WE’VE ALL HEARD OF PILATES, BUT WHAT WE MIGHT NOT KNOW IS HOW IT CAN AID OUR WELLBEING. ABBY MCLACHLAN SHARES HER EXPERTISE
THE AUTHOR Abby McLachlan is founder of East of Eden (eastofeden.uk), a London-based studio offering classes online and in person.
Pilates is nearly 100 years old, with origins rooted in healing and rehabilitation. It was invented by Joseph Pilates, initially to help fellow inmates develop muscle strength at an internment camp on the Isle of Man, but now it is practised in gyms and boutique studios around the world.
Like yoga, it is a mind-body practice – matching breath to movement. But whilst in yoga you use the breath to connect the mind and body to a higher consciousness, the mind-body connection in pilates is more functional – using the breath to focus the mind on the present moment and connect with your body. A work-out, as opposed to more of a work-in like with yoga.
Back support
The practice of pilates is low intensity, low impact and inclusive. It’s focused on spinal alignment and the tiny muscles that support your musculoskeletal system. A lifetime of poor posture – hunching over your computer or phone, carrying children and heavy bags on one side – can lead the muscles in your back to become weak and strained, causing joint and disc issues.
Pilates concentrates on strengthening the deep postural muscles, raising awareness of how we stand and the general alignment of hips, spine and head. This awareness alone can go a long way to improving posture, but the strength built with highly targeted, specific exercises will support the spinal column – in effect future-proofing your body. As Joseph Pilates himself said, ‘If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.’
The practice also focuses on supporting the muscles around your spine – your core and glutes, as well as ensuring the other joints are supported by strong local muscles, reducing the chance of injury and relieving pain, especially back pain.
Building strength
As well as developing core strength and improving posture, mobility, strength and flexibility, pilates helps with recovery from injury and even injury prevention. Regular pilates practise can reduce the risk of injury in other sports or activities by strengthening the local muscles around the joints, meaning you are less likely to injure yourself.
This form of exercise can be done into old age without any negative impact on the body and joints, and helps maintain cognitive ability, balance, bone density as well as spinal health. Plus, it can im
