Pilates is a low impact workout which focuses on stretching the whole body, strengthening the core, and engaging the glutes. It helps to elongate muscles for a leaner look. Like any workout, Pilates offers people some unique benefits. I tend to enjoy standing workouts that are more dynamic, but lately I’ve been appreciating the benefits of Pilates. Today I will tell you about the main benefits of this workout.

#1 Pilates helps to realign the body

Because this type of workout focuses on stretching tight spots in the body and strengthening the core, it can help balance out any weak spots and relieve muscle tension. It is often recommended by chiropractors and other health professionals to help improve posture. Sometimes if we’re sitting all day, stressed, or busy, we forget about keeping good posture. Some structural imbalances can be caused by a spinal condition or injury – in which case Pilates won’t be able to reverse it most times, but it can help prevent further misalignment. It can also be a great way to release the tight muscles which cause pain.

Over time, weak ab muscles can lead to lower back pain because the back picks up the slack of supporting the body (The whole core is supposed to support the body, not just the lower back). When the core is strong, it helps align the back, hips, pelvis, etc. If you do this workout a couple of times per week, it can help enhance your other workouts. Pilates can be seen as a building block to strength training and overall flexibility.

#2 Pilates is low impact

While a lot of people enjoy higher energy workouts like running, circuit training, or strength training, Pilates is a nice balance to higher impact workouts. Particularly if you’re a bit tired, sore, getting over a sickness, or are recovering from an injury, Pilates makes a great workout that won’t put too much stress on the bones/joints; the slow movements can help you relax and feel rejuvenated.

#3 Pilates is great for toning

People who are pros at the gym often find that Pilates is quite challenging, because it makes you engage and work the core. The core is being worked through most of the workout while the legs, arms, and glutes, etc. are being engaged. The added benefit is that it can help prevent injury as it realigns the body and makes the spine more flexible. Your abs, glutes, and back will be more toned as a result. If you want a break from heavy weights or you’re not interested in building a lot of muscle, this is a great workout choice.

#4 You will feel more confident after Pilates

With a strong core, toned muscles, and straight posture, you will not only look more confident, but you will feel it, too. A lot of people report that they became a bit slimmer as well, since this workout focuses on lengthening the muscles rather than compacting them.

#5 You don’t need any equipment for Pilates

The great thing about Pilates is that you don’t need any fancy equipment or weights to do it. You can do it anywhere – while traveling, in your room, outside at a park, at the beach, in a hotel room, etc. It’s very simple to incorporate it into your day. You may want a mat, but you can also improvise with a blanket.

I hope you found this post helpful today! I’m really excited to incorporate Pilates into my workout routine. Since I’ve gotten back into physical work last year, I’ve been seeing a couple of chiropractors and both mentioned there seems to be a lot of compression on my upper body, as though I was being weighed down. While I’ve been working on strengthening my core, it’s still a little weak due to me forgetting about posture, so I think Pilates is a workout that will help me mindfully focus on it more and finally get it back to being strong (Poor posture weakens it even if you’re doing a lot of cardio). Stretching and Pilates can work wonders for relieving muscle tightness and improving flexibility. Even if you’d rather do other workouts, I hope you try Pilates at least once or twice per week to receive its benefits.

Thanks so much for reading today! ❤