Pilates has long had a reputation for building sculpted bodies and helping people feel stronger, more confident and healthier. Research shows it may also reduce specific risk factors for a range of health conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Its unique combination of movements and techniques encourage the mind-body connection. This helps to activate the deep core muscles, which support your spine and improve balance and gait. As you age, this can help to prevent the common problems of stiffness and swollen ankles that can leave you dragging or shuffled when walking.
The exercises are low repetition and are done with controlled movement to protect joints. This makes it ideal for those with injuries, chronic health conditions or physical limitations. It can also enhance more dynamic workouts, like distance running or high-intensity training, by increasing core and lumbopelvic strength and improving kinetic chain mobility of the limbs.
A good Pilates instructor teaches their students how to perform an exercise correctly and safely. This is important as a bad technique can not only lead to injury, but it can also make the exercise less effective.
To be a Pilates instructor, you’ll need to take a course that leads to a regulated qualification and most providers offer specialised workshops and symposiums for aspiring instructors or teachers who want to specialise in working with a specific group of clients such as older adults or pre/postnatal women. These events are often considered CPD and are a fantastic way to meet other practitioners and share ideas.