Celebrities love it. Some physical therapists incorporate it into their rehab sessions. Serious athletes do it too. Pilates has become a go-to workout for those looking to move better, look good, and feel amazing. In the past few years, so many people have become fans of the exercise regimen that the market research company Allied Market Research estimates the Pilates and yoga market will grow by nearly 12 percent from 2018 to 2025.
While Pilates often gets lumped in with yoga—which also brings a mental focus to a physical practice—the practice has its own set of principles and benefits. So, what is Pilates anyway? This guide breaks down what you’ll do in a Pilates practice and all the benefits you can gain from doing it regularly.
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(Related: 6 Ways Pilates May Help You Lose Weight)
What is Pilates?
Created by Joseph Pilates, has been around since the late 1800s. It came to the United States from Germany in the late 1920s, according to the Pilates Method Alliance. You might associate Pilates with core work and moving at a controlled pace either on a mat or a machine. But at its foundation, Pilates is all about moving your entire body as one unit, with the core at the center of every movement.
“Pilates is based on the idea that we should be working all the muscles of the body together, in the way that they should be functionally engaging for really healthy alignment and really healthy human movement,” says Erika Bloom, a certified Pilates instructor and founder of Erika Bloom Pilates. And it leads to some really big payoffs: “A graceful, functional body that moves well will look the best, be the strongest, and be least prone to injury,” she says. “And if you work on coordination, joint function, postures, and alignment predominantly, you’ll see aesthetics of the body change accordingly.”
A Pilates practice can work for nearly everyone, from older adults looking for a daily movement regimen to teenage dancers supplementing their cardio workouts to gain strength, says physical therapist Vanessa Muncrief, owner of VMPT, a physical therapy and Pilates studio in Austin, Texas.
The practice is also great for rehabbing injuries. Take an ankle sprain for example. If you can’t put your full weight on your lower half, you can use the reformer—a machine with springs that lowers the impact of movements, even jumping—to take some of the pressure off. Pilates combines strength and stability while promoting a mind-body connection. It’s a whole-body approach that stands out from other forms of training, bringing lots of benefits for your physical (and mental) health. Here are the ways Pilates can benefit your body and mind.
(Related: The Benefits of Biking, For Your Body and Mind)
Excellent core strength
“There are a lot of training methods that think core work is crunches,” says Bloom. “But that’s only working the muscles that pull us into flexion. That’s not how we want to function.” Instead, you want to strengthen all the muscles around the torso and improve both core contraction and lengthening.
Muncrief agrees and explains that in other forms of training in which you might do crunches, sit-ups, and twists, you’re not necessarily taught to properly contract deep core muscles. In Pilates, you are. One way she teaches students to contract the deep core muscles is by telling them to think about zipping up a pair of low-rise pants. The ab contraction you’d feel when you zip them up is the same activation you want throughout a Pilates routine. This deep core activation will come into play during everyday activities like lifting a baby or picking up groceries—even in other forms of movement, like resistance exercise and kettlebell training, Muncrief says. Practicing deep core activation will help you prevent injury when doing these other types of movement.
(Related: The Types of Stretching Fitness Experts Recommend—and One They Avoid)
Better balance
With its focus on the core, it’s clear Pilates can build strength in your midsection. But it’s not just your middle that gains strength and stability from the practice. Your entire body does as well, including your lower half. Research published in 2018 in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation shows that Pilates can enhance your balance and build strength in the legs, particularly in older adults.
Promotes mindfulness through breathing
Gallery: 10 Signs You’re Out of Shape (Best Health)
Signs you’re out of shape
You may huff and puff going up a few flights of stairs. Or you can feel out of breath and in pain with just a bit of exertion. Although this can happen occasionally to many people, sometimes it can be an indicator of poor cardiovascular health.
According to the World Health Organization, adults aged 18 to 64 years old should be engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity. That’s because exercise has many health benefits include lowering blood pressure, preventing cardiovascular disease, improving depression, reducing chronic pain, and reducing stress. But, not everyone abides by these guidelines. And even those who try, may not be doing it regularly enough.
