Pilates is a non-aerobic and aerobic form exercise that requires concentrations and focus. It has a wide range of motion and it is capable of stretching and lengthening your major muscle groups. Pilates is an exercise that focuses on rhythmic stretching and rhythmic breathing. It isn’t exhausting and it doesn’t require you to strain yourself like other exercises.
Pilates is the perfect exercise for pregnant woman and for people who cannot strain themselves (because of health reasons). Pilates also brings a lot of health benefits to the practitioners, you can even say that it is the modern day yoga or Tai chi. So why not try going to a gym that teaches Pilates?
Health Benefits of Pilates include:
1) It helps ease back pains
Pilates strengthens the core muscles which is the primary muscle group that supports the back. Pilates teaches you to properly align the back with gentle stretching and movements. It helps stretch the back muscles that we tend to abuse in our daily lives. Pilates also helps strengthen and properly aligns the spine which will help prevent spinal degeneracy.
2) It increases your flexibility
As we have said before, Pilates involve a wide range of motion that stretches all of your major muscle groups. Pilates move the spine from flexion to extension, it moves the arms and legs, it allows for side bends, splits and internal rotation. All of these movements loosens up your stiff muscles and will greatly improve your flexibility.
3) It boosts your cardiovascular endurance
Pilates is an aerobic and non-aerobic exercise. It has aerobic exercises like side lift boosts and jackknives, these exercise will greatly increases your heart rate. It also has non aerobic exercises which causes your heart rate to drop.
The interesting technique here is that Pilates switches up between aerobic and non-aerobic exercises regularly. This causes your heart to rise and fall which will greatly increase your cardiovascular endurance.
4) It helps improve bone density
Weightlifting is usually the first thing that comes in mind when you’re thinking of improving your bone density. However Pilates is also a form of resistance training that will help strengthen your bones as well.
Weightlifting offers better resistance training than Pilates however Pilates is more effective than weightlifting when it comes to the strengthening the spine. So if you’re looking for a stronger back, then we highly recommend that you do Pilates.
5) Pilates helps reduce the risk of injury
As we have said before, Pilates is a form of resistance training. It strengthens the tendons and ligaments which helps prevent injury. Pilates also makes your muscles more flexible which greatly reduces the stress on the joints, muscles and ligaments. Less stress equals less chances of injuries.