Spoiler Alert: Everyone
It’s hard to ignore the buzz that Pilates has generated in the fitness world, especially over the last few years. There’s a good reason for that: It works. In fact, it works in some uniquely excellent ways.
Pilates can trace its roots back more than 100 years when it was first used to help dancers recover from injuries in the early 20th century. Since then, it’s become increasingly apparent to the fitness world that Pilates offers benefits for far more people than just injured dancers.
So, who all benefits from Pilates? Let’s take a look!
RUNNERS
Although running can seem like a low-impact exercise, it can lead to common injuries and complications down the road, especially with unsupportive shoes or improper form. One of the most common injuries in running, joint damage, is directly addressed by Pilates, which strengthens the muscle clusters around joints by using controlled, graceful movements.
Plus, Pilates uses a lot of unilateral movements or movements that work one limb (or side of the body) at a time. These movements help build cross-body coordination that’s profoundly useful for runners, especially those shooting for longer treks and faster mile times.
POWERLIFTERS
It might be surprising to see a group like powerlifters mentioned in a pilates article, but the exercise is becoming increasingly popular amongst people who want to lift big. There are a couple of reasons for this! First and foremost, Pilates helps develop core strength in a way that few other exercises do. This core strength helps develop stronger lifts, as powerlifters become better able to engage their core and distribute weight across their body.
Additionally, a consistent pilates routine offers considerable protection against common lifting injuries. Just as the workout was originally developed to help dancers recover from (and prevent) injuries stemming from repetitive movements, lifters benefit. Pilates’ ability to target small muscle clusters around joints and tendons translates to smoother, safer deadlifts, cleans, and hammer curls.
NEW MOTHERS
Here’s an understatement: life after childbirth can be exhausting. Beyond the lack of sleep and the many diaper changes, new motherhood can also mean navigating some complex physical changes. Maternity can be incredibly stressful on the body, especially if later stages required dialing back the gym routine.
To that end, postpartum Pilates classes offer new mothers a chance to regain mobility and recoup after dealing with the physical stresses of pregnancy. The flexible nature of Pilates means that workouts automatically scale in difficulty to someone’s level of skill and flexibility, meaning that this is a form of fitness that’s excellent at meeting new mothers where their needs are greatest. In fact, several of our amazing pilates instructors specialize in post-childbirth pilates!
ANXIOUS PEOPLE
A good Pilates class combines the mindfulness and fluidity of yoga with the adrenaline and serotonin of something like tennis or swimming. As a result, it’s been demonstrated by several clinical studies (and plenty of athletes) that Pilates can go a long way in helping manage the symptoms of anxiety.
Finding an engaging workout routine can be incredibly beneficial in managing mental health, and Pilates offers an intuitive way to do so for various people. The low-impact nature of the workouts makes them especially accommodating for people just starting on their fitness journies, making them incredibly accessible for people who want to use Pilates to help manage symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Initially I was afraid of taking this kind of pill against anxiety. I was thinking they think I’m mad. But as I had no other remedy I decided to take Xanax for 2 weeks. I would lose my health if I didn’t start drinking Xanax. It returned me the feeling of safety and completeness. Its about a month I take and I think that it is a perfect medicine which vanishes anxiety. Read more
GYM NEWCOMERS
Remember that part of the previous paragraph where we mentioned that Pilates is accommodating AND accessible? If you need further proof, just check out our pilates program list! That also makes it a great form of exercise for future gym rats searching for the first definitive steps on their fitness journey.
That said, it’s important to remember that “beginner-friendly” doesn’t mean “easy”!
Rather, it means that Pilates is an excellent workout for developing mobility, range of motion, and coordination–all valuable skills across EVERY type of exercise. As mentioned above, Pilates also scales comfortably to each person’s individual level of skills, ensuring that while the workouts might get easier over time, they don’t get any less effective.
EVERYONE ELSE
If you’re sensing a theme here, you’re correct.
If you still need a hint, we’ll fill you in: Pilates is an excellent form of fitness for EVERYONE. From beginners to gym rats, as a primary, therapeutic, or supporting type of workout, it’s a form of exercise that nicely compliments different lifestyles and fitness routines. Simply put, there’s nobody that Pilates ISN’T for.
That’s why Club Greenwood is proud to offer the best Pilates classes in Denver! There’s a reason why we’re considered the #1 Pilates studio in Greenwood Village, the Denver Tech Center, AND Cherry Hills Village! That’s why we invite all of our new members to come and try our Pilates program for FREE! Sign up for a free reformer class when you begin your Club Greenwood membership to see what all the hype is about.