Saturday, August 23, 2014

6 Surprising Benefits of Pilates

6 Surprising Benefits of Pilates

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6 Surprising Benefits of Pilates

Posted: 22 Aug 2014 08:00 AM PDT

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Pilates is a modern fitness regime blending traditional cardio with ancient yoga poses. It's a dynamic way to improve flexibility, aid focus, and reduce tension in the body and mind. Fast-moving forms of Pilates may support metabolism and aid in achieving an overall healthy lifestyle. [1] With these benefits, is it any wonder why this exercise program is becoming increasingly popular in the West? Some believe that the popularity surrounding Pilates is surpassing conventional yoga exercise, and with the below 6 benefits you won't be surprised why.

The original developer of this exercise program was Joseph Pilates, who started life as a frail child determined to change his fate. He was born in 1880 and moved from Germany to the UK in 1912. On moving to America in 1923, he opened a studio in New York where he could teach his own exercise routine to movie stars, models, and everyday people. Joseph called his approach Contrology, a title that later developed into Pilates. His system focused on strengthening the body’s core, which is the basis of any good physical training program. There’s no single way to do Pilates exercises because Joseph Pilates didn’t design a rigid set of rules or methods. This fact is probably one of the reasons why it’s still used today. It truly is a flexible program that anyone, regardless of fitness level, can practice.

The Six Benefits of Pilates

The remarkable benefits of a Pilates program are nicely defined by the 6 Principles of Pilates. Here’s the basic six benefits they may provide for your health:

1. Centering

Pilates recognized that you need to center your mind and body during exercise. Sometimes referred to as the “powerhouse,” the center region of the body includes the abdomen, upper and lower back, hips, buttocks, and inner thighs. All Pilates exercises begin there and flow outward toward the arms and legs. By developing the core through repetitive physical attention, you’ll be less likely to injure yourself, control your movements, and move with grace. Graceful movement flows from the center of your body and requires a great deal of strength.

2. Concentration

You cannot do Pilates exercises mindlessly. All movements require that you focus on your actions, with your breathing and posture being the two most emphasized areas. The ability to concentrate is one of the most important skills you’ll ever learn, both for physical fitness as well as everyday life. Concentration is necessary to thrive in your chosen vocation, helping you to hone your vision and execute goals successfully. Pilates may provide an avenue through which you can strengthen your concentration, which will certainly benefit every aspect of your life.

3. Control

The word "control" comes up again and again during a Pilates practice. Control during a fitness routine generally applies to focusing your mind on maintaining control over your muscle movements and not allowing the body to become lazy during the practice. Control is often intertwined with centering and concentration, as both are necessary for promoting mental control over muscle movements. All the benefits stem from learning to take control of your body during and after a practice. Learning to control your body and its urges is simply the beginning of living a mindful, healthy life.

4. Metabolism

Exercise, including Pilates, works as a natural weight loss tool by increasing metabolic rate. [2] Pilates has shown to promote weight loss in individuals by boosting muscle mass, increasing metabolism, and even decreasing levels of anxiety. The last benefit is crucial, especially among stress eaters. Alternating Pilates with yoga, strength training, and even traditional cardio workouts may be helpful for providing sustained, natural weight loss.

5. Strength and Flexibility

Push up poses, lunges, and balancing poses all aid in improving strength in the upper and lower body. This strength must be maintained throughout your lifetime if you expect to live an independent lifestyle well into old age. Over time, the movements in Pilates help promote flexibility in muscles and joints in a similar way as yoga. [3] Flexibility is extremely important for preventing injuries, especially if you engage in other physical activities. The relaxation effect of Pilates often helps to create flexibility in the mind, as well. In a way, Pilates is a moving meditation, one that promotes deep breathing, awareness of the present moment, and a stronger sense of self.

6. Flow

In Pilates, all exercises are performed in an elegant, flowing manner. There's no jerky movements, no awkward positions that cause pain. All movement is designed to promote ease and well being in the body. Often, Pilates is seen to reflect one's inner thoughts and feelings. Someone who feels off kilter may have trouble with balancing poses, and someone who has rigid thoughts or feelings may find that they have difficulty with physical flexibility. Pilates is designed to provide more flow–in thoughts, feelings, and actions–by promoting ease in breathing, movement, and thinking.

Starting Your Own Pilates Practice

In today's day and age, you no longer have to travel long distances to find an experienced Pilates teacher. The Internet is abound with free and inexpensive video tutorials designed for beginner, intermediate, and advanced practitioners. If you're just starting out, read up on beginner poses and movements and do about 5-10 minutes worth of exercise to see how you like it. Start increasing the time and intensity slowly based on comfort level. The important thing is to avoid pushing yourself too hard. Only do movements to the extent of your current flexibility. You will continue to grow in strength, so there's no rush. Every fitness routine is constantly evolving and every practitioner is consistently reaching for higher levels of fitness.

Do you practice Pilates? What is your experience with the practice? Please let us know how you like it (as well as your favorite poses/movements) in the comments!

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM

References:

  1. Vieira FT, Faria LM, Wittmann Jl, Teixeira W, Nogueira LA. The influence of Pilates method in quality of life of practitioners. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2013 Oct;17(4):438-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2013.03.006.
  2. Cakmakci O. The effect of 8 week pilates exercise on body composition in obese women. Coll Antropol. 2011 Dec;35(4):1045-50.
  3. Segal NA, Hein J, Basford JR. The effects of Pilates training on flexibility and body composition: an observational study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004 Dec;85(12):1977-81.

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