Everyone has heard of Pilates by now, right? Everyone thinks it is similar to yoga (it kinda sorta is a little bit?), and it is a relatively newer exercise routine, compared to other forms of exercise.
I started doing Pilates about 4 or 5 years ago and fell in love with it right away. It is one of the only exercises that I have been able to maintain consistently over the years. I have done spin on and off, kickboxing, yoga (which I still do), bootcamp type workouts, and various other types and Pilates is the one I can actually stick with!
I try to be pretty consistent and go see my friend Lauren for private sessions about once or twice a week. Even just once a week I can see a difference in my body, as long as I eat relatively good as well.
Private sessions are SOOOO expensive but so freaking worth it. I try to workout on my own, but I just won’t push myself as much alone then if I have a trainer pushing me to go for longer or harder.
Plus if I don’t show up, then I lose money, and I hate losing money! lol
I used to also go to a local Pilates studio called Core that is right near my house, but they are constantly fully booked out for a month+ at a time. It is kind of annoying when you have to book your workouts that far in advance.
Before the lockdowns of 2020, I was going to Core about 3-4 days every week, at least! My body was banging! haha I need to get back to that again!
Well here are the top 8 benefits of a regular Pilates routine and reasons why you should start Pilates today!
First things first, Pilates definitely helps to increase your flexibility. Before I started doing Pilates I was not flexible AT ALL, and I see a huge increase in my flexibility. I mean I can’t do the splits or anything like that, but I will hopefully get there one day.
Another thing Pilates is known to help people with is balance and coordination. The unilateral exercises really force you to learn how to balance on just one leg or just balancing with one arm and one leg down like in the Bird Dog exercise.
My husband makes fun of me all the time that if I ever get pulled over, the cops are going to think I am drunk even if I am sober because my balance is so bad! I don’t know if I would be able to pass one of those field sobriety tests (joking), but I have seen a huge difference in my balance since I started doing Pilates a lot more consistently.
One of the next large benefits is it increases your core strength. A huge amount of exercises that you do in Pilates engages your core, and I am confident that if you start to do Pilates even just twice a week consistently, then you will see a huge difference in your abs!
The first time I ever started to get teeny tiny baby abs was when I was doing Pilates twice a week and then yoga usually once a week or so.
Pilates also increases and tones your muscles! All over your body! You will be sore in places you didn’t even know you had a muscle there when you start a Pilates routine. And the more muscle you have, the more fat you burn. It really is a win-win.
Another reason you should start a Pilates routine is it helps improve your posture. I feel like that is because it also increases your core strength, which would in turn helps improve your posture. Pilates is also all about maintaining proper form and posture, so I think that starts to bleed over into your normal daily life as well the longer you practice.
If you have ever gone to a Pilates class, you know that they are all about the breathing techniques too! You will constantly hear your instructor telling you to breathe in or breathe out while you do the different exercises. Like yoga, it is important to connect to your breathe in Pilates as well.
That is why Pilates will help you learn breathing techniques and help you to breathe correctly. Did you know that most people do not breathe correctly, especially women? It is a weird fact but it is true!
I think that Pilates goes hand in hand with meditation, so you can definitely use the breathing techniques you learn in Pilates into your meditation routine as well.
Did you know that Pilates is also good for pregnancy? It is also super modifiable and something any pregnant women can do!
(Obviously consult your doctor for legal reasons, you know the gist, blah blah blah)
I would recommend anyone who wants to get pregnant, is pregnant, or even postnatally should practice Pilates! It is one of the best exercises for both your mind and your body. Oh and don’t forget about yoga too. I think yoga is just as important, especially for the stress benefits it will give you.
Staying active during pregnancy (and after) is so freaking important.
It is better for you, better for your baby, and better for your family and your whole life overall! It will also make labor and delivery go so much smoother if you stay active and healthy while pregnant.
What about you? Did you exercise during pregnancy?
Last but not least, Pilates builds confidence.
It makes you feel more confident in your mind and in your body. When you feel strong it increases your self confidence as well. Doing something that is hard will also increase it!
Showing up twice a week and doing Pilates consistently is hard.
But the more you do it, the easier it gets. Just trust me! Try it out for at least a month and let me know how you feel. I promise you that you will feel better, both physically and mentally.
What about you? What is your favorite way to exercise?
