BENEFITS OF PILATES

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Pilates is a body conditioning method that has many benefits.  With a focus on recruiting and strengthening the body's core inner stabilising muscles, it can improve functional fitness and movement by:

• improving posture

• increasing muscle strength and tone

• Increasing flexibility

• improving balance

• breathing more efficiently

• addressing muscle imbalances in the body

• improving bone health

• Improving body awareness 

• improving co-ordination

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SUITABLE FOR ANY AGE OR FITNESS LEVEL

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Gentle but challenging, the beauty of Pilates is that it can be tailored to any age and ability level, from children to the elderly and from the beginner through to the professional athlete. 

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RECOMMENDED BY GPS AND PHYSIOS

 

Incorrect posture can be the cause of many aches and pains and lead to injury which is why Pilates is often recommended by GPs and physios,  Suitable for injury rehabilitation, it can help many common orthopaedic problems including osteoporosis, arthritis, hip replacement, kyphosis and scoliosis. Moreover, with 60-80% of people who live in the UK experiencing general lower back pain at some point in their lives, Pilates can help to improve overall spine and back health.

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IDEAL TO COMPLEMENT OTHER SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

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Daily life can put many stresses and strains on the body.  Whether you are an office worker sat a desk for large periods of time or you play a sport, such as tennis or golf, which involves repetitive movement through one side or kinetic chain, your body will have areas where muscles might be long and weak (due to lack of engagement) or short and tight (through over use).

 

Using Pilates to address these imbalances will help improve your overall fitness levels and is ideal to support other sporting activities. 

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PILATES PRINCIPLES  - QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

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Traditionally, Pilates follows six main principles which are:

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• Centering

• Concentration

• Control

• Breath

• Precision

• Flow

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If we were to condense these down to one sentence, it would be that Pilates exercises focus on quality rather than quantity.  As Joseph Pilates said:

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“A few well-designed movements, properly performed in a balanced sequence, are worth hours of sloppy calisthenics or forced contortion.”

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Pilates requires a mind-body connection focusing on the muscle group each exercise is targeting.  To get the most from your Pilates practice, each exercise should be performed with control and precision and in tandem with the breath. 

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To read more about the principles of Pilates, head over to the blog.

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