The reasons we'll always love Pilates!
by Christina Agnew,
Don't be fooled into thinking Pilates is any old fitness class. All over conditioning is just one of the benefits of this power house workout. Here are 6 reasons to start a Pilates habit from Nahid de Belgeonne, founder of Good Vibes studios in London.
Easy on the joints - The slow and controlled movements in a Pilates class are low impact and only partially weight bearing, and most are performed in a reclined or seated position, meaning there is little to no impact on your joints. In fact it helps improve joint mobility, exactly why it's great for injury prevention and rehabilitation.
Amazing for abs - Pilates is all about the core, working deep into your abdominal muscles and muscles closest to your spine. By integrating and evenly conditioning the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle, you'll see and feel the strength in your core in no time. Hello six pack!
Back pain be gone - A stronger core also equals a stronger and healthier back. By stabilising and strengthening the core, Pilates relieves the stress and increases the mobility in your lower back, meaning less pain and more freedom of movement. In fact, many doctors recommend Pilates for certain back pains and injuries.
Hones your focus - During a class, you're forced to focus on a number of things at once, your breath, your body and how they move together in the optimal way to create proper alignment and to make sure your muscles are working correctly. With all that to think about, there's no time to think about bills, meetings or deadlines, it's just you and your body for a full hour. Bliss.
Improves sports performance - By strengthening your core, you strengthen the rest of your body, meaning all of your other workouts improve too. You'll run faster, your yoga practice will become stronger, and you'll be able to push it that little bit harder in cycle class.
Makes you more flexible - Have you ever uttered the words 'I'm not built for Pilates, I'm not very flexible'? That's exactly why you should be doing it! When your body feels tight, your muscles are shortened, increasing the risk of injury and limiting your body's range of movement. By lengthening your muscles, you don't only become more flexible, you also create a long lean silhouette.