We asked doctors and personal trainers how you can tell if you are out of shape, and what you can do to fix it.
You’re breathless with activities that require minimal exertion
Do you huff and puff after getting up from the couch to go to the kitchen? How about walking up a single flight of stairs? This is likely because your cardiovascular system is being taxed to provide essential oxygen to muscles (including your heart muscle) that are exerting an increased effort by your increased exertion via physical activity, explains Cordelia Carter, MD, sports orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone in New York City. She adds “and you may not be in the best shape.”
In this context, being “in shape” means that “the cardiovascular system has adapted to the increased physical demands placed upon it,” Dr. Carter says. “People who are ‘in shape’ are able to maintain respiratory rates and heart rates that are closer to their baseline, which is usually less than 20 breaths per minute and heart rate is usually less than 100 beats per minute.”
You can work to try to change this by slowly, deliberately, and consistently increase the amount of physical activity that you do each day. For example, “You might start by increasing the frequency and distance that you walk each day and then gradually increase the intensity, too by quickening your pace over time,” suggests Dr. Carter. A similar approach can be taken with cycling, an elliptical machine, treadmill, or any other piece of stationary equipment, she adds.
(Check out the Canadian fitness studios offering free online classes during the pandemic.)
Your back hurts while you’re standing in line
If you’re waiting in line to buy groceries and you’re noticing that your back is aching, this could be a sign that your core and paraspinal or back muscles are weak.
“Try to perform some elevated planks with your hands on a counter or table while bracing your core for five to 10 seconds, five times, twice a day,” says Nadya Swedan, MD, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Northwell Health in Manhasset, New York and Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “You can also try adding in small-motion crunches, 10 reps, three times a day. And try to stretch your core in a cobra position.” All of these exercises and stretches will help your strengthen your core over time. Working from home? Try these simple desk stretches to prevent to back pain.
Your arm gets sore while playing catch
Is throwing a baseball or football with your kid or friends becoming a drag after a couple of tosses? “The throwing motion requires a good deal of dynamic stability of the shoulder, as well as stability and strength of the trunk and lower body,” says Heather Milton, an exercise physiologist and clinical specialist at NYU Langone’s Sports Performance Center. “Soreness after throwing light throws may be a sign that these muscles are not well conditioned, or that your shoulder range of motion is limited.”
Milton recommends warming up before playing. “Do 10 to 15 minutes of 30 to 60 seconds each of shoulder rotations, flexion, pushing and pulling, walking lunges, lateral lunges, planks, and side plank,” she says. “These exercises can also be performed daily to improve your throwing fitness.”
You have a high, resting heart rate
There are some fitness trackers and watches that can measure your heart rate. If you notice that you have an elevated heart rate while being sedentary, this could be a sign that you’re dehydrated, anxious, not getting enough sleep, not eating well, or out of shape in general.
“When you are physically out of shape your body must work that much harder in order to create circulation in the body causing the heart to beat faster,” says Mat Forzaglia, pre- and post-natal certified, fitness trainer and founder of Forzag Fitness in New York City.
Exercising more regularly can help lower your resting heart rate. “Doing a cardio modality at least two to three times a week for 30 minutes or more,” suggests Forzaglia. “Those who are out of shape need to raise their heart rate so an aerobic activity, like running, cycling, or using the elliptical, will help.” (Walking counts as cardio, too. If you can’t get in 10 000 steps a day, do this instead.)
This should be a gradual and consistent approach to increasing the frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity that you perform, adds Dr. Carter.
You’re experiencing more injuries
If you dread exercise because you seem to tweak your shoulder, back, knee, or some other body part that hasn’t bothered you before, it could be a sign you’re out of shape. According to Kelvin Gary, performance enhancement coach and founder and head coach at Body Space Fitness in New York City, this is also a sign “you’re not mechanically prepared to do the work.”So what can you do?
“Start with foam rolling and stretching,” suggests Gary. “Then try to add in some mobility and movement prep work.” He suggests exercises like bird-dogs, dead bugs, glute bridges, forearm wall slides, and jumping jacks, doing two sets of 10 reps each. “These exercises are a great way to make sure that your muscles and nervous system are primed and ready for a workout.”
