As the founder of Peaches, I often get asked about the benefits of Pilates. The practice has long been popularized by celebrities for its long, lean, and toned aesthetic. But there are still a lot of folk out there who don’t really understand what the hype is about .
‘Is it like Yoga?’ people ask… ‘Cos I’m not very flexible…’. Cue the eye roll of every instructor ever.
My answer when people want to know why they should join our cult start a Pilates practice is usually along the lines of: Pilates is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise for such a wide variety of people because it is so modifiable. There aren’t many situations where introducing Pilates into your routine wouldn’t be valuable – it’s kinda like the broccoli of the fitness world. Everyone should be getting amongst it.
Is it as sexy as a new and exciting fad ( / strobe lit HIIT room ready to drain your adrenals and f*ck up ya knees)? No.
Have studies shown that Pilates literally improves quality of life? Yes.
Does it ever get easier? Nah.
Should you make a habit of it anyway? YAS.
So – here are my top 5 benefits of Pilates… the list is long and the perks are truly endless – but these guys are my faves, and also the most common reasons new clients walk into our studios.
Pregnant? Y’all should get into Pilates – the practice will not only help to ease common aches and pains during gestational periods, but also help you build strength for birth.
Just had a baby? Pilates will aid your recovery in so many ways, but core and pelvic floor rehabilitation are at the forefront of the calling cards.
Injured? May we introduce: Pilates! This method means you can easily create bespoke routines to target and isolate muscles groups in a safe, low impact yet deeply effective manner.
Burnt out or over trained? Pilates is your new BFF. Thanks to it’s ability to harness the power of your deep core muscles and complete affinity to safe progression, it’s the burn without the burn out – and you’re welcome.
Feeling flat? Pilates has been proven by our good mate Science to have exceptional benefits when it comes to mental health. Yeah, all exercise can boast this, but one of the reasons Pilates is so effective when it comes to improving mood and energy is down to the need to truly focus on form and precision – aka it’s a mental holiday away from stress, overwhelm or negativity.
(And here’s a bonus point, just incase you’re not jamming with me yet….)
None of the above? Pilates is hands down one of the most effective ways to build strength, agility, achieve muscle tone and essentially, feel like a boss. Let me put it this way: Lebron James does Pilates – do you see what I mean?
