A workout form that demands you to have a lot of control over you mind and body, Joseph Pilates founded Pilates in the late 20th Century and called the method ‘contrology’. Well, if you’ve already attended a session of Pilates then you’d know that there’s a lot of precision and control involved in it. Flowing in a continuous sequence, this workout form is considered both, aerobic and anaerobic – meaning anybody and everybody can give it a shot! So, let’s see how Pilates can actually benefit us, shall we?
Stretch, strengthen and tone
Pilates is one form of workout that stretches, strengthens, and tones your entire body. Since it requires you to focus, it works on your mind too! Pilates could prove to be a very convenient option if you are hard pressed for time to do full body workout.
Core at it’s best
This workout form activates your core to a great extent and the movements add a great deal of stability to your body too. Core is your body’s ‘powerhouse’ and it needs to be taken care of. As you advance levels in Pilates, your core is put to test, and your abs and entire core gets worked on. It also reduces any apparent strain on your neck, shoulder, and other joints.
Hello flexibility!
Pilates is a series of movements that are slow, timed, and controlled. Your spine and muscles are strengthened, stretched and since you hold poses for certain time and dynamically shift, your body’s flexibility levels improve.
Bye bye cramps and achy back
Ladies, your lower back aches and menstrual cramps can be relieved by this too. Need we say more? Practise Pilates and we’re sure you won’t complain of these ever again.
Maintain mental sanity
Also called the ‘thinking man’s exercise’, Pilates relieves stress, improves your focus and concentration, and hones your neural network activity, thus benefiting memory power and cognitive functions.
Improve your body’s balance
A Pilate session requires you to balance your entire body symmetrically. The focus is on how well you balance your body and distribute the effort throughout your muscles. And who knows, maybe after a couple of sessions, you’d also be able to balance everything else in life too!
Boost Your Sexual Drive
Quite a lot of workouts in Pilates requires you to lift your Pelvis off the floor. These workouts essentially strengthen your pelvic muscles and the walls of your uterus. This makes you so much better in bed, you’d be surprised!
Better conceiving chances and smoother delivery
Pilates is one workout form that is advised to pregnant women too. And for those that want to conceive, keep in mind that Pilates strengthens the walls of uterus and vagina as well thus making your chances of conceiving higher and your delivery a lot more smoother.
Apart from these amazing benefits, Pilates also helps in fat loss and development of healthy muscles. Your stamina increases and so does your endurance levels. It’s all about your breath, body and their harmonious coordination. Pilates is probably one of the best workout forms for all you women out there! So don’t just wait, fix yourself a Pilates class.
About The Author
Amaresh Ojha
CEO & Founder of Gympik.com
Gympik is the brainchild of Amaresh, a fitness enthusiast and an IIM Bangalore alumnus. His vision for Gympik evolved from his passion for health and fitness and its implications in modern lifestyles. The purpose behind this foundation and eventually uprising as India’s # 1 fitness discovery platform is to make fitness and wellness accessible to people from every nook and corner of the country.