People often ask when and why you should start Pilates. As a qualified APPI Pilates instructor, my advice comes from both clinical and personal experience. But it's my client's feedback that really resonates with me when it comes to the question, What is Pilates good for?
To quote Wikipedia "Pilates is a type of mind-body exercise developed in the early 20th century by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates, after whom it was named. Pilates called his method "Contrology". But this doesn't mean that much unless we look at the practical benefits.
Pilates helps rebalance your body, imagine driving a car and never changing gear, or cycling your bike and only using one pedal, things would soon start to go wrong and it's the same for our bodies, only we are better equipped to manage and live with the effects.
Both matwork and equipment Pilates can offer many benefits, from strengthening muscle groups including your core, to helping loosen stiff joints, but there are many other benefits too and so to make it easy for you, i have listed some below;
Pilates builds an understanding of your body and it's needs
Pilates can strengthen your core, helping in many cases to relieve lower back pain
The combination of low impact strength training and mobility exercises help increase your bodies overall performance
Targeted exercises for small muscles offer better support to your joints and skeleton, making your more supple and better equipped to handle daily activities and sports
Pilates focuses on building long lean muscles that means stronger more confident movement as you age
I teach clients with all sorts of requirements, from injury prevention in sports through to osteoporosis and hypermobility. In 99% of cases clients will see benefits in how they feel and the management of their symptoms in just 10 sessions.
By including Pilates in your weekly fitness schedule you can not only reap the benefits of a healthier, stronger body, you can also increase your mental health and lung capacity through the correct breathing techniques and dopamine boost, without the worry of causing harm to your joints or risking further ill health through lack of movement or aging.
If you're interested in finding out more, contact me to discuss a private screening and initial consultation.
