Benefits of Pilates
Mind Body Connection
By emphasizing proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and complete concentration on smooth, flowing movement, you become acutely aware of how your body feels, where it is in space, and how to control its movement. The quality of movement is valued over quantity of repetitions. Proper breathing is essential, and helps you execute movements with maximum power and efficiency
Builds strength without "bulking up" - gain long, lean muscles and flexibility
Conventional workouts tend to build short, bulky muscles - the type most prone to injury. Pilates elongates and strengthens, improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility. A body with balanced strength and flexibility is less likely to be injured.
Develops a strong core - flat abdominals and a strong back
Building on the principles of Joseph Pilates, Pilates exercises develop a strong "core," or center of the body. The core consists of the deep abdominal muscles in addition to the muscles surrounding the spine. Each Pilates exercise focuses on dynamic movement while at the same time, integrating the trunk, pelvis and shoulder girdle, thus emphasizing deep control of the core.
Creates an evenly conditioned body and prevent injury
In conventional workouts, the strong, bulky and often inefficient muscles continue to get stronger while the weak muscles tend to get weaker. The result is muscular imbalance and uneconomical coordination of movement - a primary cause of injury and chronic back pain. Pilates conditions the whole body, even the ankles and feet. No muscle group is over trained or under trained. The entire musculature becomes evenly balanced and conditioned, helping you enjoy daily activities and sports with greater ease and less chance of injury.
Learn efficient patterns of motion
Pilates exercises train several muscle groups at once in smooth, continuous movements. By developing proper technique, you can actually re-train your body on a neuromuscular level to move in safer, more efficient patterns of motion which is invaluable for injury recovery, sports performance, good posture and optimal health.
Be confident and safe
No other exercise system is so gentle to your body while giving it a challenging workout. Many of the exercises are performed in reclining or sitting positions, and most are low impact and partially weight bearing. Pilates is so safe, it is used in physical therapy facilities to rehabilitate injuries.
Be challenged
Pilates is also an extremely flexible exercise system. Modifications to the exercises allow for a range of difficulty ranging from a beginner to an advanced level. Pilates allows you to begin with the workout that bests suits your working level and increase the intensity as your body conditioning improves.
