5 Reasons to Give Pilates a Try This Summer

Practicing Pilates has many potential health benefits, including increased flexibility, muscle tone and strength training. The workout plan was created by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, mostly as a method of injury recovery for dancers. It is now regularly implemented by millions worldwide and Pilates studios can be found throughout the US.. The more people discover how it can help improve their health, the more they will want to try it. This summer is a great time to get started.

The idea of Pilates intimidates many people when they first are exposed to it. This is because there is equipment they are unfamiliar with, and it’s something new. Once they try it and see the results, they love it!

Pilates is a workout system that uses 50 repeated exercises to exert the muscles. Some people use it for a gentle approach to strength training, while others use it more vigorously to enhance athletic performance or rehabilitation. Those who have tried it for a long time will likely experience many benefits.

Here are 5 reasons to give Pilates a try this summer:

1. Try something new

• Deciding to try something different is exciting and interesting. It introduces people to things that they need to become more familiar with, which is good for the brain and motivational.

2. Promote healthy behaviors

• In a recent study, researchers tested Pilates and yoga to see if they lead to healthier choices overall. They report that regularly doing one of these exercises leads to health-promoting behaviors and more positive beliefs about one’s health status.

3. Have more robust bones and less pain

• Doing Pilates regularly leads to stronger bones. Research has found Pilates helps with bone strength in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. They concluded that Pilates increased bone mineral density and walking distance and helped to relieve pain.

4. Lose weight

• Those looking to shed some weight this summer should consider trying Pilates. Pilates can dramatically reduce body weight, body mass index, and body fat percentage in overweight or obese adults.

5. Age Gracefully

• The European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology, and Education reported in March 2022 that there are benefits to the elderly population taking up Pilates. Their study found that those over the age of 60 who started doing Pilates had an improvement in balance, strength, mobility, functional capacity, and mental and psychological health. They also report that it led to a reduction in the risk of falling. While people of any age can benefit from Pilates, this study shows that it’s always possible to get started.

I challenge people to take this summer to try Pilates and see what it does for them. If they don’t see and feel the benefits by the end of summer, they can go back to what they were doing. But in my experience, I can say that they will love what happens after sticking with Pilates for a summer.