5 Reasons to Start Pilates Today
I stumbled upon Pilates ten years ago in college. I loved how good I felt during and after class – calmer, stronger, healthier. I continued educating myself and practicing regularly.
Within a few months, Pilates completely transformed my body. I was getting leaner, stronger and more flexible – even my mom was amazed at the results! My posture dramatically improved and my back pain was completely gone. I was also starting to notice an overall happier and healthier mindset around exercise and my body.
There are far more than five reasons to do Pilates. But start here as I take you along my journey and share what Pilates can do for you. If you’re already a Pilates lover, see if your favorite reason is listed.
1. You’ll create a longer, leaner look (without bulk).
Pilates is known for giving you a longer leaner look. Unlike some forms of exercise, Pilates does not overwork some parts of the body and neglect others. It focuses on working all muscles evenly. When I started practicing Pilates regularly, I was amazed at how much Pilates transformed my body. I was getting leaner, standing taller and feeling more confident in my body. (The results were so incredible that I decided to get certified and start sharing these benefits with others!) As well as strengthening your core, Pilates works the body as a whole. With Pilates, you get a full body workout, creating longer and leaner lines without the bulk.
2. You will find balance between strength with flexibility.
Are you more flexible than you are strong (or the other way around)? People often tell me “I’m not flexible at all” or “I am flexible but want to build more strength” – Pilates can help with both. In Pilates, we focus on safely increasing the length and stretch of the muscles and better range of motion of the joints. Traditional workouts consist of contracting and working muscles in short motions. Pilates uses elongated movements that stretches out the muscles, making your whole body to become more flexible AND stronger. Although gaining flexibility doesn’t happen overnight, a consistent Pilates routine is a great way to get there!
3. You'll get some mindful exercise without the "OM."
This is one of my favorite aspects of Pilates: mindfulness. We practice each movement with total attention. There is no om chanting in Pilates like you would have in yoga, but we still focus on breathing and mindfulness. When you do Pilates, you are encouraged to be fully in the present moment and connect with your body and breathing. You can’t really think about your grocery list while doing the Hundred. :) The exercises are designed to give you "the complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit" – as Joseph Pilates wrote. When you exercise in this way, you will improve your mind-body connection and get the most benefit possible from each exercise.
4. You’ll have a better posture – and stand taller.
Good posture is a sign of a healthy spine supported by a strong core. You can see this beautiful, tall posture in those who practice Pilates. In Pilates, we focus on spinal health, core strength and correct alignment. When you learn these Pilates principles, you naturally stand taller throughout the day. Some people actually grow taller thanks to the corrected alignment from Pilates. Also, many people come to Pilates with back injuries or restricted movement to find healing. As one of my favorite quotes goes “Change happens through movement, and movement heals”- Joseph Pilates.
5. You’ll boost your mood, happiness, and health.
I started doing Pilates consistently because I loved how I felt during and after each session. Like a zen goddess: calm, strong and healthy. 💭🧘🏼♀️✨ That feeling became my motivation to exercise. When you love what you do, and you feel GOOD, you become more consistent. That’s when you see the results you want both in your body and mind.
With Pilates, you can feel a change in your mood after one class. After four classes you begin to see the results in your body. Imagine what would happen with consistency and sticking with your Pilates beyond those four initial classes? You start feeling calmer, stronger and more confident.
I truly believe that Pilates is one of the most effective and mindful ways to move the body. To get all of the benefits mentioned above, make sure to find an instructor who is inspiring to you and is highly certified to start your Pilates journey safely.
