Pilates

Pilates is well known for relieving aches & niggles.  Pilates, was originally called controllology.  This is because this form of exercise teaches you how to have a better control of your muscles and bones to move more freely for your everyday life. Pilates focuses on control, balance, core stability, strength, and flexibility. It strengthens the core postural muscles which support the spine. Your  posture will improve, all of this help relieve & prevent pain. 

Balance is required in everyday activities such as walking, getting up and down from a chair, picking up and carrying objects.  Pilates is an excellent form of exercise to help improve and maintain your balance.  Pilates is able to bring this to you through its on strength & coordination. 

As we get older we need to constantly monitor our balance, and prepare to catch ourselves if we fall. 

Pilates is fantastic to improve posture.  In this day and age when we all spend so much time bent over computers, books, and phones many people are presenting with hunched backs, which can lead to pain.

Pilates helps with posture as it helps to engage the deep core muscles the abdominals, back and pelvic floor – which enables you to relax your shoulders and neck and alleviate pressure on your hips, legs and feet, in turn, improving your posture

Pilates exercises integrate both static and dynamic stretching techniques to elongate and strengthen the muscle fibers, resulting in greater range of motion.

Pilates helps you to be able to touch your toes, sit crossed legged, pick up things from the floor, reach for items overhead with ease.

Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators. Endorphins are responsible for the  feelings of relaxation and optimism that you feel  after exercise is over.

Pilates exercises relies on holding your own body weight, which in turn will evenly increase strength across the body.  The NHS suggests that you do strength training twice a week, and this is a fantastic introduction into strength training especially if you have been out of exercises for any period of time.