I have a lot of jobs. Wife, mother, blogger, interior designer, and pilates instructor! (If we’re getting picky I think my in-home duties extend way beyond that. You can add house-keeper, accountant, chef, taxi driver, nurse, tutor, personal assistant, vet… you get it. I can iterally literally go on forever) Today though I want to focus on the job that actually puts dolla bills in my pocket and that’s Pilates.
As a Pilates instructor I obviously have a passion for physical fitness but it extends much beyond that. Pilates is about well-being. About physical strength but also about metal stamina, mind body connection and over all how GOOD you feel after you’ve done a session!
So lets get into this!
1. Posture! Most people nowadays spend so much time on the computer (me) looking down at your phone (me) holding babies (me) hunched forward driving your car (me) and a plethora of other “bad for you” postures throughout the day. It’s no wonder we’re all hunched forward like a bunch of neanderthals. In Pilates we focus a ton on spinal elongation! That means we”ll build your muscles in a nice, tall posture. We can work specific muscles to pull your shoulders back and literally make you stand taller. Who doesn’t want a few more inches on their frame? If anything, having better posture makes you look leaner 🙂
2. Long, lean muscles! Think about stretching and lengthening your muscles while you strengthen them! That means no big, bulky muscles. We’re talking loooong, toned, carrie underwood legs! Yes please!
3. High & tight buns! Need I say more? Want a nice round booty sitting way high up in the air? Do pilates!
4. Balance! Like most things in life, if we fail to practice using our balance on a daily basis, we lose it. If you feel like your balance has been failing you lately then try doing a pilates class. By engaging your core and trunk muscles the whole time (seriously, you’ll work your core for the entire class) your balance is sure to see an improvement.
5. Flat abs! Step right up for a flatter, smaller waist! Pilates is always a full body workout. You’ll work literally every muscle in your body, but in doing that, your core will be working right along with them. For the entire hour! Pilates works your entire core, not just the surface stuff. Anyone know all the muscles in the core? It’s not just the abs. We’re talking about the deeper layers. The deep deep down stuff to melt away fat. Lets break this down so it’s easy to understand:
*Transverses abs: They’re under that six pack and wrap around the waist. You pull them in to get your skinny jeans on.
*Pelvic floor: These are the lower abs. The low low abs underneath your pelvis. A strong pelvic floor helps with child birth, back pain, sex (yup) and a plethora of other things.
*Multifidus: These are the little tiny fibers that run up and down the spine. They’re your stabilizers. If your noticing trouble with your balance, these little guys when strengthened and engaged can help you out!
*Obliques: These of course run up and down the sides of your trunk. Love handles anyone? Pilates will fire up those obliques like you’ve never ever felt before!
*Rectus Abdominis: Thats your six pack. Got it?
We’re almost there….
*Erector Spinae: There’s a lot goin’ on in here but the easiest way to remember and visualize is that these are your hip flexors! Yup! Surprised? How can your hip flexors be part of your core? We’ll those flexors run from your hips all the way up and connect to your thoracic spine (the upper part of your back) They actually connect to the hips in the front of your body and run straight through and hook on to the back of your spine. They work for you allll day long. Every step you take you can thank those flexors. Strong hip flexors equals a strong core!
*The Diaphragm: You read right! Those good ole’ lungs of yours are a part of your core. So the next time you’re working out (pilates or not) remember to breeeeeathe!
Whew…we made it. See, so much more than what you thought right? Working the entire core is so much more important than just those measly crunches you’ve been doing in the gym. Consider your-self educated now 😉 On with my list!
6. Flexibility! The most common misconception about Pilates is that you have to be flexible in order to do it. Wrong! So wrong! Pilates will MAKE you more flexible. So you can’t touch your toes? Come on in, I can fix that for you in a jiff!
7. It’s fun! It really is. You’ll be doing stuff that you’ve never done before. Stuff you never thought you could do! You’ll see an improvement in your body, your form, your stamina every time you do it. On top of that, I’ve made so many friends in the Pilates studio! (Where my girls at?) It’s a whole group of people with the same goals as you!
8. It’s a different workout every time! Say buh-bye to the same ole’ boring workouts. They’re are over 500 exercises on the Reformer alone. Throw in the Pilates Chair, Cadillac, Spine Corrector, Ped-o-Pull, Ladder Barrel and Mat (<— Those are all the Pilates apparatus) and you’ll never have to repeat your workouts…ever.
9. It’s not just for the ladies! So guys come on in! Ladies bring your husbands, your son’s your brothers. Pilates was created by a guy (Joseph Pilates) and the men in your life need good posture, ab strength and body awareness just like women do!
10. You won’t get hurt! Pilates uses spring resistance and is easy on the bod. Have injuries? On-going health issues? Then pilates is for you! By engaging your muscles in a safe and controlled environment without impact (that part is important) you can really hone in on each little muscle individually. We call these the “whisper” muscles. In the gym while lifting weights you work big muscles or muscle groups…like the Glutes (your booty). In Pilates we”ll work the gluteus minimus, gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius (those are the muscle in the booty) all separately! Obvi, that goes for the entire body, not just you back-side. So if your suffering from osteoporosis, arthritis, hip replacement, back pain, lupus…anything at all, Pilates can help you!
Guys, I can go on and on and oooonnnnn about why YOU should be doing this. It’s a workout that’s challenging (yes!) but not dangerous. It’ll transform your body! For me it transformed my life. I’m healthier, leaner, more connected to my body, more aware of my posture, my core engagement, and my mind.
So give yourself a great big hug for reading this. For thinking about your wellbeing! Now go out and buy yourself the best present that you’ve ever given yourself! Do 3 sessions and you’ll be hooked! Do 10 sessions and you’ll feel like a whole new person! Do 20 sessions and you’ll have a whole new body!
Peace and LOVE,
Kelly