WHY PILATES?
Why Pilates Is Right For You
Pilates is a full body workout that helps individuals find balance through strengthening from the core outwards. It can be used to achieve a variety of different goals, whether it be trimming and toning, recovering from injuries, pre and post-natal support, assisting in athletic development or just finding a greater balance and connection with your body. No matter who you are, Pilates has much to offer.
The Aesthete
Pilates focuses on the core and can help to flatten and tone your abdominal muscles. From the core, it expands outward and helps to elongate and tone muscles in your legs and arms, providing a balanced way to trim and tone your body. Pilates helps to create long, lean and flexible muscles that will look great and support you in your day to day activities.
The Athlete
Most athletes have an imbalance in their body, due to whatever sport they participate in. Whether it’s tennis or golf, where the body constantly rotates from one side, or football and ballet, where the joints incur constant impact: Pilates can help balance and protect the body. Pilates creates a protection and support for your joints, teaching your body the safest, most efficient way to access your movements. It also focuses on building the stabilizing muscles, as well as the global movers (a.k.a. the big muscles), so that the body develops as a whole, increasing overall performance and decreasing the likelihood of injury. It can take the benefits of basic cross-training and enhance them by finding assistance from muscles that most workouts don’t reach. It is also a known companion to recovery from sports related injuries. By ensuring that supporting muscles that are used to compensate when an injury occurs are aligned, balanced and properly developed, it can help prevent further injuries, increase your stamina, and get you back in action.
The Mending
Pilates was first conceived in a hospital setting as a way to help people recover from injuries and to provide relief and balance to those suffering from disabilities and other physical conditions. In this way it is more akin to physical therapy than to yoga – don’t be confused by the outfits! Whether it be scoliosis, chronic neck pain, a bulging disc or other injuries, Pilates can provide relief, recovery and most importantly prevention from reoccurring issues.
It can also be an incredible aid as the body goes through changes with age, and life’s overall wear and tear. Pilates does not require impact to create strength and muscle tone within the body. It is ideal for people suffering from chronic pain, or mobility and strength issues such as getting up and down off the floor, up and down stairs, in and out of chairs or general stability issues and other related movement.
No matter what your injury or physical restrictions, Pilates can help you achieve the strength and mobility you need to achieve your personal goals.
The Moms
One of the most underrated benefits of Pilates is to those who are prenatal or postnatal. It can provide dramatic relief of pain and discomfort during pregnancy, while also building up vital muscles that will be needed once the child is born. It can help the body recover from the stress of both pregnancy and childbirth, by strengthening the abdominals, lower back and pelvic floor, as well as strengthening and opening up your chest and upper back. It can also help address pregnancy related issues including diastasis recti and prolapsed pelvis – no matter how long ago your pregnancy was, it can still help mend and address these issues. Prenatal and postnatal Pilates focuses on safe forms of strengthening and stretching as well as breathwork that is crucial during the pregnancy process. It can be the perfect companion to your pregnancy, and provide the assistance and care you need to recover.
The Rest!
There are many, many other ways that Pilates can help, and it can be adapted to assist almost anyone. The advantage that Helena Wellness provides is providing each individual with modifications and customized workouts that help them to reach their own personal goals in accord with their own strengths, weaknesses, and comfort levels. This instruction takes place in the comfort of your own home, and a variety of pre-recorded workouts are available featuring sessions of varying durations for and created for all different body types and needs. Even if you’re just looking for a concentrated, health focused distraction from the rigors of daily life, Helena Wellness can provide a break that will help you stand taller and find the balance in your life you might otherwise be longing for.