunity
No matter what your age is, Pilates enhances your immunity level, especially in older adults. You might be wondering how? It is because of improved blood circulation, and that’s why the age factor is irrelevant here.
10. Strengthens Your Bones
Technology has changed the way we used to work, right? Nowadays, jobs require more sitting and less moving, and it impacts our health detrimentally. Including Pilates in your workout regimen decreases the risk of ruining bone density. Pilates helps in treating bone problems and improves the quality of life.
The Power of Reformer Pilates
Have you ever heard of a reformer? If not, don’t worry, I’ve got your back! In some ways, Reformer Pilates is very similar to mat-based Pilates – yet it’s very different. How? Let’s dive right into it.
Reformer Pilates is a type of exercise that you perform on a machine known as “Reformer.” It is known to be more intense and vigorous. It adds more resistance, resulting in making you stronger and sturdy.
Reformer Pilates comes with springs and a strap to adjust the exercises to be harder or easier. To tone up your body, you can perform a whole lot of exercises. In addition, it helps in achieving a flatter tummy, stronger core, and straight back. So, it’s like Pilates, but you get to do it on an efficient machine.
Benefits of Reformer Pilates
If you are a fitness enthusiast like me, you might want something challenging in your routine. Well, Pilates has countless advantages, so you can add that exciting element you are craving by incorporating Reformer Pilates into your workout regimen.
There are many benefits of Reformer Pilates, and I have enlisted a few of them. So, have a look at the following pointers:
- Since it is a full-body workout, it develops a stronger core and tones up the majority of muscle groups.
- It not only gives you a flatter tummy but also supports your spine, reducing back pain.
- It promotes balanced muscle development since muscles work in both ways (push and pull) due to increased resistance.
- Similar to Pilates, it reduces stress and anxiety by increasing mindfulness.
- It helps in injury rehabilitation by improving the mobility and stability of the patients.
- You can tailor your exercises on the Reformer according to your fitness goals.
- You get a wide range of variety in exercises, making your workouts challenging but exciting.
Finding the Right Pilates Classes
When I decided to incorporate Pilates into my workout routine, finding the right Pilates classes near me was very exhausting. So, if you are in the same situation, I can relate because I was once in your shoes. It is hard to find the right one, but the effort is worth it in the end. So, be patient considering this fact.
As a fitness trainer, I have extensive experience in finding the right places according to my fitness goals. So, I am going to disclose my secret of choosing the right Pilates classes near me. Let’s dive right in.
- Enlist your fitness goals and assess your contemporary fitness state.
- Choose the class type you are looking for. Do you want mat-based Pilates or Reformer Pilates classes? Decide on one.
- Consider the qualifications, certifications, and experience of the trainers.
- Try taking a trial and check if the teaching style is according to your preferences or not.
- Decide a budget and check which packages come in your range.
- Ensure that diverse exercises are performed that suit your needs and are exciting.
Consider the above factors, and no one can stop you from reaching the best Pilates classes. And if it’s still challenging, you can have a look at Meridian Fitness and Spa UK since we cater for every person according to their fitness goals.
Final Thoughts
As a fitness trainer, I know the significance of a healthy body and mind. While some exercises help you achieve a toned-up body and some offer peace of mind, fitness enthusiasts look for an all-around solution. For them, my suggestion is always Pilates.
Pilates play with our mind and body biochemically. It not only gives us the confidence to stand tall but a heavenly calmness of mind. So, what are you waiting for? No matter what your age is, go for this ultimate full-body workout option to spice up your routine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pilates good for all ages?
Absolutely yes! Pilates is good for all ages. It helps in boosting the overall immunity by enhancing the blood circulation. So, there’s no age limit to start Pilates in your workout routine.
How does Pilates change the body?
Pilates changes our body in many surprising ways. Some of them are as follows:
- Improves posture
- Enhances balance and stability
- Strengthens core
- Relieves muscular pain
- Tones up the body
- Increases blood circulation
Is Pilates enough on its own?
Pilates includes many exercises under its umbrella and is beneficial for novices in the world of fitness. It improves the structure, stability, and functionality of your body. However, it still isn’t enough since it does not increase body muscles.
Does Pilates clear skin?
Since Pilates incorporate breathing exercise, it results in improving the oxygen concentration in the body. However, enhanced oxygen helps in improving blood circulation and ultimately results in clearing up the skin.
Can Pilates replace exercise?
Pilates helps in strengthening the muscles, and it does not increase the size of the muscles. So, if your goal is to increase your muscles, you need exercise.
