Pilates Benefits

Pilates is the exercise of choice for gymnasts, martial artist professionals, dancers, gymnasts and many famous Hollywood celebrities.  You may ask yourself, why is Pilates so popular?

Pilates popularity can be attributed to the fact that it provides its students with benefits that you simply can't get through traditional strength or aerobic training.  The common Pilates benefits include:

Strengthens your muscles

Pilates helps you achieve a long, lean look without bulky muscles, while building strength and endurance. That is why Pilates is the exercise of choice for martial artists, gymnasts and professional dancers. Most conventional exercises tend to create bulky muscles due to the emphasis being placed on repetition and building strong muscles.

This causes strong muscles to get even stronger, and in turn bigger. Pilates on the other hand does not rely on frequent repetition, therefore not overgrowing your muscles. Pilates focuses on the whole body and not just on sections of muscles.

Increases the Strength of Stabilizer Muscles

One of the main benefits of Pilates is it's ability to strengthen stabilizer muscles that may not commonly be worked out in a conventional exercise program. Pilates stresses the use of graceful and fluid movements, being a great way to improve the kinesthetics of your body. The sense of body that you can achieve through Pilates is quite significant, improving your balance regardless of the position you are in.

Strengthens Your Whole Body

Pilates engages the mind and enhances your body awareness. Like tai-chi, yoga and martial arts, Pilates is not just a workout for your body. Joseph H. Pilates (the creator of Pilates) studied yoga, martial arts, and other ancient mind-body programs and included a strong philosophical foundation in Pilates.

Pilates not only helps tone your body, but also your mind and spirit. The smooth and precise movements of Pilates are designed to make you better understand your body.

Movement of your breathing is also emphasized to help you better understand how your breath moves through your body. It has also been demonstrated that Pilates helps reduce anxiety, stress, and depression. The mind-body connection achieved is fundamental to the study and practice of Pilates.

Strengthens Your Core like No Other Exercise

Pilates shows you how to achieve increased strength in the 'core' of your body. Core refers to the muscles in and around your abdominal muscles and your back. Correct breathing control is also stressed in Pilates.

Helps Prevention from Future Injuries

Pilates helps condition your whole body and not just certain muscles. By strengthening your body, you help prevent future injuries, helping balance the muscle and strength of your body. Since no specific set of muscles is ever over or under trained, there is less risk for injury. The body does also becomes more fluid, protecting against injury.

Become Efficient With Your Body

Pilates teaches you how to become efficient with your body, with very few exercises being able to help your body become more efficient in its movement.  Being efficient means that your body moves in a way, that is smoother, safer, and less prone to injury. By practicing Pilates on a regular basis, you can train your body more to move in a much safer and more efficient manner.

Summarised Benefits of Pilates – Full Listing

• Enhance mobility, agility and stamina.
• Tone and build long, lean muscles without bulk.
• Excellent muscle control.
• Restore postural alignment.
• Reduce stress, relieve tension, and boost energy through deep stretching.
• Create a stronger, more flexible spine and core.
• Increase joint range of motion.
• Improve flexibility and balance.
• Improve body awareness.
• Improve circulation.
• Heighten neuromuscular coordination.
• Offer relief from back pain and joint stress.
• Correct over-training of muscle groups which can lead to stress and injury.
• Compliment sports training and develop functional fitness for daily life activity.
• Improve the way your body looks and feels.
• Strengthen your muscles and whole body.
• Tests your current level of strength or weakness.
• Has proven body shaping results.
• Reduce stress and fatigue and injuries.
• Help you to re-examine your current exercise and lifestyle habits.