Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates. During the first half of the 20th century, he developed a system of exercises which were intended to strengthen the human mind and body.
Pilates believed that mental and physical health are interrelated. His ideas and methods have grown in popularity ever since, with millions of people around the world now regular enjoying classes.
So, what are the key health benefits of Pilates?
Proper alignment balances your skeleton so your muscles are held at their ideal length, without tension. If your body is constantly held out of good alignment, it places a great strain on your muscles, ligaments, and joints, which may result in aches and pains and inhibited movement. Pilates gives you an opportunity to learn to correct your misalignments and allow your muscles to work as efficiently as they should.
Pilates is a wonderful body-conditioning programme because you don’t need any equipment in order to strengthen your body. You can simply use your own body weight to create resistance for your muscles and to tone up. Which truly does mean that your workout will be only as effective as the effort you put in to the exercises. Over time, you will notice your muscles gaining tone and looking sculpted, but you’ll also feel much stronger and more energized.
We all want to achieve a strong body, but there must be a balance between strength and flexibility, and Pilates is the perfect exercise regime to achieve this. Tight muscles hinder your mobility and can lead to tension, aches, and pain. Flexibility is essential for your overall fitness and vitality. It ensures a greater range of movement in your joints, and will in turn mean your joints remain healthy and fare better against normal wear and tear as they age.
For many of us, our muscle tone while at rest may be quite weak. Muscles respond quickly to regular exercise, and after a few weeks of Pilates you should notice visible muscle tone and see your body begin to evolve. Pilates uses your body weight and the occasional prop as resistance for shaping your muscles, but it trains every part of your body evenly – front, back, and sides.
Pilates builds endurance within individual exercises and also within workouts. Focus on improving your concentration to build strength for both – endurance comes first from mental strength and therefore requires determination and persistence. Visualize your success and becoming stronger, and stay strong through challenging exercises. Pilates builds stamina, not only physical, but mental.
Stress is one of the biggest negative factors of modern life, affecting your physical and mental wellbeing just as much as disease does. Frequent exercise is one of the best remedies for stress and has many benefits. Pilates focuses on breathing – a deep, mindful pattern of breathing that instantly enhances feelings of calm and release in the body and mind. Pilates also works constantly on posture: a poised and lifted body, free from tension and pain, creates a calm mind.
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