The Benefits of Pilates

If I had to summarize Pilates into one word, I would choose balance. Pilates, created by Joseph Pilates in the 1920’s, was first designed as a form of recovery for injured athletes, dancers and the like. As we see today, evidenced by Pilates studios in towns and cities across the globe, online classes galore and the infinite amount of videos on YouTube, Pilates has been adapted by the masses to help maintain an overall healthy physique. Through Pilates, people strive to strike a balanced muscle tone on both sides of the body, more focused thought and more controlled breathing.

Balanced Muscle Tone

Pilates helps to strengthen and lengthen all of the major muscle groups. Whether your routine is done on a mat or on a reformer machine when working with a Westchester Pilates instructor, it’s about finding the center and working equally from that center point out to the edges. Thereby allowing your muscles on both sides of your body to work equally, not to the point of exhaustion, but to a point where both sides maintain control and rhythm together. This type of work brings the mind into the picture, as well, forcing both sides to work together.
The center point starts at one’s core. Participants in Pilates can look forward to improved flexibility, muscular strength, muscle tone, stability through increased core strength, reduced injury due reduced muscular imbalance

More Focused Thought

Walking mindlessly through life has about as many benefits as this lack of attention paid sounds. Not much. Knowing your body, listening to your body has benefits. Everyone can recognize when they are hungry, thirsty or tired. We react by having a meal, a drink or getting some rest. Or at least we hope we react that way and do so before the situation becomes more critical. With Pilates, we have an opportunity to become even more in tune with our bodies. Through improved focus that comes from improved mind and body connection, we can sense when our body is telling us to take a break before an injury occurs, or before an injury worsens. Being more body aware can help us know the difference between sore muscles and achy joints. Reacting properly can be a major factor in recovery.

More Controlled Breathing

Learning to control your breathing is another huge benefit of Pilates. In times of stress, our breathing can become shallow and hurried, depriving us of much needed oxygen and increasing our heart rate. Pilates helps us to get more in touch with our bodies and to recognize when our breathing increases and to help regulate it. By helping to calm one’s breathing down, we are enabling us to more rationally assess the situation and react to it. Thus, helping us to stay focused on what is best for us both mentally and physically. A characteristic that can serve anyone whether at any type of competitive event, on at track or in the boardroom.
Before beginning a fitness program, seek the advice and approval of your doctor.