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Pilates – Perfect for Posture, Increasing
Flexibility and Strengthening Your Back
By Lauren Bannister, Reps Level 3 Pilates Instructor - Stratford
Pilates Centre, UK
Pilates is the buzzword in fitness today. Yet, it’s not
new - it has been delivering results for well over 80 years.
During that time, its devotees have included leading celebrities
from the worlds of film, dance and professional sport. Madonna,
Jodie Foster, Courtney Cox, Terence Stamp and Christian Slater
are just some of today’s personalities who are Pilates fans;
whilst in sport, it’s practiced by the New Zealand All Blacks,
Pat Cash, members of the England Rugby and Cricket squads and
many more of our top sporting heroes.
Pilates is
a very safe, effective form of exercise which strengthens the
core postural muscles of the body, working from the inside-out
to rebalance the body and bring it back into correct alignment.
So, what are the key benefits of Pilates?
Through
regular Pilates, you’ll achieve a much longer, leaner body.
Because all the exercises are undertaken in a slow and
controlled manner, it'll help you to achieve longer-term
results. Pilates will also improve your posture, and you’ll
attain the perfect balance between strength and flexibility.
It’s also a great way of relieving unwanted stress and tension.
Perfect
for athletes looking to enhance their performance and avoid the
risk of injury, Pilates is also ideal for first-time exercisers.
Pilates strengthens the deep stabilising muscles of the torso,
making it ideal for the treatment and prevention of back
problems. This is one of the reasons why Pilates enjoys
unique support from across the medical profession and is at the
forefront of sports therapy today.
The
results that you can obtain through Pilates include:
·
A
stronger, healthier back and lengthened spine.
·
Better
body alignment and posture.
·
Greater
mobility, stability and flexibility.
·
A better
balance between strength and suppleness.
·
Increased
level of fitness, strength and lung capacity.
·
Guards
against injury and aids rehabilitation.
·
Increased
bone density and joint health.
·
A leaner,
longer, more toned look with improved body shape and flatter
stomach.
·
Stress
relief and an increased sense of well-being and more confidence.
·
Better
co-ordination and greater body awareness.
Pilates is
great for both your physical and mental health, but it is also
exceptionally effective for a number of specific conditions,
such as:
· Back
pain, back-ache and other back problems including
scoliosis/curvature of the spine.
· Anyone
wishing to improve fitness levels, posture and appearance.
·
Poor
posture, rounded shoulders, neck and shoulder pains or problems.
·
Stiffness,
joint pains and muscle pains.
·
Arthritis/
osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia or even ageing.
·
Injuries:
sports injuries and others including RSI - Repetitive Strain
Injury.
· Pre
and post-operation strengthening, and pre and post-natal
exercises.
·
Carpal
Tunnel Syndrome, whiplash.
·
Stress and
even weight loss.
There is a
massive demand for Pilates and hundreds of new Pilates Centres
are opening up around the world every day. When looking to join
a Pilates class, especially if you suffer with joint or back
problems, you should first check that your teacher is fully
qualified at a UK Level 3 to teach Pilates. If you live outside
the UK and you wish to attend a Pilates class, you should find
someone with an equivalent professional qualification in your
country.
For more
information on Pilates in the UK, please visit
www.bodycontrol.co.uk. To check out your UK instructor's
qualifications, please go to
www.exerciseregister.org.
As a
fully qualified Pilates Instructor with the Body Control Pilates
Organisation, Lauren Bannister is Director of the Stratford
Pilates Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon in the UK. If you’d like
to find out more about Lauren and her individual or group
Pilates classes, please visit:
www.stratfordpilatescentre.co.uk.
The above information should not be treated as a substitute for the
medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care
professional.
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