Everyone is talking about Pilates and its benefits. But what exactly are those benefits? For that matter, what, exactly, is Pilates? How is it different from other forms of movement and exercise? Let’s explore.

What is Pilates?

PIlates was originally developed by Joseph Pilates, a German immigrant to the US, in the 20th century. He called his method of whole-body conditioning and injury recovery “Contrology”. (You can read more on the origins of Pilates and his background here.)

Classical vs Contemporary Pilates 

Today, we often differentiate between “classical” and “contemporary” Pilates. Classical Pilates teachers adhere very closely to the original method, whereas various forms of contemporary Pilates take a more innovative approach.

Among the more well-known, high-quality schools of contemporary Pilates are:

Polestar Pilates (the method I base my teaching on)

Balanced Body (also a manufacturer of high-quality Pilates reformers and other apparatus)

Stott/Merrithew

Basi

Mat Pilates vs Reformer Pilates

Both classical and contemporary forms of Pilates can be done on a mat (“mat pilates”) or on specialized equipment (the “apparatus”). This equipment serves a dual purpose: It provides both resistance and assistance to facilitate certain movements. The most well-known of these devices is the Pilates reformer: That’s why you often hear people talk about doing “Reformer Pilates”. 

Pilates Principles

No matter what type of style of Pilates you choose, traditionally, Pilates is based on 6 core principles:

1. Concentration

2. Control

3. Centering

4. Breath

5. Precision

6. Flow

These principles set Pilates apart from other forms of movement and make it a true mind-body exercise. While Pilates can be challenging, it is not intended to be an aerobic workout. Instead, it builds strength and flexibility at the same time while also engaging your mind. 

The various schools of contemporary Pilates tend to have additional principles that set them apart from each other. 

Although I teach (mostly) Polestar Pilates, one of my favorite definitions comes from one of the original teachers of classical Pilates – a so-called “elder”, because these teachers studied with Joseph Pilates himself. 

Top 10 Benefits of Pilates

As we have seen, Pilates is a low-impact form of physical activity focused on precision and control. Practiced regularly, it has a wide array of benefits. Here are just some of them.

1. Pilates makes you stronger

Pilates builds strength throughout the body, especially in the core: abs, back and hips. It also helps strengthen the shoulder girdle, the arms and the legs, which makes the body stronger and more stable. This strengthening effect translates to better functional movement. Because Pilates works not only the big “vanity” muscles, but activates and strengthens the smaller muscles of the body, it creates strength, stability and function without the bulk.

2. Pilates corrects imbalances

Over time, our bodies tend to accumulate imbalances. These can be due to habits such as favoring one leg while standing or can develop after injuries. In order to prevent pain and take stress off an injured or painful area of the body, we change how we move, which gradually becomes our default pattern. A focused Pilates practice first makes you aware of these imbalances and then helps you gradually even them out, preventing further pain and injury.

3. Pilates improves alignment and posture

Pilates also improves postural alignment (the relative positioning of your head, shoulders, spine, hips, knees and ankles as you stand and move). When your body is well aligned, you can move efficiently. This also reduces wear and tear on your joints and muscles.

4. Pilates helps relieve and prevent pain

In addition to the benefits of proper alignment to prevent pain, Pilates strengthens not just the larger, but also the smaller muscles of the body, which stabilizes and strengthens the joints. In addition, Pilates puts the joints of the body through their full range of motion and encourages segmental movement of the spine (“spinal articulation”). This helps lubricate the joints with synovial fluid, reduces stiffness and can help realign the joints. 

5. Pilates helps prevent injuries

This one is my personal favorite. In fact, my very first Pilates teacher, who specialized in correcting alignment and imbalances, said: “I do Pilates so I can do all the other things I love!” Done well and with the guidance of a good teacher, Pilates strengthens all the small muscles and realigns your body, making it much less prone to injuries.This is especially true for those who practice rotational sports and for athletes.

6. Pilates makes you more coordinated

Many people feel they lack coordination. Pilates is a mind-body system of movement that focuses on bringing awareness to how your body moves. This teaches you to better coordinate the movement of the body and the firing of the different muscle groups. This way, you can build body control and achieve more efficiency in your movement. 

7. Pilates increases body awareness

Pilates is intended to be practiced with control and precision – sloppy execution is decidedly not Pilates. If that sounds intimidating, never fear: Although mindful movement and body awareness is something many of us have not cultivated, it can absolutely be learned. 

8. Pilates improves athletic performance

There’s a good reason amateur and professional athletes are increasingly turning to Pilates as a way of cross-training and injury-proofing their bodies: The method is not only infinitely adaptable, but can also be used in a very targeted way to improve and fine-tune specific skills. As an added bonus, it helps injury-proof the body, which means fewer setbacks in training and less recovery time. This allows for consistent training and improved performance.

9. Pilates can improve mental health outcomes

We’ve established that Pilates is great for physical health. But did you know Pilates benefits mental health? As far-fetched as it may sound, this claim is in fact backed by science. Pilates truly can help improve sleep quality and have a beneficial effect on depression and anxiety. 

10. Pilates creates whole-body health at any age

The many positive effects of Pilates, its low-impact nature and the emphasis on alignment, precision and control make it an ideal exercise for people of all ages and abilities. More than that, it helps build and maintain a sustainably healthy body and can be done even at an advanced age. This makes Pilates is the perfect choice for lasting health and wellbeing.

Starting your Pilates journey

Ready to take your first step into Pilates? Great!

You can try a few 1-1 Pilates reformer sessions or join one of my affordable mat Pilates classes in Mt. Juliet, TN and the Nashville, TN area. If you’re further away, you can try online sessions or find a teacher that teaches my style of Pilates here. Or click here to find nationally certified, qualified teachers teaching a variety of methods here.

Welcome to the Pilates family!