Reasons to Practice Pilates

There are many reasons to practice Pilates. What’s yours? Is the reason you started the same reason you keep coming back to it? For most people, their motivation to keep doing Pilates changes along the way. Here are just a few reasons people start (and keep doing) Pilates. I wonder if yours is on the list!

The Internet Made You Do It

Reformer pilates has become hugely popular over the last couple of years. In my community and surrounding communities, more and more studios are opening up with the primary focus being the reformer. I was getting a lot of emails asking if I have reformer Pilates for a time, which made me want to explain the whole method, why the apparatuses exist, and the benefits of it all. Why the obsession with reformers?  It turns out social media was doing an amazing job of spreading the word about the mysterious machine called the reformer. If the internet brought more people into Pilates, it’s a good thing – though I won’t ever stop saying you need the whole system to see the most benefits. 

To Transform Your Body

Pilates is well known for its ability to transform your body, but I don’t mean just how it looks. Yes, if you do a quick Google search for “Pilates”, you’ll see a lot of photos of very fit people. They are probably on a reformer of doing very advanced exercises that require a great deal of balance and flexibility. Do those people exist? YES – but Pilates is really for every body, not just fit ones.

How It Looks

If you have the goal of looking like a fitness model, there is nothing wrong with that. And yes, Pilates can help you have better, taller posture while also gaining strength and some muscle mass. I know when I first started working out, I liked the visible, physical changes in my body, too. But as you regularly practice Pilates, it will transform your body from the inside out. 

How It Moves

Often people are told that they need to strengthen their core to solve XYZ and that Pilates will help. This is the truth but not the only truth. It will do much more. Pilates will help you to improve your full body strength, mobility, flexibility, control of movement, awareness of movement, and concentration. 

How It Heals

People are regularly referred to Pilates as a way to prehab or rehab from an injury, surgery, or accident. I’ve seen many articles and interviews about athletes who found Pilates this way. Then find that they feel and perform better than ever, and keep doing Pilates as a regular part of their training. 

Why I Do (And Teach) Pilates

When I first started teaching Pilates it was because mat Pilates was the newest trend in gyms and people were going crazy for it. I definitely loved the idea of looking great from working out. I also was super excited to jump on a reformer when I first had the opportunity to do so. As time went on, I expanded my knowledge of the method and the awareness of my own body. I also started gaining new aches, pains, and small injuries from overdoing it with aerobics, spinning, and running. 

I came to realize that Pilates was what I needed to support my body in all the other things I love to do in my life. It made me aware of my posture, helped me heal from (and prevent) injuries, and I simply move better through life and my hobbies when I practice Pilates. 

And this is why I teach Pilates. I love to help people to feel better, good, and even great! It’s so gratifying to have a client come into the studio and tell us a story about a win that they have had in their life or an aha moment. For example, I have a client who had been in several serious motor vehicle accidents and dealt with chronic pain. One day, she noticed that she was able to step in and out of her tub without hitting her foot on the edge. She knew it was Pilates that made the difference. I had another client who avoided getting into his wife’s car because it was too low, and he had to awkwardly climb in to accommodate his knees. Then came a day he couldn’t avoid it, and he managed to get in the “normal” way. He was thrilled!

Practice Pilates to Feel Great

Personally, I love to be active in life. Hiking, biking, running, lifting, and travelling. I love to sign up for events and races to keep me motivated. I love to help others who love to be active too. I’m super grateful to have discovered Pilates for myself but I’m even more grateful to be able to share it to help others with their goals and day-to-day life.