Are you curious about Pilates but not quite sure how it can help you? Here are seven reasons to try Pilates today!  To start, Pilates helps improve strength, flexibility, and coordination.  Plus, Pilates is a great way to de-stress and calm your mind. To learn more about how Pilates can improve your quality of life, keep reading.

1. Strengthens your core muscles and improves posture

Pilates is a form of exercise that emphasizes the development of the core muscles.  Including the muscles of the abdomen and lower back.   Pilates strengthens the deep transverse abdominis, side obliques and surface rectus abdominis.  This improves posture by correcting muscle imbalances and flexibility. Additionally, Pilates reduces back pain by stretching and strengthening the muscles in the lower back.

2. Low-impact exercise and gentle on joints

Pilates is a low-impact exercise and gentle on joints. It’s excellent when recovering from injury, those new to exercise or if you’re looking to cross train with other forms of fitness.  Working on both the mat and the Pilates apparatus offers this benefit. Additionally, it’s easy to customize exercises with modifications, making it accessible to people of all levels.

3. Sculpts and tones your body

Low impact doesn’t mean ineffective.  Pilates is excellent for sculpting and toning the body.  Pilates is a full body workout that challenges both the muscles and flexibility.  This winning combination keeps your body safe while creating long lean muscles. Pilates uses your own body weight, tension springs and light weights to sculpt lean muscles. 

4. Increase flexibility and range of motion

Pilates improves flexibility and range of motion throughout the workout.  Each movement works to strengthen and stretch simultaneously.  As we age, it’s natural to find our spine compressing and joints tightening.  Pilates focuses on core and spinal health, opening the back and improving posture. A well balanced exercise, Pilates improves mobility though the legs, hips, shoulders, torso and neck. 

5. Improve balance and coordination

The focus on core strengthening and a well rounded workout improves balance.  Core muscles keep us centered and can help prevent falls when we get off balance.  Additionally, Pilates strengthens and aligns the feet, ankles, leg and hip muscles.  These all play an important role in balance. 

As a mind-body practice, Pilates improves our body awareness and coordination.  Pilates movements incorporate multiple areas of the body with each movement.   While challenging, this develops coordination and further improves balance.

6. Reduces stress and anxiety

As a mind-body practice Pilates requires your full concentration.  From coordinating body parts, maintaining good form and breathing, you’re focused.   When you’re focused on your body in the present moment, you aren’t thinking about your job, to-do list or anything else.  This gives our mind a break from day to day concerns, thereby reducing stress. 

Breath work is very important in Pilates.  It helps engage the muscles.  Focused breathing cycles fresh oxygen through the body, thereby lowering our stress levels.  Practicing intentional breathing translates into our daily lives.  This helps us be more aware of deep breathing as a way to move through stressful situations.

7. Improves circulation

Movement and breathing in Pilates is excellent for cardiovascular health and respiratory function.   It can help improve lung capacity and increase oxygen uptake by the body. As a result, Pilates provides a multitude of benefits for both physical and mental health.

Pilates is a great way to start your day, or finish it after a long day. The benefits of Pilates are vast and can improve your health when done on a regular basis. ProHealth Pilates in Peachtree City, GA welcomes beginners with plenty of classes that challenge you while still being safe. Contact us today to get started!