Why is pilates so popular these days? Pilates incredible popularity can be traced to the fact that it provides benefits that you simply can’t get through traditional aerobics / strength training format. Here are six benefits of introducing pilates into your workouts.
1. Makes You into a Muscle Man. If you want a long, lean look without bulky muscles, but with all the strength. Would you like to build strength and endurance without getting the muscle man look? If so, pilates may be just what you have been searching for. There’s a reason that pilates is the exercise of choice for gymnasts and professional dancers. Most conventional workouts tend to create bulky muscle. Why is this? In most workouts, the emphasis is placed on repetition and building strong muscles.
This causes already-strong (think: big) muscles to get even stronger, and thus bigger. Pilates does not rely on frequent repetition, and thus no overgrown muscles. Pilates focuses on the whole body, not just on sections of muscles.
2. Increases the Strength of Stabilizer Muscles
There are many benefits that one can achieve through a proper use of the pilates program. One of the most significant points of the pilates program is its ability to increase the strength of stabilizer muscles that may not commonly be worked out in a standard exercise program.
Also, since pilates stresses the use of graceful and fluid movements, it can be a great way to get a better sense of the kinesthetics of your body. The sense of body that you can achieve through pilates is quite significant, and many find that they are better able to balance themselves regardless of the position that they are in.
3. A Mind-Body Workout That Strengthens Your Whole Body
Another one of the benefits of Pilates is that it engages the mind and enhances body awareness. Like yoga, tai chi, and Asian martial arts, Pilates is not just a workout for your body. Joseph H. Pilates studied yoga, martial arts, and other ancient mind-body activities and included a strong philosophical foundation into the practice of Pilates.
Pilates not only helps tone your body, but your mind and spirit as well. The smooth, precise and flowing movements of Pilates are designed to make you more mindful of your body.
Breath movement is also emphasized to put you in touch with how breath moves through your body. Pilates has been demonstrated to reduce stress, anxiety, and helps lift depression. The mind-body connection is fundamental to the study and practice of pilates.
4. Pilates Strengthens Your Core like No Other Exercise
Another one of the benefits of Pilates is the increased amount of strength that one can achieve in the ‘core’ of the body. The term core refers to the muscles in and around the area of the abdominal muscles and the back.
Proper breathing control is also stressed in pilates, adding to the numerous list of benefits that one can attain through regular use of the exercise program.
5. Prevents You from Future Injuries
Pilates strengthens your body and helps prevent future injuries. Pilates helps to condition the whole body, not just certain muscles. This helps balance the muscle and strength of the body. Since no set of muscles is ever over or under trained, there is less risk for injury. The body becomes more fluid and supple, protecting against injury.
6. Helps You Become Efficient With Your Body
Lastly, another benefit of Pilates is that it teaches you how to become efficient with your body. Very few exercises can help your body become more efficient in its movement. So give pilates a go, you may be pleasantly surprised with the results.