Top Five Reasons to Try Pilates

Top Five Reasons to Try Pilates Pilates was developed by German gymnast Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century. His system was designed with injured world war 1 soldiers in mind, as a way of aiding rehabilitation. It focuses on strengthening key muscles and has become popular in gyms in recent years with many taking it up as a fitness and/or well-being aid. We have added our top five reasons to give pilates a try below. Posture Pilates helps to re-align the spine and if you practice it regularly it will improve core strength. Good posture has a positive knock on effect in many areas of you life, you will find yourself walking taller and will appear more confident, improving the messages you give to others through body language. Back pain relief Another desirable side effect of good posture is relief from many types of back pain. Back pain is often caused by sedentary lifestyles, leading to weak ‘core’ muscles, or mistreatment of the spine in our daily lives – i.e. time spent in front of a computer. Regular pilates sessions will increase spinal mobility for many people and really help with general aches and pains. Slimmer silhouette By training in pilates you learn to engage your stomach muscles as second nature which can have a dramatic effect on your physical appearance. Pilates enthusiasts agree that a combination of factors implemented in their training have given them a slimmer, more toned appearance. Focus and awareness A combination of precise and sometimes challenging movements help to improve focus and ‘re-introduce’ you to your body when practicing pilates. This new found awareness can have a positive knock on effect and will help you to make good choices in the way that you move, for example when lifting and bending, throughout your day-to-day life. Relaxation As with most forms of physical exercise pilates aids with general relaxation but it is particularly good at helping you to release tension in a gentle and accessible way.