5 Reasons Pilates Will Change Your Life | 2023

Have you been wondering what pilates is and whether or not it may be right for you? Look no further as I have outlined my experience with pilates and why it may just change your life. Let this serve as your pilates for beginners introduction guide.

If you are curious to know tips and tricks to survive your actual first pilates class, I have outlined some of the items that surprised me in a related post that you can check out here.

Now, let’s get into all the amazingness that is pilates.

Usually there are plenty of pilates for beginners to advanced workouts available on Youtube. Some are quick 5 minute routines, and others are 30 minute full activation workouts.

You can’t go wrong with those, and they serve as a great introduction to pilates! I truly have always enjoyed pilates as a practice, and I can’t wait to one day become a certified teacher!

I kind of fell off of practicing for a year or so as life got in the way. But, I am so happy I have rediscovered my love for this form of working out.

Learning the backstory of this method of working out has made me fall in love with it even more.

Pilates for beginners: a quick overview of origin

Pilates, originally created by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, is a form of workout that improves a person’s strength, flexibility, and overall well-being.

So, Pilates created a series of exercises that focused on core strength, proper alignment, and mindful movement by drawing inspiration from diverse disciplines such as yoga, gymnastics, martial arts, and ballet.

His method originally gained popularity in the dance community and gradually spread to a broader audience seeking a holistic approach to fitness.

And, as we know today, it has become an increasingly popular form of workout given its focus on overall strength and mobility!

There are now so many different types of pilates that have evolved over time to cater to specific needs, preferences, and fitness goals.

Here are some of the most popular variations:

• Classic Pilates: Follows the original teachings and exercises developed by Joseph Pilates, emphasizing precise movements, sequential exercises, and a specific order of exercises.

• Contemporary Pilates: Also known as modern pilates, this approach incorporates elements of other fitness methods and modifications. It focuses on functional movement, variations, and adaptations to suit individual goals.

• Clinical Pilates: This form of pilates is often practiced under the guidance of healthcare professionals such as physical therapists. It emphasizes rehabilitation, injury prevention, and targeted exercises to address specific conditions or injuries.

• Mat Pilates: Mat pilates, what I referred to at the beginning of this post, is a pilates practice performed on a mat without the use of any specialized equipment. It involves a series of exercises that use body weight as resistance, primarily focusing on core strength, flexibility, and control.

• Reformer Pilates: Reformer pilates involves the use of a specially designed apparatus called a pilates reformer. The reformer consists of a sliding platform called a “carriage”, springs which add resistance, and various attachments that also provide resistance for a wide range of exercises, adding challenge and variety to the practice.

• Equipment-Based Pilates: In addition to the reformer, pilates can be practiced using other equipment such as the cadillac, ladder barrel, the ring, and more. These apparatuses offer additional resistance and support, allowing for a broader range of exercises and variations.

That’s a lot right?

I’ve learned about all these different variations from taking pilates for beginners classes and, like I mentioned, doing workouts from YouTube, and my goal is to one day become a certified instructor.

Of course, while I have outlined this for educational purposes, it’s important to choose the type that aligns with your needs and consult with a qualified instructor for specific guidance to achieve your own goals!

I’ve learned that there are endless ways to improve your body through the pilates methods.

This was exactly the thing I needed to commit to learning and growing with as I start this new chapter of my life – learning to live a more holistic and balanced life that is in tune with my body.

That is exactly what this workout method is about!

With that all in mind, here are the 5 reasons I think pilates will change your life:

Pilates for Beginners – Why Should You Start Today?

1. Pilates helps with your mind-body connection

This is probably the most important reason in my opinion. An improved mind-body connection was something I was craving when I took my leave of absence as I figured out my gut health.

Well, pilates significantly enhances the mind-body connection, making it a unique and powerful exercise method. Through its emphasis on controlled movements, precise alignment, and mindful breathing, pilates encourages you to cultivate a deep awareness of your body and specific movement patterns.

It prompts you to focus your attention on the sensations, alignment, and engagement of specific muscles, promoting an elevated sense of physical awareness.

