Pilates has become a common household form of exercise due to the fact that many celebrities practice them regularly. We almost always associate Pilates with having a lean and athletic figure, but this renowned form of exercise gives you much more benefits than just a toned body.
Did you know that Pilates consists of more than 600 types of exercises and variations? Regardless of your age or gender, you can practice doing Pilates as frequently as byou want. Even if your lifestyle is sedentary, performing this exercise can greatly enhance your body and mind.
Here are five amazing and attention-grabbing benefits of Pilates.
Increases core strength
Your core is the center of your body from which all movements are facilitated. Since Pilates emphasizes working out almost all the parts of your body, it helps to make your core muscles stronger and fitter.
The core consists of all the surrounding muscles of your body’s trunk, which is why it is also known as the powerhouse. When your core is strong and steady, you can stabilize your entire body.
In the case of women who have just given birth, many doctors and other fitness trainers advise them to practice Pilates to get healthy and fit. Improved core strength can reduce back and hip pains, decrease pelvic floor disorders and diseases, and keep the post-pregnancy body healthy for both you and the baby.
Improves posture
In today’s world, our daily lifestyle habits often mess up our posture. Do you also sit hours and hours in front of the television or laptop, slouching on your sofa?
If yes, then it’s time to correct your posture. Doing Pilates is a great way of improving your posture and keeping many diseases at bay. For example, sitting up straight can make your muscles stronger and prevent headaches or backaches.
Moreover, when your posture is proper, you stand up straight and maintain your balance. Pilates helps you to focus on your body’s alignment and range of motion at the joints and makes you aware of your postural muscles.
Prevents injuries
As mentioned earlier, Pilates helps you to balance the various muscles of your body so that they are neither too tight nor too loose. When your muscles are too loose or too rigid, you are more prone to injuries and accidents.
By balancing your muscles, you maintain the overall dynamics of your body which helps to develop dynamic strength. Therefore, you can support and put weight on your joints much more easily.
Did you know that Pilates has been said to decrease the chances of suffering from injuries in sports persons? When it comes to sports like football, it is important to maintain your speed and prevent injuries to your legs. Practicing Pilates regularly helps to strengthen your leg muscles.
Enhances body awareness
Even though Pilates is very helpful for people who engage in extensive physical activities, you don’t necessarily need to be a sportsperson to practice it. You can simply take up any online Pilates class and start learning the basics. It will help you to focus your mind along with your body. As a result, you will have enhanced proprioception or awareness of your body.
When you perform Pilates, you focus on the muscles that are being stretched or pulled. This inward ability to focus on the different sensations of your body heightens all your senses. So you become more aware of what pains or comforts you.
With high proprioception, your body can respond quicker and better to external stimuli.
Reduces stress
As we keep working or constantly studying throughout the day, our minds and bodies get more and more stressed. We often resort to unhealthy eating or drinking habits to cope with the relieve of stress, but that is actually a bad idea.
Instead, you can perform Pilates to reduce the stress that happens every day. Pilates has been reported to calm down the nervous system and reduce the levels of cortisol.
It will help you to take your mind out of the fight-or-flight mode, enhanced by the sympathetic nervous system, and enable you to have a calmer approach to your daily activities.
Over to you…
These are the five most attention-grabbing benefits of doing Pilates. There are, of course, many more advantages, such as decreased menstrual cramps, better body flexibility, and better immunity. No matter where you live or what you do, practicing Pilates can be a great way to work out any time of the day.