In our experience here at Fitness By Design, many people have heard of Pilates, but not everyone understands what exactly it is or the benefits it offers. For those who are not familiar with the term, Pilates is a style of exercise that focuses on strengthening the body’s alignment through breathing patterns and controlled movements.
This technique was originally developed by boxer Joseph Pilates and has since become popular among a wide variety of people. There are many health benefits of Pilates, including some that may surprise you, such as:
- Improves Spine Health- One lesser-known benefit of Pilates is that the exercises can improve spine health, decreasing stiffness in the back and promoting better mobility. Many of the exercises used in Pilates involve rotating and twisting the back, which keeps spinal fluid moving freely over the vertebrae, lubricating the spinal discs and keeping everything nice and flexible.
- Increases Physical Awareness- Another benefit of Pilates that isn’t talked about as much is that it helps improve proprioception, or the awareness of the body’s position in space. Doing Pilates will help you become more aware of your body over time, and that in turn will help you control your movements better.
- Increases Energy Levels- While you might assume that exercising regularly would wear you out, in reality, you will likely find that sticking to an exercise routine gives you more energy than you had before. Pilates is no exception, and most people who regularly practice this technique find that their energy levels improve significantly.
If you’d like to learn more about the many benefits of Pilates, visit us at Fitness By Design!