5 Reasons to do Pilates

What would you think of an exercise modality that increases your strength and flexibility, improves balance and cardiovascular health, cognitive function and posture? Read on to find out 5 top reasons to do Pilates.

Love those Curves

The human spine has 33 vertebrae, including 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 5 coccygeal. Along with the skull, ribs and sternum, these vertebrae make up the axial skeletal system. These bones protect vital organs of the brain, spinal cord, heart and lungs. One of the signs of aging is gravity’s crushing effect on our skeletal system. Older populations have a greater reduction in height and increased measures of kyphosis. Posture, along with other biomarkers, like heredity, physical fitness, heart rate and blood pressure, has become an indicator for assessing biological age. After decades of working with people of different ages and backgrounds and having a deep understanding of movement mechanics, I can identify a person’s biological age by observing how they move. Pilates restores cervical, thoracic and lumbar curves in the spine by balancing structure; it lengthens what is short and strengthens what is weak. This generates hydration in the tissues in real time and frees up the body to move with more ease. Students often report how much taller they feel after a Pilates session or that they no longer experience chronic pain.

Indomitable Effect

Pilates is well known for developing body awareness and core strength. Commonly known as the “Powerhouse” in Pilates-speak, the Powerhouse includes the stomach, back, and glutes. By strengthening these key areas around the abdomen, back and seat, our ability to do actual, physical, everyday tasks such as standing or sitting, lifting children, bringing in the groceries, or moving heavy objects is greatly improved. When you develop the body awareness to focus on engaging multiple areas of your body at once, your overall movement potential increases without the wear and tear and discomfort that life invariably creates over time. Developing an awareness of your body where you can fine-tune your movements so that you no longer need to run to the chiropractor every week is incredibly empowering.

Aphrodite/Apollo Factor

Pilates is well known for its toning and body-shaping benefits. Most of us care about how we feel, and we want to look good too! The “toning” and “sculpting” benefits of strength training extend to Pilates because this form of exercise is centred around building the foundational blocks of strength in a balanced way. In particular, Pilates focuses on the musculature of the stomach, back, and pelvis. The results are impressive: improved back posture and alignment, stronger abdominals, and functional (enhanced) glute strength without having to win the genetic lottery or get filler injections.

Antidepressant

Exercise in general boosts neurotransmitter chemicals that are released during exercise. This leads to an increase in serotonin levels in the brain that, among many functions, improves mood, increases testosterone, and lowers cortisol. Cortisol has an important role in helping the body deal with stress, but high levels of cortisol over a prolonged period have negative consequences, including weight gain and a weakening effect on the body’s immune response. Exercise like Pilates improves cognitive functions and enhances brain plasticity. Overall, the hormonal and neural effects that exercise has on your body can stabilize and sustain mood levels, which can help curb your cravings for sugar, sweets, and caffeine. Pilates in particular enhances memory, coordination, and muscle control. We all know that exercise has a positive, overall impact on stress management. Matwork, which includes hip bridges and push-ups, and variable spring resistance available in apparatus-focused work can stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system in some, supporting an overall cortisol-dampening effect.

Aerobic Capacity and Bioenergetics

Pilates trains Type I muscle fibres. Type I fibres have low ATPase activity, are slow twitch, have high oxidative and low glycolytic capacity, and are relatively resistant to fatigue. Type I muscle fibres have the highest mitochondrial density and capacity and therefore are very efficient at utilizing fat for energy. Stimulating mitochondrial growth and function is key to athletic performance, as is improving fat utilization and preserving glycogen. Having an adequate supply of energy and therefore a lot of glucose utilization at the end of a race when many competitions require a very high exercise intensity is an enormous competitive advantage.

Convenient

Classical Matwork can double the caloric expenditure in a single workout, and it can be done in the comfort of your home. However, any exercise that focuses on multi-joint, slower-twitch muscle fibres can deliver the most impressive results, not just in caloric expenditure but in building eccentric strength overall. Eccentric training is superior to concentric training at building both muscle size and strength. The re-education and awareness of effective movement is a key feature of Pilates, which is mostly absent in other forms of exercise or large-group formats and also goes a long way to achieving lasting, personalized results.

When choosing a Pilates program, look for teachers with experience in both Classical Matwork and Apparatus. Pilates certifications are very diverse, with many different approaches and schools. Criteria to look for when researching programs and teachers are: Teachers who practice or advertise Contrology (anyone can call themselves a Pilates teacher), Open Studio Programs where you are given a customized program to follow after an initial Private series, Teachers with diplomas/training over 600 hours, studios with ‘Open Studios’ or ‘Open Gyms’, or minimally, teachers with NPCP accreditation.