When you think about Pilates, what comes to mind? For many of us, we immediately think about core strength. And, while Pilates is an ah-mazing way to tighten and tone that midsection, the benefits of Pilates go way beyond building a stronger core.
We’re diving into five reasons you may want to get serious about adding more Pilates into your current fitness routine. While it may be a lower impact way to get your sweat on, you’ll quickly see just how effective it is.
5 Benefits of Pilates That Go Beyond Core Strength
#1 Pilates Works the Whole Body
There aren’t too many types of exercise that target the whole body like Pilates. Pilates truly does it all. While many of the moves will focus on building a stronger core, you’ll also find that a Pilates workout helps train the whole body.
You won’t leave your mat feeling like your neglected any part of your body, which is great when you are looking for total body results.
#2 Bring Breathwork to Your Workouts
Tying breathwork in with exercise is amazing for training yourself to power through a workout when things get tough.
Many of us hold our breath during harder moves, which only makes things harder. Pilates can train you out of this habit.
Once you connect the breath with exercise, you’ll be able to use this valuable skill in other aspects of your day-to-day life as well.
#3 Build Strength, Not Bulk
If you’re going for a long and lean look, then you’ll want more Pilates in your life. Pilates is all about building toned muscles to help support daily activity, not necessarily building bulk. It takes the functional fitness needs of daily life into account—like being strong enough to carry in groceries and do housework with a lower chance of injury.
You’re literally building a stronger body from the inside out, and a toned appearance is a total bonus benefit of all the strength benefits Pilates has to offer.
#4 Improve Flexibility
No matter what type of exercise you are doing, being more flexible will work in your favor, and may even help prevent injury. Pilates helps stretch and lengthen muscles, as well as improve range of motion.
#5 Pilates is Ideal For All Fitness Levels
And, the benefits of Pilates don’t stop there. It’s a form of fitness that’s great for all levels. Just starting? Try a beginner Pilates class and modify where needed. More advanced? There are plenty of more challenging Pilates moves that can help you continue to challenge and push yourself to get closer to reaching your goals.
If you’re just starting your fitness journey, open your FitOn app, and try our Beginner Total Body Pilates class with trainer Cassey Ho.
Need more of a challenge? Press play on Cassey Ho’s Advanced Total Body Pilates FitOn Class.
Use the Power of Pilates to Supercharge Your Fitness Results
As you can see, the benefits of Pilates really do go beyond core strength—Pilates helps you work the entire body as a whole.
Challenge yourself to add more Pilates into your current fitness routine to see how it can help improve flexibility and strength and ultimately help you get the most out of all the other workouts you do.
