With celebrities like Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and Megan Fox waxing lyrical about Pilates, it’s clear that Pilates is loved someBut fitness pros say Pilates should be loved everything.
Far from being an exercise routine for A-listers and actresses, “Pilates really is for people of all fitness levels, life stages, and ages,” says Pilates instructor and certified clinical naturopath Bianca Wise with Alo Moves. There are even studies that prove Pilates is safe for (mostly) pregnant women, the elderly, and even those who use mobility aids or have certain chronic conditions.
But what the hell is Pilates? Train! More specifically, “it’s a low-impact, low-intensity form of exercise that emphasizes core control, controlled breathing, and precise movement,” says Ashley Rogers, head instructor at Reform Pilates LA in Los Angeles, California, and founder of Pilates By Ashley. .
This is just the tip of the iceberg though – read on to learn more about Pilates and its health and fitness benefits. Trust me, by the end of this article, you’ll be asking Siri to highlight Pilates studios near you (or trying one of Shape’s Pilates workouts right from home).
Wait, what is Pilates?
Wise says Pilates is an exercise method that uses about 50 different simple exercises to increase strength, flexibility and body awareness. The actual exercises that get mixed up during Pilates—like the bridge, high plank, hip hop, lunge, and scissor kick, to name a few—are likely familiar to anyone who’s ever taken a group exercise class. kind.
However, what sets Pilates apart is the approach. By prioritizing activation and engagement of the midline and encouraging participants to synchronize breath and movement, Rogers promises that Pilates delivers a lot of fundamental bang for your exercise buck, while also offering mental health benefits such as improved focus, an invigorated mind-body. connection and a sense of focus.
Reformer Pilates vs Mat Pilates
It is likely that the term “Pilates” connotes both a floor-oriented routine and an exercise performed using a … Well, the first is known as mat Pilates and the second is reformer Pilates. According to Rogers, both types of Pilates offer a low-impact way to build strength, stability and mobility, but reformer Pilates and mat Pilates have some notable differences.
Mat Pilates, the OG version of Pilates, is everything Wise says to move your body through the currents on the mat. “It can feel really grounding, and it’s a great way to tone and strengthen muscles while keeping joint impact small and gentle,” she says. As an added bonus, it can be done almost anywhere, including your living room or hotel, as long as you have a pilates mat.
Wise explains that Reformer Pilates is done on the Pilates Reformer machine, which is essentially a massage table with a spring-loaded cart, resistance bands, cable wheels, and arm and leg straps. He says the machine gives you access to many different movements and can also be used to add resistance, which challenges your muscles and builds strength. In general, reformer Pilates has a longer learning curve than mat Pilates and is not as accessible in terms of equipment requirements. (Though reading this beginner’s guide to Pilates reformers is a good place to start!).
Pilates vs Yoga
Like powerlifting and Olympic lifting, yoga and (mat) pilates look and sound identical to the untrained eye and ear. After all, both take place primarily on the ground and involve a lot of deliberate inhalation and exhalation. But the two methods are quite different.
“Pilates focuses more on strengthening the core and improving posture and muscle tone through controlled movements,” says Rogers. Yoga, on the other hand, is a spiritual practice that emphasizes flexibility, balance, and well-being, often involving meditation and deep breathing exercises, she says.
A workout routine full of either pilates or yoga the will improve overall fitness and well-being, says Rogers. However, the overall approach and primary benefits are different!
Benefits of Pilates
Whether you do Pilates in a studio or spare bedroom, on a reformer or on the floor, there are some physical and mental benefits to doing Pilates. Read below for 7 reasons why Pilates is good for you.
A stronger core
“Engage your core” is a common refrain in Pilates class, perhaps even to the point of boredom, but all this core focus has serious benefits. According to Rogers, Pilates’ main focus and core exercises really help strengthen all of your muscles.
In fact, Pilates strengthens your core so effectively that the midline has a nickname that gives people experience: the Pilates corset.
However, building a strong core is much more than a prerequisite for six-pack abs. “A strong core is critical to maintaining good posture and preventing back pain,” she says. A strong core also provides stability and safety in everyday movements, which is especially important as we age,” says Rogers.
Improves balance
On the subject of aging, researchers published a review published in 2022 Health Sciences Review reported that Pilates is not only healthy for older adults, but can also improve balance. Considering that an estimated 40,000 people age 65 and older die from preventable falls, this is no small matter.
Greater hip mobility
Are you one of the estimated 25 percent of people who sit for eight or more hours a day? Well, then you’ll benefit from hip-opening exercises like those that Wise says are often done in Pilates class.
