PILATES MASSAGE
1. Great for killer abs and core strength
Pilates really hits your core muscle (or ‘powerhouse’ as it is called in the Pilates world), which has effects on your lower back, abdomen, hip and pelvic muscles. Not only is a strong core essential for exercises, it is also essential for everyday tasks such as carrying heavy items and picking up your shopping. Especially if you try to carry all the grocery bags in one go.
As well as helping you to better your body frame, core training also helps to achieve those flat abs that we all crave for.
2. Good workout for your entire body
Even though the main focus of Pilates is on developing your core strength, it also plays a part in developing a full-body workout. This ensures that no specific muscle is overdeveloped or underdeveloped, giving you that perfect lean body you are looking for.
3. Perfect rehab for back pain
It is not always guaranteed, and certainly not a quick fix, but many people have seen their back pain gradually disappear after practicing Pilates.
4. Gives you a great backside
You will not find specific exercises which solely benefit your backside. But, with whole-body Pilates workout, a major bonus is that every single exercise involves your backside in some way or form.
5. Improves your posture
Poor posture forms as a result of bad habit such as slouching at your desk and chair, which can eventually cause back ache, neck ache, headache, etc. The bad habits will result in asymmetrical muscle development, where some muscle become weaker than others. Pilates can help to strengthen those underdeveloped muscles, and get rid of bad posture.
6. Places no pressure on your knees and joints
Since Pilates consists of slow and controlled movement, there is minimal impact on your joints. This is naturally ideal for those who cannot (or do not) want to take part in high-impact sports and exercises.
7. An exercise for everyone
It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, fit or out of shape, flexible or not, Pilates is one of a handful of exercises which can benefit everyone.
8. Boosts your mental health and improves focus and concentration
Pilates helps to create a body and mind relationship, where concentration, focus and meditation come together to help boost your mental health.
An important part of Pilates is that it pushes you to focus on your body, full breathing, and how they all work and move together. It is with focus and concentration that you are more likely to benefit from the exercise.
9. Improves your sports performance
Many sportsmen and women find that their body are misaligned due to the one-sided nature of certain sports e.g. swinging a tennis racket or golf clubs.
As Pilates helps to balance your body, develop muscular symmetry and align your posture, sportsmen and women find that Pilates can help to reduce the likelihood of injuries.
10. Increases your flexibility
It was Joseph Pilates who said: “true flexibility can be achieved only when all muscles are uniformly developed.”
So rather than saying you can’t do Pilates because you are not flexible enough, you should actually participate in Pilates exercises to help improve your flexibility.
11. Improves your sex life
There are several exercises which mimic the similar action of the Kegel exercise (which strengthens the pelvic floor muscles and consequently supports the uterus, bladder, small intestine and rectum).
Exercises which involve lifting your pelvic floor strengthen those muscles, which can increase your pleasure in the bedroom.
12. Improves your blood circulation
The more flexible you are, the better your blood circulation is, as blood can flow more freely through your body. This can help to promote cell growth, organ function and gives you healthier skin, and as Joseph calls it, for “bodily house cleaning”.
13. Makes you more aware of your body
The heavy focus on breathing, your posture and controlled movement, will translate into your everyday life as you become more aware of how you are treating your body. This could be from basic things like sitting on your sofa to picking up your shopping bags.
Pilates also teaches you to have symmetry and coordination, to hold in your navel, square your shoulders and be aware of your posture. This will all come naturally over time as you become more aware of your body.
14. Gives you better spinal health & strength
A study in 2014 has discovered that there is a link between Pilates exercises and increased spinal alignment. The conditioning of the muscles around the core and back helps to promote better spinal health.
15. Prevents the risk of injuries
Similar to point 9, you are less likely to obtain any risks of receiving injuries through regular Pilates. This applies to everyone, from the elderly to professional dancers.