Joseph Pilates was truly ahead of his time in understanding the benefits of exercise for the mind and body. The latest exercise science studies link strength and power with both improved cognitive function and bigger brains. Pilates encompasses all the pillars of mindful brain fitness.
1. Pilates improves your memory.
Beginning in our late 20s, our brains literally begin to shrink by about 1% in volume! The cardio and strength training component of Pilates is proven to be superior in improving brain function due to its unique mindful movement patterns. This means Pilates is helping you to develop and challenge those all important muscle memory patterns and correct muscle recruitment patterns. Pilates strengthens the part of the brain responsible for memory, planning and cognitive function.
2. Pilates trains your brain.
Learning new activities is a proven brain-training technique. If the neurons are formed but they don’t connect, then eventually they die.
Therefore, training with a Pilates Instructor is an efficient way to keep learning new modifications and variations that benefit both our mind and body. Attending Pilates classes with an instructor is far superior to running on the treadmill, doing the same reps at the gym, or flying through the same yoga sequence or at home Pilates DVD every morning as you loose the mindful brain stimulation.
If your workouts become monotonous, it is suggested that you cut the benefit of your workout in half and double the risk of an injury (due to the fact you are overusing the same muscles and potentially not recruiting correct muscles patterns).
3. Pilates deep muscle activation means better function of the nervous system.
Every time we move we use several specific areas of our brain. In simplistic terms, the brain sends an impulse through the spinal cord to muscle fibres to perform a movement.
When you learn to recruit deep muscles in particular movement patterns (like deep core activation in Pilates) you are moving in a superior sequence and activating the brain in a way that is rarely reached. Learning to activate deep muscles is like cleansing your nervous system. A healthy nervous system means healthy links between your brain and body as well as the release of hormones that reduce stress and enhance moods and emotions.
4. Pilates calms our emotions.
Pilates Breathing Principles are a moving form of meditation. Pilates ensures that you focus solely on the movements and your body (and forget about external influences and stresses of the day). The moving meditation component of Pilates decreases stress and anxiety and makes us more risk tolerant.
Benefits of a healthy mind – body connection include:
• Relieves stress, anxiety and depression
• Helps insomnia sufferers
• Brain stimulation
• Uncovers creative thinking
• Improves or helps manage chronic pain
• Reduces negative emotions
• Improves ability to fight addictions and instill positive habits
• Lowers blood pressure and improves cardio vascular health
5. Pilates relieves stress tension in our body.
Stress hormones settle in our body causing hypertension, muscle spasms and pain. Pilates Rockhampton specialises in exercise Pilates where classes are delivered in a way that result in endorphins being released for that ‘feel good’ feeling.
Pilates relieves tension built up in the muscles through low impact stretching and strength conditioning. When you get stress out of your body, you also get it out of your mind.
6. Mindful Movement improve posture and confidence.
As Pilates Rockhampton improves posture, it increases client’s confidence in regards to what their bodies can do and their confidence within.
Any Pilates Instructor can tell a lot about your personality by simply looking at your posture and observing your movement. Over time we store our emotions and anxieties in our body. For example, we clench our jaws when we want to yell, slouch when we feel inferior, tired or shy.
Pilates will allow you to regain control of your body by strengthening and improving activation of deep core muscles that tend to be closely connected to your emotions.
Come try what Pilates Rockhampton has to offer!
Through the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning this unique trinity of a balanced body, mind and spirit can ever be attained. Self confidence follows.
~Joseph Pilates
The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning is complete coordination of body, mind and spirit ~Joseph Pilates
Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. ~Joseph Pilates
A body free from nervous tension and fatigue is the ideal shelter provided by nature for housing a well balanced mind, fully capable of successfully meeting all the complex problems of modern living. ~Joseph Pilates