Check out these stretches that’ll help you avoid injuries.
You find the closest parking spot to the entrance of a store
It’s okay to seek a close parking spot to the entrance of a store for convenience. However, if you’re doing this because you know the walk from the back of the parking lot can leave you breathless, this may indicate you need to be more active. “Chances are good that your body activity is low, and you’re not motivated to walk because it will fatigue you or cause pain,” says Dr. Swedan.
She suggests starting to add in a bit more physical activity. “Try marching in place for one minute followed by 30 seconds of rests, five times a day for a week—then twice a day or increase to 10 minutes.”
Then try finding a parking spot farther away, and increase the distance each week. “If hip, knee, ankle or foot pain is the reason you’re not wanting to walk far, and the pain is really problematic, you may want to consider seeing a doctor or physical therapist to be evaluated,” suggests Dr. Swedan.
(Learn the benefits of walking for just 15 minutes per day.)
Your arms and chest fall forward when squatting
If you’re mid-workout and in the mirror, you notice your arms and chest are falling far forward during a simple squat (or a trainer points this out), don’t write this off as nothing. “This could be a sign that you’re posterior chain muscles, including your glutes, hamstrings, and spinal stabilizers aren’t being recruited correctly,” explains Milton.
The best way to fix this is by strengthening and activating those underactive muscles. “Start with exercises like glute bridges and deadlifts that emphasize activation of these posterior muscles,” suggests Milton. “Try three sets of 10 repetitions every other day.”
(Learn how many squats it takes for you to start seeing results.)
You’re feeling extremely fatigued regularly
Are you feeling way more exhausted than usual, day in and day out, even when you’re not you’re exerting yourself too much? This could actually be your body’s way of telling you that you need to move more. (Although check with your doctor to rule out more serious problems.)
Try to find an exercise program that incorporates cardio and strength training, and do your best to stick with it. “Getting your heart rate up and increasing the activation of endorphins to your brain with a solid strength training program will give you energy to move around without feeling stuck in the mud,” says Forzaglia. “Moving increases circulation, which is key for your body to function normally.”
(Check out the dance workouts that are perfect for anyone who hates exercising.)
You have a difficult time unloading groceries or cleaning the house
If these typical daily tasks are feeling even more like chores because you find yourself quickly out of breath, don’t ignore it.
“Upper body activities are just as straining on your cardiovascular, or heart and blood vessels, as lower body exercise,” explains Dr. Swedan. “If your heart rate or pulse is above 110 doing these activities, you are out of shape.”
Focusing on exercises that target the upper body muscles can help. Dr. Swedan suggests starting with water bottles as weights for arm exercises. “Do ten reps of bicep curls, three times a day, along with raising your arms forward just above the head,” she says. “When you’re comfortable with that, move to two-pound weights, then up to five pounds over a month.” Here are other exercises you can in your kitchen.
You’re sore after a workout for days
Post-exercise, it’s normal to feel sore. This is called delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, and it usually lasts 24 to 48 hours, as exercise breaks down muscle tissue, and then that tissue rebuilds stronger, explains Gary. But if this soreness is lasting longer than 48 hours, you may have a bigger issue. (Here’s how to soothe sore muscles.)
“When a workout crushes you and you’re really sore for more than two days, that means you may have overcooked the turkey,” says Gary. Translation: You’re doing more than your body is able to handle.
Don’t give up on exercise, but ease back into it slowly, suggests Gary. “Cut back on the volume or sets, reps and or weight, to start, and then work your way back up,” he says. “Foam roll for five to 10 minutes daily, and stretch at least once a day, too.”
Next, learn how to prevent overeating when working from home.
11/11 SLIDES
Pilates starts with connecting to the breath, Bloom explains. “Our diaphragm is one of the primary core supporters and plays a role in posture,” she says. “So we make sure everyone is breathing well and letting movement follow the breath, rather than moving and breathing arbitrarily.” This way of breathing helps you move with intention because you’re thinking about your posture and flowing from exercise to exercise, Muncrief says.
