Will Pilates Tone Your Body?
Ever wonder what is Pilates is, if it is something you can do even as an older adult and why more and more of your friends are raving about it? Then you look into a studio window and see weird machines and wonder if they are nuts?
Perhaps you are noticing your friends who are practicing Pilates are more flexible, stand taller versus slouching, their core is stronger and overall, they have a sense of balance and control physically and mentally.
Read on to find out why Pilates continues to gain popularity and how it will help tone your body.
What Is pilates?
Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise that focuses on strengthening and lengthening muscles while promoting flexibility and proper alignment.
Created by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, this practice incorporates a series of controlled movements that target the core muscles of the body.
Pilates utilizes various equipment, such as the pilates reformer, barrels, tower, and Cadillac, to enhance the workout and provide resistance to the entire body. This low-impact exercise is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels and can help improve posture, balance, and overall physical well-being.
Instructors trained the Joseph Pilates way are called Classical Pilates Instructors. These instructors are highly sought after due to their expertise and knowledge in the pilates practice.
Pilates is an excellent form of exercise for beginners and seniors
Pilates is not just a passing trend; it is a highly effective form of exercise that can benefit individuals regardless of age and fitness level. Whether you are an older individual or a seasoned athlete, incorporating Pilates into your fitness routine will improve your overall physical health and quality of life.
Many exercises are performed lying down in a supine position, taking pressure off joints and muscles while focusing on proper alignment and muscle engagement. For an older body, a seasoned Pilates instructor knows how to modify exercises to improve range of motion, balance, stability, and alignment to keep the body moving.
When a new client comes into Pilates Longboat Key with an older body, we will ask if they have original parts, or if there has been a knee, hip, or shoulder replacement, maybe a back surgery, etc. We do this because we must ensure we adjust movements for exercises to adhere to what the body can do that day.
Can Pilates Help with Chronic Pain? YES!
Lisa Baskfield, the owner and Master Trainer of Pilates Longboat Key, incorporates Pilates into her everyday life and credits it to helping her chronic pain from Fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a health condition that causes widespread pain throughout the body, often leaving the person feeling debilitated and defeated. During her journey, she discovered classical Pilates to be the only full-body workout she could do that didn’t hurt her joints or aggravate her Fibromyalgia symptoms.
In addition to Fibromyalgia, she also has scoliosis and arthritis and has had both feet operated on. Practicing Pilates two to three times a week has helped her regain and maintain muscle tone, improve spinal alignment and flexibility, develop and strengthen deep core stabilizing muscles, and improve balance. All of these help address issues within the body, resulting in a reduction in pain. Those who practice Pilates two or more times a week also comment on how Pilates has helped their lower back pain, neck pain, and other issues.
While Pilates focuses on strengthening the core muscles and improving flexibility and posture, when it comes to pain relief, it can be highly beneficial. Pilates exercises and movements emphasize proper body alignment, stability and strengthening, which helps reduces strain on the muscles in the back, knees, hips, shoulders, neck and feet. It’s all connected and all a part of Pilates exercises.
Top 5 Pilates Benefits
Pilates offers many physical and mental benefits that can help improve overall health and well-being. It is an excellent and popular form of exercise for individuals of all ages and fitness levels. By adding Pilates to your weekly routine, you can enjoy all the benefits described below.
1. Pilates Improves Balance and Coordination
Pilates, with its versatility in improving balance and coordination, is an empowering exercise for anyone looking to increase their agility and prevent falls. It inspires us to take control of our physical well-being.
With each pilates exercise, the body adapts to maintain control and complete muscle coordination for a specific movement or pose.
This is called proprioceptive learning. Proprioceptive learning is the process by which individuals gain awareness of their body’s position and movement in space through sensory feedback. This form of learning involves the integration of information from proprioceptors—sensory receptors located in muscles, tendons, and joints—that help us coordinate movement and maintain balance.
This adaptability improves core strength and stability, enhancing balance and coordination of body movements, which we all can benefit from, providing a sense of security regardless of age or physical condition.
2. Pilates exercises can be customized to your needs and goals
Pilates is like a tailor-made suit. It can be customized to fit any body type, providing individualized support and comfort.
Pilates starts with low-impact movements that gradually increase in intensity as the individual progresses. Many movements are performed in a seated or lying position, alleviating pressure on organs, joints, and muscles. Pilates provides full-body strength and tone, improved core strength, strengthened pelvic floor muscles, complements physical therapy, improves postural alignment, reduces blood pressure, and increases blood circulation, to name a few of the health benefits. It is suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels, which is why Pilates training is very popular.
3. Pilates helps improve posture and alignment, reducing the risk of back pain and injury.
Pilates exercises target the core, abdominal, and back muscles that stabilize the spine and maintain good posture.
By strengthening these muscles, Pilates exercise programs can help improve posture and enhance proper alignment, reducing the strain on the back muscles and the risk of injury.
Pilates also emphasizes proper breathing and body awareness, helping individuals to control and master their movements.
This increased body awareness in daily life further improves posture, flexibility, and alignment, which can further reduce strain on the back muscles and improve overall mobility, reducing the likelihood of developing back pain and injury.
4. Pilates is a low-impact exercise that is gentle on the joints
Because Pilates is a low-impact exercise, it is less likely to cause strain or injury to the joints, making it a safe and effective option for individuals of all ages and fitness levels.
Pilates exercises focus on gentle stretching and strengthening core muscles while improving joint mobility, flexibility, balance, and posture.
A series of exercises with controlled movements and breathing techniques work to improve overall body awareness and alignment.
Additionally, a good Pilates Instructor can modify exercises and movements to accommodate specific injuries or limitations, making it a versatile and adaptable form of exercise.
5. Practicing Pilates can improve flexibility, mobility, and range of motion, helping to reduce and prevent muscle stiffness and soreness.
Muscle stiffness and soreness can be attributed to factors such as extended periods of sitting or standing, physical labor, exercise, or the natural aging process.
Pilates exercises incorporate gentle stretching while targeting core muscles in the abdominal wall, back, and hips to enhance strength, range of motion, and flexibility.
These pilates movements improve flexibility and range of motion by focusing on engaging and controlling movements that target underdeveloped deep core muscles.
By practicing Pilates regularly, individuals can improve their overall flexibility, mobility, and range of motion, improving daily life and activities.
Getting Started with Pilates
Let’s face it – starting anything new, especially with a body in pain and health conditions, can be a little scary. This is generally attributed to living in pain and wanting to avoid increasing pain levels.
This is where we come in, and we cannot only relate but also help.
At Pilates Longboat Key, we go above and beyond a typical Pilates studio. Our instructors are highly trained and experienced, ensuring that each individual receives personalized attention and guidance throughout their Pilates practice.
Additionally, our Pilates studio provides other services such as personal training, rehab, stretching, and alternative pain management. Our welcoming and supportive environment makes it a great place for people of all fitness levels and ages to begin Pilates.
Whether someone is looking to rehabilitate from an injury, enhance their overall fitness, learning to live with a body that may not be like it was when it was younger, Pilates Longboat Key offers a comprehensive and effective approach for their clients. We encourage you to reach out to us and get started on your wellness journey with our team.
Begin Pilates With Pilates & Personal Training Longboat Key
Related Posts
Pilates Classes For Seniors
As seniors become more interested in Pilates, there are a few things to consider when choosing a suitable Pilates class for Seniors.
Pilates for Everyday Posture
Learn key Pilates exercises you can do at home. These simple yet effective exercises can start correcting and transforming bad posture into better posture.