“Sitting at a desk all day can lead to tight hips, which can lead to lower back pain, change your posture, and increase your risk of injury,” says Wise. “The hips are also connected to the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems,” she says. So if you find yourself sitting at a desk all day and feeling stressed and anxious, your hips will bear the brunt of those emotions and become increasingly tight, she says.
Pilates moves like leg sweeps, lifts and dips, and hip dips can all relieve muscle tension in your hips, she says.
Reduced risk of injury
Pilates forces (no, encourages!) you to synchronize your movements with your breathing, “which is a great way to synchronize your mind and body,” says Rogers. The result? A stronger mind-body connection.
The greater your mind-body awareness, the less susceptible you are to any kind of injury, he says. Including: overuse injuries, fractures, sprains and strains, and more.
Increased mental well-being
According to Rogers, every lunge and trick performed during Pilates offers mental health benefits. “Synchronizing breath with movement increases body awareness, reduces stress, and promotes mindfulness,” says Rogers.
In fact, researchers published one in a 2018 review Complementary therapies in medicine concluded that Pilates results in “significant reductions” in both anxiety and depression symptoms. Another review from 2023, published in Medicine magazine found exactly the same, leading researchers to recommend it as part of a comprehensive mental health routine.
Usually safe for pregnant women
In particular, Pilates is one of the few exercises that is widely recommended for pregnant and postpartum people. Obvi, anyone at this stage of life should consult a gynecologist or pelvic floor specialist before adding Pilates to their prenatal routine. However, since the pelvic floor is part of the core, an emphasis on core control and strength is thought to be especially beneficial for soon-to-be parents.
One 2021 study published in BMC Pregnancy and Children found that those who did Pilates regularly during pregnancy had significantly reduced pain intensity during labor and increased the mother’s experience of childbirth. Meanwhile, a 2014 study found that pregnant women who participated in online Pilates classes for 8 weeks during pregnancy reported that their fears about childbirth decreased throughout the program.
Very accessible
The fact that (mat)pilates can be done anytime, anywhere means that Pilates is an especially good choice for people with busy schedules or who don’t have access to childcare, Wise adds. “You can do it right at home with no equipment,” he says.
Who is Pilates for?
Everyone! The celebration of the modality and the gendered marketing can give the impression that Pilates only has a politics for young and famous women. But nothing could be further from the truth—Pilates is for people of any gender, age, or fitness level, says Rogers.
While women now make up 90 percent of all Pilates lovers, the exercises were actually originally made for men. Joseph Hubertus Pilates originally developed this modality in the 20th century to help wounded World War I veterans (males) rebuild their strength. After the war, this method continued to be used in male-only facilities such as military police training and boxing. It wasn’t until years later, in the 1930s, that dancers took up the sport, and later the rest of the population became interested.
Plus, Pilates doesn’t have an age limit or a fitness requirement to try it, says Rogers. One 2021 review was published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology reported that Pilates is a safe, adaptable, and promising form of exercise for older adults. He says that, like CrossFit, Pilates can be adapted and adapted to meet the needs of any individual, from beginners to advanced practitioners.
That said, anyone with certain medical conditions or pre-existing injuries should consult a health care provider before starting Pilates, Rogers says.
How exactly to start Pilates
There are probably as many Pilates studios in big cities as there are matcha latte cafes or tattoo parlors. I mean, a lot. Of course, this method isn’t just for city dwellers – most suburbs also have a handful of studios.
When trying Pilates for the first time, Rogers says it’s best to take a one-on-one class with a certified instructor. This way, you can master the basic movements under the guidance of a trainer and receive personalized modifications that ensure a safe practice. Many studios offer beginner classes for people of your skill level, she says. He says private sessions can be especially beneficial for beginners because they offer personal attention, allowing the instructor to tailor exercises to your specific needs, goals and fitness level.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, Rogers says you’ll have the green light to explore online Pilates classes. These classes allow you to exercise just as well, in the comfort of your own home, hotel room or home gym. “For online classes, it’s best to choose a platform with good customer reviews and staff with trusted certifications,” he says. (FYI: To help you find reputable online Pilates classes, we put together this home Pilates workout guide).
Roger says the most important thing for any Pilates practitioner to remember, whether they do it at home or in a gym, is their first class or their two hundredth. After all, trying to push your body beyond its current capacity or ignore pain is in direct opposition to Pilates’ focus on mind-body connection.
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