Focusing on the breath brings mindfulness into your Pilates practice, allowing you to mentally remain in the present. The practice of deep breathing will follow you out of the Pilates studio and into daily life, Bloom says. This can bring a sense of calm to each day and help you be more present in each moment.
(Related: Why Exercise Can Be the Most Effective Way to Relieve Stress)
Improves your flexibility and mobility
Maintaining full range of motion in our joints is super important for flexibility, mobility, and moving with ease—especially as we age. Pilates supports that mission, Bloom says. To keep a full range of motion, your exercise regimen needs to include both flexibility and mobility training, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. What makes Pilates stand out is that you strengthen the muscles both eccentrically (lengthening) and concentrically (shortening), suggests 2015 research published in the journal Age.
“Yoga is quite static at the end range of motion,” Bloom says. That just means you’re often holding elongated postures. Pilates, on the other hand, lengthens to the point of muscle engagement and then moves back to shortening. So while you achieve the end range of motion, you also learn to move in and out of it with control.
A study published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research supports the fact that Pilates improves flexibility, particularly of the hamstrings. This same study found that Pilates can also improve muscle endurance, specifically of the abs. That means you can work longer without hitting fatigue.
Other research, published in 2019 in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation, found that Pilates helps with functional movement—you know, the kind of movement you use in your daily life. The study even found that Pilates is more beneficial than yoga in that regard. And research published in NeuroRehabilitation suggests that Pilates can help those with multiple sclerosis gain balance, muscle strength, and mobility.
(Related: Can’t Fit In a Full At-Home Workout? Do This)
Keeps you engaged
With countless variations on Pilates exercises, you’ll rarely repeat the same moves. Pilates involves exercising on all planes of motion and in various positions and directions, Bloom says. Maybe you do extension and then rotation. Or maybe you start on your side and then move to your back.
“The original series from [Joseph Pilates] has hundreds of exercises, but when you create variations, there’s an infinite number of options, which is why it’s so effective,” Bloom says. “You’re constantly changing and not moving linearly.”
Helps with your posture
Feeling the effects of sitting at a desk all day, hunched over your computer? Pilates can help with that. Many of the exercises are done on your back, which helps promote a neutral spine and pelvis, Muncrief says. “Lying down on the reformer, you can’t sit with shoulders forward and head forward,” she explains. “You can’t fight gravity, so your head and shoulders have to relax back.”
Bloom says your Pilates teacher should offer tips on alignment throughout the class. That’ll help you learn where your body is, where it should be, and how to move to achieve ideal alignment. As you move with good alignment in a Pilates class, you’ll build the awareness you need to maintain good posture when you’re sitting, standing, and walking outside of the studio, Muncrief says. Bloom agrees, saying Pilates helps you regain more balance in your body, so you don’t have to consciously think about standing taller or pulling the shoulders back. It just happens. “We have to work those small, intrinsic muscles in the shoulders, hips, spine, and ankles, and stabilize them and bring awareness to balancing them,” she says.
(Related: 5 Stretches for Upper Back Pain)
Eases low back pain
With a stronger core often comes a reduction in low back pain, says Muncrief. Pilates tends to help with both. While more research is needed to support the idea that Pilates reduces back pain, some studies suggest that it can have a positive effect. For instance, a systematic review published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that Pilates provides pain relief.
Great for cross-training
Whether you’re a runner, swimmer, biker, or CrossFit lover, Pilates can round out your training. It offers a soothing alternative to more intense workouts, helping you get stronger from your limbs to your core. “I don’t think anyone should do just one type of exercise,” Muncrief says. “And Pilates is good cross-training for athletes or anyone active who’s looking to change their movement patterns and better their brain and body.”
Where can you do Pilates?
Muncrief says it’s a good idea to start Pilates with a private lesson so you learn the basic techniques, just like you would with tennis or golf. But you can also find more budget-friendly options online. Check out apps like Peloton, Alo Moves, and FitOn for Pilates workouts you can do right at home.
Now that you know about the benefits of pilates, find out if Apple Fitness+ can upgrade your home workout game.
The post 8 Ways Pilates Benefits Your Body appeared first on Best Health Magazine Canada.
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