Feeling weak, stiff or just a little wonky? Here, Pilates instructor Yasmine Say takes you through three short routines that will have you standing taller and striding with purpose towards your wellness goals
Pilates is the original ‘anti-desk workout’, a set of conditioning exercises which strengthen, lengthen and align the body. Slouching around or long days spent sitting staring at the computer screen mean many of us end up with a stiff spine and weak core. Pilates tightens our inner corset – the muscles that support the tummy and back – giving our spine a stable framework which allows it to be more flexible. This is important because an inflexible body can cause pain and stiff movement.
While yoga and Pilates are often taught in the same studios, they’re more different than you might think. Rather than focusing on stretching and spirituality like yoga, Pilates works the small, deep stabiliser muscles that support our larger muscle groups. It can also be more dynamic, moving through a set of exercises with several reps, rather than holding long poses as is typical in yoga.
And it truly is for everyone. Its founder was a German gymnast, skier and boxer named Joseph Pilates, who was interned in Lancaster Castle during the First World War and ended up teaching fellow inmates and injured servicemen his special method – which combined strength, flexibility and breath control. He was so successful in rehabilitating these soldiers that after the war, he moved to New York where he set up a studio with his wife, teaching this pioneering regime to ballet dancers.
Practising Pilates will help you master control over every muscle, without unduly stressing them. When it comes to your body, familiarity breeds affection and getting to know it properly will help you be kinder to yourself and exercise mindfully. Most of us have one side which is weaker than the other, but Pilates strengthens both to create symmetry.
Some modern versions use big mechanical contraptions, but classic Pilates only requires a bit of room to move and a mat for cushioning. Sprinkle the sets here throughout your day, or link them together for a full morning or evening session. You’ll finish feeling stronger and more supple.
BREATHE INTO IT
If you aren’t in control of your breathing, you aren’t really in control of your body. Yasmine recommends starting every session by regulating the breath, because this helps us to engage with our deepest core muscles.
1 Sit nice and tall in a com
