The Power of Pilates

If you’re looking to spice up your workout routine or simply get back in the game, Pilates is a fantastic option to promote strength, stability, and flexibility.

What’s beautiful about Pilates, is that it meets you where you’re at. Whether you’re a professional athlete, you have a sedentary lifestyle, you’re undergoing physical therapy, or are pregnant, it truly offers something to everyone regardless of gender, age, ability, or fitness level.

And Pilates has an infinite amount of benefits outside of simply staying fit. Some of them include: 

Increased Core Strength

A lot of people correlate a “core workout” to an endless number of crunches in pursuit of a flat tummy or six-pack abs. However, Pilates exercises use targeted, low-impact movements to develop a stronger core by integrating the trunk, pelvis, and even shoulders.
 

Not only does Pilates improve core strength and function, but it works to support and stabilize the body to decrease back pain, hip pain, and pelvic floor dysfunction—ladies, this is especially a big one!

Enhanced Sports Performance & Prevent Injuries

Conventional workouts often enable weak muscles to become weaker, and strong muscles to become stronger. This causes a muscular imbalance that leads to a lot of sports-related injuries and even chronic back pain—something that affects over 31 million Americans at any given time, according to the American Chiropractic Association.

Pilates works the body differently. It aims to balance the muscles of the body for strength that better supports and stabilizes joints, which is key to reducing the risk of injury, not only when being active, but doing daily activities.

Focus on Body Awareness

In today’s world of constant distractions, notifications, never-ending messages, and persistent stimulus, it’s difficult for many to come down from a hurried headspace and settle into a connection with our bodies. 

Pilates is a mind-body practice that takes the attention inward to focus on the awareness of your body’s comfort, pain, and surrounding environment. With this heightened awareness, you can become in tune with what your body needs before it results in an injury.

Increased Flexibility

A Pilates practice moves through smooth transitions of slow, controlled movements; and by regularly practicing these movements, you can boost your overall flexibility.  

And if you’re thinking, “Who cares if I’m flexible? I’m not a gymnast. I won’t be doing splits any time soon.” It’s so much more than that. As we get older, flexibility becomes increasingly important to lengthen and stretch muscles. Once again, this works to prevent injuries, back pain, and balance problems.
 

Think about it. A well-stretched muscle = more full-range mobility. So, it could make all the difference in your golf swing, your ability to pick up heavy objects, or even to rest more comfortably when sleeping at night. 

Boosted Energy Levels

Many of us want more energy. But instead of downing a pot of java, or turning to other over-caffeinated beverages, Pilates can naturally increase energy levels in a couple of different ways. Because Pilates is considered a low-impact exercise, it rarely causes burnout or disorientation after your workout.
 

Pilates is all about that breathwork. By focusing on the breath you focus more on cardiorespiratory (your heart’s) capabilities, which improves blood circulation and oxygen flow, thus releasing endorphins (feel-good hormones) to boost energy in the body.