DO YOU EVEN…PILATES?!

P I L A T E S

You've heard the Kardashian's swear by it.

Jennifer Aniston, Hilary Duff, Sylvester Stalone, Lady Gaga and even Harry Styles are also big fans, jumping on the PIlates band-wagon.

So what exactly is all the hype about when it comes to

P I L A T E S

I'll give you 3 reasons why this form of movement is gaining so much popularity amongst the rich & famous -

1. It's low-impact

2. It lengthens and tones the body like no other work-out

3. It's accessible and doesn't discriminate whether you're 16 or 65!

| WHAT IS PILATES? |

The Pilates method was created by a German man - Joseph Pilates (yes, correct, Pilates was his last name!) who was asked to help rehabilitate injured soldiers during the world war. Having struggled with chronic illnesses throughout his life such as rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever, Joseph aspired to develop a form of movement that served to nurture and condition the body whilst rehabilitating injured areas.

In actual fact, Joseph originally named his method of rehabilitation 'Contrology' not 'Pilates'; after Joseph passed away, his students who continued practicing and teaching his method to future generations named it Pilates to forever encapsulate Joseph's legacy in his work.

I won't bore you with an entire history lesson, but in essence, the key pillars of Pilates focus on injury prevention, the utilisation of breath-work, centering & mind/body movement.

| WHY IS IT SO GOOD FOR YOU? |

Pilates is a form of low-impact exercise - that's why so many athletes and even the elderly adore this form of movement.

It serves to lengthen and condition the muscles in a safe and supportive manner.

Joseph Pilates once said:

"In 10 sessions you'll feel the difference, in 20 you'll see the difference, and in 30 you'll have a new body"

So what makes this form of exercise so transformative and impactful on the body?

One word = S T A B I L I S A T I O N

Pilates focuses on strengthening the mini muscles (our stabiliser muscles) throughout our body - particularly those in our core.

Your core is the powerhouse to your body,

a strong core = strong body = strong mind

it's all holistic!

Often, our stabiliser muscles are neglected in other forms of exercise like HIIT, running, weight-lifting and other modes of movement where larger muscle groups are prioritised.

This is why many individuals pull up quite sore after doing Pilates for the first time, even if they are fit as a fiddle and strong as Schwarzenegger!

Most of us don't use these baby muscles day-to-day which is such a shame as they really do serve to strengthen and tone the body in the most magical way.

Strong stabilisers will help with so many things: improved posture, improved core activation, better balance and an improved overall feeling of strength in your body that cannot quite be achieved doing large muscle movements.

| HOW CAN I DO IT?|

The great thing about Pilates is that it is accessible to almost everybody no matter what gender or age you are!

These days there are plenty of free at-home Pilates workouts you can source on YouTube.

If you want to get serious about your practice, there are also a myriad of subscription based Pilates and Yoga online communities you can join too!

Some of my favourites include:

+ The Pilates Class (TPC) - Jacqui Kingswell has the most soothing and calming voice, her knowledge of Pilates and movement is exceptional and her class varieties are so diverse. She offers many styles from Traditional Pilates to HIIT. I have been subscribed to TPC for over 1 year now and have never looked back! All you need is a streaming device and a mat (or even a towel if you're in a hotel room - can confirm I've done this on holidays overseas and the workout is just as good!)

+ Melissa Wood Health - This one I'm not subscribed to but I have done some of Melissa's Instagram workouts and she is a killer! Again, she has such a soothing and calming voice and her workouts really get you to remain present in the moment and strengthen that connection with your body and mind!

+ FORM by Sami Clarke - Sami Clarke is an LA - based influencer & PT whose workouts are more HIIT and body-weight based. During lockdown in 2020 Sami would do numerous Instagram 'live's' per week which I would do in the comfort of my own bedroom - talk about ease of access! Her online fitness app FORM has now incorporated a Pilates category which is super exciting!

If online workouts just don't cut it for you - rest assured, I can almost guarantee that there is at least one Mat or Reformer Pilates studio near you!

Here in Melbourne, the Pilates market is heavily saturated for sure and there are new studios constantly opening every year so definitely get yourself into a class here or there and try out as many classes as possible before you make up your mind on what styles/methods you prefer!

I personally am a SUCKER for hot mat pilates and aim to get 1 hot mat session in per week for that extra detox and burn!!

The take-away:

Pilates is a great form of movement to incorporate into your workout regime that will definitely complement and enhance your current exercise routine!

It can be practiced by anybody of any age and gender and is a great low-impact workout that helps to lengthen, tone and condition the inner workings of your body as a whole!