How will Pilates help me?

The structure of our body, previous injuries and our daily activities can affect the way we move our bodies and alter the angles of our spine, pelvis and other joints, which may lead to stress on our ligaments, muscles and vertebra discs. The impact of misalignment throughout our bodies can cause aches, pains and poor movement patterns from our feet all the way up to our shoulders and neck. Pilates is a proven method of exercise that involves slow and precise movements which focuses on realigning joints and strengthening and rebalancing muscles.

When most people think of Pilates, often their first thoughts are core strength, strong abs and a 6 pack. What they don’t realise is that the muscle that creates the "6 pack" is big, thin, flat, and the farthest core muscle from your spine. This is called your rectus abdominis. This is NOT the muscle we are looking for in Pilates. In Pilates you want to work your transversus abdominis muscle - this is the deepest of the abdominal muscles and is also a stabiliser of the spine. When properly developed, you’ve got your own internal support belt already "built in".

Another important group of muscles we focus on in Pilates are the multifidi muscles. The multifidi are the deepest layer of muscles in the the back. You can activate your multifidus muscles by sitting up tall; imagine pushing the ceiling away with the crown of your head. It is as simple as that. When we slump, we aren’t using the multifididus muscles. The transversus abdominis and the multifidi work together to support and stabilise the spine, helping prevent low back pain.

As you deepen your connection to these key muscles you will literally begin strengthen your body from the inside out. This type of deep strength in the body goes underneath absolutely everything else that you do, whether it’s walking, running, Crossfit, yoga or simply sitting at your desk or carrying your shopping. Pilates directly translates into all movements that you make throughout the day.

Here's some of the ways in which consistently attending Pilates sessions can benefit you:

• corrects misalignment, reducing the risk of wear and tear and risk of injury and back pain
• reshapes the body, creating longer, leaner and more toned muscles
• increases flexibility and balance
• strengthens your deep postural muscles 
• aligns and strengthens your spine, pelvis, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles
• improves your posture and body awareness
• more mobile joints and stronger bones
• the use of breath and control helps to undo physical tension helping to reduce stress and anxiety - a number one thing to have in your toolbox to work towards greater wellbeing

But don't just take my word for it, come and try it for yourself.