Physical exercise is essential. It improves our health and makes our bodies stronger. It also puts our bodies at lower risk of diseases.
But not many people are active. People around the world had lesser daily steps recorded, especially during the start of the pandemic. People are no longer getting the daily recommended steps a day.
Things are starting to go back to normal, thanks to the vaccine rollout. Thus, it’s also time to become more active again. But you shouldn’t go all out and do high-intensity workouts. Your body will need to adjust. Consider starting with Pilates first.
Pilates is a low-intensity workout that focuses on core strength. It involves repetition of movements that promote good posture and stability. This workout can become your gateway to a more active lifestyle. If you’re not convinced, here are some reasons to do Pilates regularly:
Improves Your Core
As already mentioned earlier, Pilates focuses on the core. Many poses in this workout will challenge your core, improving it in the long run. One example is the teaser pose. In it, you need to stretch your arms up the sealing and keep your legs up as well, ideally at a 45-degree angle. In this pose, you’ll have to work your core muscles hard to stay balanced.
Having a strong core is essential in improving your overall physical health. It will help you stand and sit tall and keep your posture aligned. Good core strength is also necessary to enjoy outdoor activities, such as walking, running, biking, and many others.
Improves Your Flexibility
Aside from a strong core, flexibility is also essential. If you’re flexible, you improve the way you move and prevent muscle strain and soreness. Also, if you invest in improving your flexibility while you’re young, your future self will thank you. Flexibility can improve mobility and reduces the risk of falls among the elderly.
Pilates involves a lot of stretching, both dynamic and static. Dynamic stretching refers to stretching or moving your muscles to shift from one position to another. Some examples include lunges and squats. On the other hand, static stretching refers to slowly stretching your muscles and holding your pose for a few seconds. Some examples include the stretches you do during warm-up, such as moving your head slowly from side to side and up and down, opening your arms, and reaching them up.
Improves Your Posture
Several poses in Pilates will help you improve your posture. Better posture means a healthier and more aligned spine. In one study, female dancers who attended two weeks of Pilates classes were able to improve their postural alignment.
A good posture is crucial, as it has several benefits. Some are better breathing, reduced risk of back pain, and lesser headaches. And if you have good posture, your spine will be properly aligned. Given this benefit, Pilates is a great exercise to complement chiropractic care.
Helps with Weight Loss
Excess weight gain is one common effect of physical inactivity. During the quarantine, many people gained weight because they didn’t exercise and did nervous eating. This weight gain is dubbed as the “Quarantine 15.”
If you need to lose some weight, doing Pilates regularly will be of help, partnered with mindful eating. If you’re a beginner, you can burn 171 to 257 calories per hour, depending on your weight. While this may not be a lot, it’s still a significant number if you consider that you have not done any physical activity for a long time.
Pilates also helps with your physical “aesthetics.” This workout involves a lot of stretching, core strengthening, and muscle work. These will help make your muscles more toned. So you’ll appear like you’ve lost weight. This can give you a confidence boost and motivate you to keep exercising.
How to Get Started with Pilates
In any exercise, it’s always better to start small to help your body become familiar with your new, active lifestyle. If you’re coming from a sedentary lifestyle, consider doing Pilates twice or thrice a week in the first few weeks. Once your body is used to it, then you can do it as often as you can.
Also, consider enrolling in a Pilates class if you have no prior experience. An instructor can help you do the poses properly so that you don’t injure yourself. And classes have structures that you can easily follow. After taking a few classes, you’ll know the basics and be able to create your own routine or follow a video online with ease.
