What is Pilates
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, about 80 percent of adults experience low back pain at some point in their lifetime.
At 2016 study results showed that upon completion of an eight week, guided Pilates’ program, subjects with chronical lower back pain had noticeable improvements in level of disability, pain, flexibility and balance.
So, what is Pilates?
Pilates is a form of low-impact exercise that aims to strengthen muscles while improving postural alignment and flexibility. Pilates moves tend to target the core, although the exercises work other areas of body as well. Starting Pilates, expect the moves to involve slow, precise movements and breath control.
In other words, it is a full-body exercise method that will help you do everything better. It strengthens and stabilises your core body, which is your foundation, so that you can move efficiently while improving your posture, flexibility, and mobility.
Pilates is one of the best ways to tone the body without creating bulk, instead forming long, lean muscles. The reason Pilates is so effective is because it activates and targets the smaller muscles of the body, the ones you didn’t even know you had! By learning to activate and strengthen those muscles, you will actually improve your performance in all other workouts and protect yourself from injury.
For example, classic exercises like lunges will tone your lower body quicker because you’ll have better form and body awareness. And those barbell squats at the gym will start to feel more comfortable and get better results because you have learned to engage your core and gluteal in a new way. So all those problem areas you’ve never been happy with finally tighten up.
Pilates, like many other forms of exercise comes in different flavors. In Lemon Fitness, we practice Mat Pilates.
