Pilates For A Better You
1. Pilates improves your memory and makes you smarter.
People have significantly superior brain function after a mindful movement practice like Pilates or Yoga compared to aerobic exercise.
2. Pilates trains your brain.
By learning a new movement or a new modification in a Pilates routine, it provides just the effect we are looking for by challenging the body and mind at the same time.
3. Deeper muscle activation means better function of the nervous system.
When you learn to voluntary engage certain muscles (like deep core activation in Pilates), you fire a movement chain that might have been asleep for a long time. Did you know that your core consists of 29 muscles and not just a six-pack? Learning to use them is a cleansing rinse for your nervous system.
4. Calm mind and emotions with Pilates.
Pilates lets you concentrate your attention on one thing – your body. Whether you want it or not, you have to clear your mind of any distractions if you are performing Pilates coordination work on the Reformer or if you are just visualizing an inner spring in your core that your instructor is talking about.
Pilates lets you reap all the benefits of meditation without actually sitting still and feeling like you are wasting your time.
5. Pilates relieves stress tension in our body.
Pilates relieves tension built up in the muscles through gentle stretching and gradual conditioning. Pilates will help you loosen tight muscles that are not responsive to passive stretching. When you get stress out of your body, you also get it out of your mind.
“A body free from nervous tension and fatigue is the ideal shelter provided by nature for housing a well balanced mind, fully capable of successfully meeting all the complex problems of modern living.”
~Joseph Pilates
6. Pilates tames your stress.
During a Pilates class that incorporates intermediate and advanced Pilates moves or is focused on the flowing transitions. When physical demands are met with steady breathing and mindfulness the nervous system responds by maintaining activation while keeping an underlying sense of calm. This response lets us face our day-to-day stress with clarity and respond to it without getting overwhelmed.
7. Pilates makes you happier.
“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.”
~Joseph Pilates
8. Pilates makes you more creative.
Exercise and mindful meditation each have proven to improve creativity. When you combine the two in a Pilates workout you get even better results for your mind and your body.
9. Pilates lets you control your emotions.
Breath is one of the six fundamental Pilates principles. Learning to control your breath is probably the biggest benefit of Pilates since many of us are “lazy-breathers”. The techniques that you learn in a Pilates class can also be used in different life situations to calm your mind or get through a stressful situation.
“Above all, learn to breathe.”
~Joseph Pilates
10. Mindful Movement helps release emotional tension.
Pilates practice lets you release your muscles and gain control of the deep core muscles that tend to be closely connected to your emotional baggage. When you release muscles that hold your emotional tension you also let go of the emotional baggage that you’ve been carrying around for who knows how long.
11. Pilates teaches you to be yourself.
Pilates teaches us to respect our body and be content with it. Pilates practice is focused on working within your range of motion and building up your strength and flexibility gradually. Interesting enough, once we become confident in what we are doing we find strength and motivation to move to the next level. However, our progress is not propelled by comparing ourselves to someone else but rather by setting our personal standards and priorities that are meaningful to us.
12. Become more confident.
Pilates is all about good posture and proper body alignment. Of course, good posture is important for your health but you will also gain the confidence benefit from it.
“Through the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning this unique trinity of a balanced body, mind and spirit can ever be attained. Self confidence follows.”
~Joseph Pilates
People have significantly superior brain function after a mindful movement practice like Pilates or Yoga compared to aerobic exercise.
2. Pilates trains your brain.
By learning a new movement or a new modification in a Pilates routine, it provides just the effect we are looking for by challenging the body and mind at the same time.
3. Deeper muscle activation means better function of the nervous system.
When you learn to voluntary engage certain muscles (like deep core activation in Pilates), you fire a movement chain that might have been asleep for a long time. Did you know that your core consists of 29 muscles and not just a six-pack? Learning to use them is a cleansing rinse for your nervous system.
4. Calm mind and emotions with Pilates.
Pilates lets you concentrate your attention on one thing – your body. Whether you want it or not, you have to clear your mind of any distractions if you are performing Pilates coordination work on the Reformer or if you are just visualizing an inner spring in your core that your instructor is talking about.
Pilates lets you reap all the benefits of meditation without actually sitting still and feeling like you are wasting your time.
5. Pilates relieves stress tension in our body.
Pilates relieves tension built up in the muscles through gentle stretching and gradual conditioning. Pilates will help you loosen tight muscles that are not responsive to passive stretching. When you get stress out of your body, you also get it out of your mind.
“A body free from nervous tension and fatigue is the ideal shelter provided by nature for housing a well balanced mind, fully capable of successfully meeting all the complex problems of modern living.”
~Joseph Pilates
6. Pilates tames your stress.
During a Pilates class that incorporates intermediate and advanced Pilates moves or is focused on the flowing transitions. When physical demands are met with steady breathing and mindfulness the nervous system responds by maintaining activation while keeping an underlying sense of calm. This response lets us face our day-to-day stress with clarity and respond to it without getting overwhelmed.
7. Pilates makes you happier.
“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness.”
~Joseph Pilates
8. Pilates makes you more creative.
Exercise and mindful meditation each have proven to improve creativity. When you combine the two in a Pilates workout you get even better results for your mind and your body.
9. Pilates lets you control your emotions.
Breath is one of the six fundamental Pilates principles. Learning to control your breath is probably the biggest benefit of Pilates since many of us are “lazy-breathers”. The techniques that you learn in a Pilates class can also be used in different life situations to calm your mind or get through a stressful situation.
“Above all, learn to breathe.”
~Joseph Pilates
10. Mindful Movement helps release emotional tension.
Pilates practice lets you release your muscles and gain control of the deep core muscles that tend to be closely connected to your emotional baggage. When you release muscles that hold your emotional tension you also let go of the emotional baggage that you’ve been carrying around for who knows how long.
11. Pilates teaches you to be yourself.
Pilates teaches us to respect our body and be content with it. Pilates practice is focused on working within your range of motion and building up your strength and flexibility gradually. Interesting enough, once we become confident in what we are doing we find strength and motivation to move to the next level. However, our progress is not propelled by comparing ourselves to someone else but rather by setting our personal standards and priorities that are meaningful to us.
12. Become more confident.
Pilates is all about good posture and proper body alignment. Of course, good posture is important for your health but you will also gain the confidence benefit from it.
“Through the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning this unique trinity of a balanced body, mind and spirit can ever be attained. Self confidence follows.”
~Joseph Pilates
