Why should you include Pilates in your workout routine? In my earlier post, "What is this Pilates everyone keeps talking about?" , explains Pilates is an exercise that is designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, posture, and mental awareness.
I have listed EIGHT of the most common BENEFITS people experience practicing Pilates:
1. Teaches Body Awareness:
Pilates is "the complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit." - Joseph Pilates
The Pilates ideal is to have a balanced mind in a balanced body. You obtain body awareness by applying the six Pilates principles to your routine: centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow.
2. Strengthens your Core:
In Pilates, all movements should start from the powerhouse or center point of our body. By deepening the powerhouse in each movement we are strengthening the core including the abdomen, obliques, lower back, inner and outer thigh, and butt.
3. Increases Flexibility:
This is one of the reasons I took my first Pilates class. When you are tight you shorten your muscles and limit your body's range of motion.
4. Improves Posture:
Pilates emphasizes on correcting your posture by opening your chest. Good posture = happier life.
Joseph Pilates used to say "You are only as old as your spine".
5. Relieves Stress Tension in your body:
Pilates is a great way to escape from stress. During a Pilates workout, you focus on your breath and body movements. You feel more energized at the end of class gaining a boost to start your day or disconnect your mind at the end of a stressful day.
6. Low-Impact Training:
The slow and controlled movements of Pilates have minimal impact in your joints.
7. Develop Lean Muscles:
No more bulky muscles! Pilates builds leaner and longer muscles.
8. Pilates makes you happier:
I consider Pilates my Happy Place. I love Pilates because it makes me feel good. During a workout, your body is positively stressed, and endorphins are released into the body that make you feel happy.
"Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness" Joseph Pilates.