Joseph Pilates, inventor, and founder of the Pilates craze, stated in his book: “Return to Live with Contrology [The Science of Control],” that “Pilates is not a fatiguing system of dull, boring exercises repeated daily ‘ad-nauseum.’” Joseph wasn’t interested in going to the gym for 5 hours a day to put on bulky muscle and use heavy training equipment. He invented Pilates out of necessity to live – as a frail child suffering from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever, his drive and determination to overcome these ailments led him to become a competent gymnast, diver, and skier. You can read more about his inspiring story HERE. Find out how Pilates can transform your body and mind.
Matwork is the very foundation of Pilates and how it all originated. The Pilates Matwork is a series of 34 exercises that are designed to develop core strength, overall strength, flexibility, and good posture, all of which help your body to work in harmony and at its peak condition.
7 Ways Pilates Can Transform Your Body And Mind
Fantastic Benefits of Practicing Pilates
1. Good Posture: Every exercise in Pilates Matwork emphasizes good posture and encourages standing tall and balance throughout the whole body and with ease.
2. Lengthening: Movements are done with precision and focus and often include isometric contractions – tightening the muscles without moving them and gaining strength without adding bulk.
3. Strengthening: Pilates is a weight-bearing exercise, it increases power throughout the entire body and the spine. Research has shown increases in bone density by practicing Pilates. This is an essential fact for women who are peri- or in menopause.
4. Back Pain: Pilates is often recommended for back pain, as it strengthens the core. The core is everything except the arms, the legs, and the head
5. Low Impact: Pilates is low impact in nature and can be done by anyone at any age.
6. Breathing: A big emphasis is placed on mindful breathing as we move. It almost becomes a fluid-moving meditation and helps you reduce stress.
7. Mindfulness: Pilates connects your body and mind through its mindful and precise movements. This, combined with breathing, focus, and slow, controlled movements, energizes the body. If you ask me, it helps to reduce stress and creates an almost meditative aspect.
How I ended up being a Pilates Instructor
As a bodybuilding competitor, I wasn’t too excited when I was introduced to Pilates – it looked slow and similar to yoga.
While working at a health club, I realized members wanted something new and different. Pilates seemed to be the complete opposite of my current “put on bulky muscle” routine, as it promised a sleek, lean look. Curiosity took over, and under my mentor, who was a Pilates instructor, I studied the practice and began to teach classes. I was surprised and hooked by the incredible feeling and challenge it provided.
A significant advantage of Pilates is that the Matwork doesn’t incorporate any equipment but your own body. This makes it ideal for every kind of person.
Don’t let the name fool you, though. Matwork is synonymous with hard work, and precisely one move called “The Hundred” is not a crowd-pleaser. The exercise is named after the 100 beats of your arms made while holding your legs extended, belly tight and your head and shoulders off the mat and is the first exercise in the mat program.
Let The Pilates Transformation Begin
I slowly introduced my clients to each exercise. At first, it was a bit confusing, and people thought there was too much to think about all at once.
Cues like navel to spine, shoulder down and back, inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth, or roll like a ball, we’re new to everyone.
But after several weeks, everyone started enjoying the benefits of Pilates, and the exercises became a little easier. The changes over time were remarkable, and my clients and I were hooked and wanted more, we divided the classes into different levels so that everybody could join in.
How To Start Today And Quickly Reap Benefits
Here are my three favorite Pilates exercises for you to start today. Remember, always move slowly with control. Breathe deeply in each exercise, and repeat each exercise five to eight times.
1. The Roll-Up
Lie on your back on the floor; your knees are bending or straight on the floor. Arms are by your side, you reach the arm up towards the sky, inhale, and exhale as you curl the chin to the chest, reaching towards your knees or your toes with your arms, slowly roll up towards your toes. Soften the knees if the back feels tight and reverse by inhaling and exhaling slowly sequentially and rolling back onto the mat. Holding onto your legs if your knees are bent or just reaching your hands towards the toes as you return to the starting position.
2. Single Leg Stretch
Lie on your back on the floor. Curl your head and shoulders up slightly, bring your knees into a tabletop position, and lengthen your spine. Take your right hand on your right ankle and the left hand on the right knee, straighten your left leg, elbows out to the side, and look into your belly. Pull your navel to the spine by pulling the belly button gently towards the mat. Inhale, switch your hands now. Change legs. Now the left knee comes into the chest. Put your left hand on your left ankle and the right hand on the right knee is straightening the right leg. Keep curling deep into your core and switch.
3. The Side Kick
Lie on your side in a straight line from head to toe. The head rests on your arm on the mat or the floor, bent on the bottom leg. Take your opposite hand and, put it in front of your torso, lift the top leg straight. Kick it forward twice and then pull it back behind you. Inhale as you start, exhale to kick, kick, forward. Inhale pulled it back. Repeat this five to eight times on each side of the sidekick.
It may take some practice to master those three exercises initially but stick with it. You will see your body change and your mind strengthen.
In the Fasted and Fit Over 50 Jumpstart For women in midlife, we start with simple Pilates mat exercises and combine them with Intermittent fasting strategies for maximum results. Check it out here.
