Top 19 Things Pilates Can Do For You

Benefits of Pilates: Top 19 Things Pilates Can Do For You

1. It increases core strength

Pilates is known for its emphasis on the core — the center of the body from which

all movement stems. It consists of the muscles that make up your trunk. When

strengthened, the core helps support and stabilize the body.

Pilates may help improve core strength and function, key factors in decreasing

back and hip pain and pelvic floor dysfunction. The core is also the area from

which explosive movement derives.

2. It improves posture

Pilates may help improve slouching posture by stretching, lengthening, and

strengthening your spine muscles.

Pilates also focuses on full body alignment, ideal range of motion at the joints, and

a balance of all opposing muscles. When combined, this could help bring

awareness to your alignment and strengthen neglected postural muscles.

3. It decreases back pain

Pilates may help relieve lower back pain, which can improve physical function and

quality of life.

These exercises target the deeper abdominal muscles and the pelvic floor to both

contract and release. These muscles work like a brace to lift and support the

organs and protect and stabilize the back.

4. It prevents injuries

Pilates balances the muscles of the body so that they are neither loose and weak

nor tight and rigid. Muscles that are too loose and weak or too tight and rigid can

make the body more susceptible to injury.

Pilates focuses on developing dynamic strength, which means you are better able

to support and stabilize your joints while moving. Research has suggested that

Pilates is an effective method for reducing injury risk in sport.

5. It increases energy

By focusing on breath, Pilates may help improve cardiorespiratory capacity. This

stimulates feel-good hormones, oxygen flow, and blood circulation.

Pilates achieves all of this and, due to its low impact nature, rarely leaves you

feeling fatigued. Instead, it gives you a boost of energy.

6. It enhances body awareness

Pilates is a mind-body practice that enhances proprioception, or body awareness.

The attention inward and ability to focus on the sensations in your body heightens

your awareness of comfort or pain, your emotions, and your surrounding

environment.

With enhanced proprioception, the body is better able to respond to stimuli, which

can prevent injuries and falls. Better body awareness may even help prevent

overeating, as you’ll be more in tune with your body’s hunger signals.

7. It decreases stress

Research suggests that Pilates may be effective for managing stress.

The inward focus and use of breath from Pilates can help down-regulate the

nervous system. This, in turn, can take you out of fight-or-flight mode, lower

cortisol, and decrease stress over time.

8. It reduces menstrual pain

Dysmenorrhea is the condition of painful menstrual periods. Research has

suggested that Pilates can help reduce menstrual pain.

9. It improves flexibility and mobility

First, let’s define the difference between flexibility and mobility.

Flexibility is the amount of passive stretch in a muscle. Mobility is the range of

motion at a joint. Good mobility requires flexibility but also strength.

Mobility is something you should strive for, while flexibility in and of itself isn’t

functional. You need a balance of strength and flexibility to optimize mobility.

A Pilates practice may help improve mobility, range of motion, and flexibility

because it focuses on keeping muscles moving with smooth transitions between

precise and slow, controlled movements. Instead of stretching after a

strengthening exercise, most Pilates exercises are a combination of the two.

10. It improves balance

Balance is important at any age and necessary for everyday activities involving

coordination, like walking, or any of life’s nonlinear movements, such as reaching

up and twisting.

Pilates improves balance and gait not only through core strengthening but also

because of its focus on alignment and whole body exercises.

11. It boosts your immunity

Research shows that Pilates helps boost immune system functioning, especially in

older adults.

But while much research has been done on older adults, these findings suggest all

ages could experience a boost to immunity through Pilates, mainly because of

improved circulation.

Along with improved circulation comes improved immune system function. A good

immune system is a function of properly flowing blood and lymph, both of which

may be boosted by Pilates.

12. It improves ability to think

Some research suggests that Pilates may help improve your memory, learning, and

executive thinking.

13. It can improve motivation

Along with improved cognition, a 2015 study found Pilates was effective for

improving motivation in a student population. This means you might be more likely

to engage in physical activity, which has numerous health benefits.

14. It improves your sex life

Pilates may help improve sexual function. First, it builds endurance, strength,

mobility, and flexibility that can enhance your bedroom adventures by allowing

you to get into and hold positions longer.

But also, Pilates is an effective tool for improving pelvic floor strength and

function, and a strong pelvic floor correlates with increased sexual pleasure.

15. It enhances sports performance

Whether you’re a professional athlete or weekend warrior, Pilates can elevate your

sport or activity.

Pilates balances the body by strengthening muscles, mobilizing what’s rigid, and

lengthening tight areas. This, in turn, enables you to react quicker and prevent

injury.

Research performed on athletes suggests that Pilates may help:

• improve speed, power, and range of motion

• increase muscle mass

• improve core and trunk strength

16. It can strengthen your bones

Strong bone density may help prevent osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, which can

affect people of any age.

Pilates may have some effect on relieving pain and increasing bone density.

However, more research is needed to fully understand its effects on bone density.

17. It boosts your mood

Exercise of any sort offers that magical elixir of endorphins.

But research that specifically explored the mood-boosting benefits of Pilates has

found that participants experienced a reduction in anxiety, fatigue, and depressive

symptoms, and a release of negative thought patterns.

18. It improves sleep

Research suggests that Pilates can lead to better sleep, especially in people under

the age of 40 years.

19. It encourages playfulness

Pilates is a fun change of pace from other workouts.

Where else can you “roll like a ball,” be a “seal,” hang like a “monkey,” or just play

with trying new positions? Finding a sense of play can enhance your physical

health.

Not to mention, the most beneficial exercise regimes are those that you enjoy

doing because then you’ll keep exercising.

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