Exercise body and mind with Pilates at home

If you want to feel stronger, stand straighter and boost your wellbeing, try adding Pilates to your fitness routine. With a wide range of Pilates classes available online, it’s never been easier to access this low impact core strength workout from the comfort of home.

Why Pilates?

Our lives are full of habits like sitting all day and hunching over our desks that can result in tension, weakness, and pain from bad posture. In the 1920s, physical trainer Joseph Pilates developed an exercise method to help improve body awareness and reverse some of this modern lifestyle damage. He believed physical and mental health went hand in hand, and his methods were designed not only for physical strength and spinal alignment, but to achieve “complete coordination of the body, mind and spirit”.

The techniques quickly became popular with dancers and ballet students, and while Pilates is often associated with having a ‘dancer body’, the benefits go much deeper than looking longer, leaner and toned all over.

Benefits of a strong core

Pilates focuses on your deep core muscles which surround your abdomen, hips, pelvis and lower back and trains them to work in harmony. These are the muscles that connect your upper and lower body and support your spine, so when they’re working properly together, all movement becomes easier. Having a strong core can enhance your athletic ability as well as give you more stamina and energy for everyday movements like bending, standing, sitting up, climbing stairs, and lifting.

Need more reasons to try it? The Pilates method is said to improve posture, flexibility and balance, boost your mental health, and with medical guidance can be used for pain management and rehabilitation from injury.

Read on for a quick run through of what to expect or see these great core workouts on Optus Sport Fitness.

Mat vs machine

You don’t need any equipment other than a mat for bodyweight Pilates, which makes it a great option for home workouts. This is the original style which teaches you to engage specific muscle groups in your core and integrate the guiding principles of breath, concentration, control, centre, precision and flow.

Reformer Pilates shares the same principles as bodyweight exercises; however it uses a reformer machine with spring and pulley attachments to add arm and leg resistance and intensify the workout. For this style you’ll need to visit your local gym or Pilates studio for a demo.

Not quite yoga

Yoga and Pilates have a lot of mental and physical benefits in common. In both practices you flow through positions and coordinate breath, however the objectives are different. While Pilates focuses on core muscle strength, yoga is more concerned with improving joint flexibility.

Low impact

Pilates is great if you want to go easy on your joints because you’re mostly on your belly or back, but that doesn’t mean it’s not challenging. You’ll be lifting, curling, rocking, pulsing and tilting parts of your body to condition muscles you never knew existed.

Quality over quantity

Pilates can get your heart rate up, but it isn’t an aerobic workout. The exercises are slow, precise and controlled with low repetitions, which means you’re not over-stressing your muscles or exercising to the point of fatigue. It’s more important to get your form correct than work up a sweat.

If you need a little extra cardio in your week, check out these great running apps.

Balancing the burn

To get those core muscles humming together in balanced way, they all need equal attention. That’s why Pilates routines are choreographed with a variety of exercises that engage different muscles. The broad range of motions and low impact mean Pilates is gentle enough to do every day if you want to.

A moving meditation

The mind plays a powerful role in a Pilates routine. It uses breath to find mindfulness in movement and requires deep concentration to master your positions and rhythms. With regular practice you’ll likely feel more calm, relaxed and clear-headed.

It’s often said meditation is a meta skill that improves everything else you do. Find out why more people are turning to meditation.

It’s never too late to start your Pilates journey. Get instruction from the pros with classes on Optus Sport Fitness available via SubHub.