What is pilates?

The ones who surround themselves with a lot of lifestyle content on social media, are probably not surprised by the fact of hearing about Pilates a lot more these past few years. Pilates became a very popular and new form of movement, which is known for the many positive effects it has, and how it can transform bodies in a different way. It can be associated with yoga and strength training, because it is a mixture of both, but by creating a totally new movement form.  In my opinion pilates became popular for many different reasons, but it is important to mention that it fits a clear aesthetic, it can be available wherever you go and it has different options on what kind of movement you want to do at the moment.

The base of pilates are core-strength building exercises that help maintain flexibility and balance, whilst strengthening and maintaining muscles. There are varying levels of difficulty that focus on breathing, strength, balance and flexibility. But still why do people keep doing it? What are the benefits of practicing pilates?

Benefits

I did some research on the benefits of it and I found out that many more people are feeling the same as me, whilst doing pilates. Research shows that pilates can boost your mood, balance, flexibility and improve coordination, it can relieve muscle tension, lower back pain, it also improves posture and lung capacity and it can boost your mood and aid in better sleep. 

I always loved to move my body, even if I was not a true sports person. I enjoyed running, lifting, yoga, HIT training etc., but I never really liked gyms. I always had some kind of anxiety with people surrounding me, so when COVID came, I started to do workouts at home, with just limited equipment, at that was the time when I found out about pilates.

Personal Experience

I have been doing pilates at home for more than 2 years now, 3-5 times a week, mostly in the morning and here is what I experienced: For a long time I loved doing yoga, but I felt the need to do something more intense, so when I started doing pilates workouts I learned a lot about my body and its capacity. I truly believe that pilates teaches you,  to only do you. By this, I mean that whilst moving, you have to try and understand how your body feels, what feels comfortable and what does not, and this teaches you to explore a different way where movement simply feels like taking care of your body. It does not have to be a competition, you do not need to do best in a group, the more you can connect to your body, the more you improve. 

I feel like this is a really great option to start moving, if you have not in a long time, because it teaches you patience, but not in a competitive way. Pilates is known to be a good form of movement after giving birth and for muscle and sport injuries, just as for seniors. It is also super budget friendly, because all you need is a yoga mat and an electric device to surf on youtube and find a workout that suits you. There are a million different instructors and training videos on youtube, but if you specifically like someone, most instructors have their own programme, where you can get specific, detailed workout and meal plans if you like. My favorite Pilates YouTuber, whom I truly recommend is Move with Nicole. I have been following her from the beginning and I adore how she teaches the classes and how they are built up. 

image: Pinterest