Pilates Benefits

Pilates Pose Pilates Pose
Understand more about Pilates, why you should and shouldn't be doing Pilates and the benefits you can gain from Pilates.

Thinking of doing Pilates?

Trying to choose between Yoga and Pilates?

Need some fast facts to decide if Pilates is for you?

Thought until now Pilates was a Greek God?

Think no more! Read this article to understand the benefits and reasons you should consider doing Pilates and then find some Pilates classes and instructors near you.

The Benefits of Pilates

Our 10 Reasons to do Pilates

  1. No equipment required. Well a little maybe. Comfortable outfit and a mat can do. You can build from there. No excuses, its cheap!
  2. Builds you whole body, especially your core (Back, abdomen and pelvic floor) You need this for running.
  3. Any fitness level can do this. Again, no excuses here. Move right along!
  4. Improves your posture. Stand out in a crowd.
  5. Help with weight loss, gets you looking more lean. Ready for summer.
  6. Improves flexibility. May improve your sex life!
  7. Increases your energy levels. See above.
  8. Build and improve body awarness and control
  9. Trains your body as an integrated whole. 
  10. Lots of different types of Pilates. There will be one for you. 

What is Pilates?

Pilates is a physical fitness system of exercises developed by Joseph Pilates to improve strength, flexibility and posture as well as enhance mental awarenes. The original 6 principles of Pilates for your information included:

  1. Concentration - Focus on what your are doing
  2. Control - Muscle control of every movement
  3. Centering - The centre is the focal point, basically your core 
  4. Flow - Flow within exercises though appropriate transitions. Flowing outward from a strong core.
  5. Precision - Essential, always the correct movements
  6. Breathing - Increasing oxygen circulation

You can read more about these principles and the history of Pilates in the Wiki which has a lot more detail than us if you are really keen!

What is the different between Yoga and Pilates

  • Both offer stress relief, flexibility, strength, control and endurance, keep reading...
  • Pilates classes don't offer an obvious spiritual connection of any sort
  • Pilates focusses on inner core strength. Discipline is required and should be done on a regular basis.
  • Yoga is more focussed on flexibility and broader muscle groups, offering balance, strength and spirituality

Which celebrities have made Pilates famous?

We know you wanted to know this most desperately. So popular celebs who made Pilates famous include Jennifer Aniston, Sharon Stone, Charlize Theron, Hugh Grant, Cindy Crawford to menion a few. Is this a bit eighties or what?

What types of Pilates are there?

  • Classical Pilates: Also called traditional, Authentic, Romana, New York and Real Pilates. This form preserves the original teachings of Joseph Pilates original exercises in the order they were performed. Also generally teaches abdominal exercises with the lower spine completely pressed against the floor. "tilt position". May not take into account later research but is the original practied form and should be consistent between studios and classes. You can find our Classical Pilates practitioners, classes and studios here.
     
  • Contemporary Pilates: Still based on the original, but includes advances (new exercises) and uses equipment such as foam roller or chi ball taking into account more modern research with strong influences from physical therapy and bio-mechanics. This later research proposes to make Pilates safer and more effective, but can also be modified to any extent and water down what the original intent was. Many exercises remain the same, but there are a number of new ones. Generally the exercises are taught with a "neutral" pelvis or your spine on the mat in the same position as if you were standing upright. Contemporary Pilates in Sydney can be found here.
     
  • Power Pilates: This method includes 500 controlled and precise exercises to stretch, build and strengthen muscle, and keep you lean at the same time. Power Pilates follows the 6 principles of Joseph Pilates referred to above. Also allows people to move at their own pace to avoid potential injury.
     
  • Stott Pilates: Moira Stott was a ballerina who sufferred a neck injury and started to study Pilates. As a result she found the original Pilates did not conform to modern views on posture and spinal alignment and thus she developed her own modernised version. Her studio opened in Canada in 1988. You can check out Stott Pilates options here.
     
  • Winsor Pilates: Developed by Pilates instructor Mari Windsor and is know for its weight loss and body sculpting workout videos. Winsor Pilates is about pushing the envelope to focus on weight loss and as such runs on what is called dynamic sequencing, which is a combination of exercises done in sequence to maximise the above. Find Winsor Pilates instructors and studios in Melbourne here.

Experience Pilates

Too lazy to book or get out the house. Lie down now and try a little Pilates with this Pilates video for beginners:

 

Still not convinced. Male and under 30 years old. Maybe F45 training is for you. 

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