By consciously engaging and stabilizing the core muscles while performing pilates exercises, you’ll develop a stronger connection between your body and your mental focus.

This mind-body connection allows for better coordination, improved posture, increased body control, and enhanced overall movement efficiency.

Additionally, it has a huge focus on breath work. You may notice when you are working out, it is easy to hold your breath during the hard movements. However, in pilates, there is such a strong emphasis on moving through your breath work.

Instructors will often remind you at what point during a motion is ideal for you to breathe in versus when to breathe out.

I’ve noticed overtime that my breathing while working out has improved significantly. I am more focused on when I am breathing in and out, and I’ve noticed I am better at making the mental connection with my working muscles.

By focusing on your mind-body connection and breath work, you will notice that pilates helps reduce stress through the focus on slow and controlled movements. This gives your mind something else to focus on.

Finally, there is a huge emphasis on listening to your body which I really like. You are encouraged to take pauses if you need to or to try modified variations of workouts if a certain move is too challenging.

The goal is always not to compromise form and control!

2. Pilates is a low impact form of working out

Lifting weights is always great, but sometimes you may be looking for a solid workout that won’t be challenging to work up the courage to do.

Don’t get me wrong, any pilates workout or class is no joke! Ask anyone about the shakes!

But, pilates is widely recognized as a great low-impact workout that provides numerous benefits without putting excessive stress on joints.

Unlike high-impact exercises like running, jumping, lifting weights, and HIIT workouts, pilates focuses on controlled, flowing movements that emphasize proper alignment and core stability.

The slow and deliberate nature of pilates allows for gentle joint movement.

Because pilates minimizes the impact on the body, my pilates instructor said it is an ideal choice for people with joint sensitivities, injuries, or those looking for a workout that is kind to their bodies.

The nature of pilates workouts also reduces the risk of strain or overuse injuries, making it suitable for a wide range of ages, fitness levels, and physical conditions.

For example, there was an older woman next to me in class recently that had just had her second knee surgery. She said as soon as she had physically healed from that, she started coming back to the beginner classes to work back on her strength!

And let me tell you, she was doing the moves with so much more power and strength than I was as a beginner!

I am telling you, you cannot go wrong with starting out pilates for beginners classes and videos! You’ll gain so much!

Whether you’re recovering from an injury, seeking a gentle exercise option, or simply aiming to improve your overall fitness, pilates definitely offers a low-impact approach that can help you achieve your goals!

3. Pilates is a whole body workout with focus on core strength

While pilates offers many ways to train your whole body, it does have a strong emphasis on core strength.

In pilates, the core muscles, primarily the deep abdominal muscles, back muscles, pelvic floor, and hip stabilizers, are considered the powerhouse of the body. Every movement in pilates originates from the core, providing a solid foundation for the rest of the body to move efficiently.

By engaging and strengthening the core muscles, pilates improves overall stability, balance, and alignment.

You will definitely start to notice your core feeling stronger over time. When certain movements seem to be getting easier, that means it is time to kick up the intensity through more reps, slower movement, or a more advanced variation.

Pilates doesn’t stop at the core. It also targets and engages muscles throughout the entire body.

Through a variety of exercises and movements, pilates works on developing strength, flexibility, and coordination in the arms, legs, back, and shoulders.

This comprehensive approach ensures that no muscle group is left untouched, resulting in a well-rounded, whole-body workout that promotes overall strength, stability, and a toned physique.

I am just so excited to one day be able to teach pilates for beginners so I can help expose people to a more holistic approach to working out!

Doesn’t this get you excited?

4. Pilates is fantastic for toning your body

Pilates is also really great for toning and sculpting the body. Through a combination of controlled movements, resistance, and focused muscle engagement, pilates targets and strengthens muscles while promoting long, lean muscle fibers.

It’s unlike traditional strength training exercises in that sense. Pilates emphasizes lengthening and elongating the muscles, resulting in a toned and streamlined appearance.

By consistently challenging and working the muscles through a range of exercises, pilates helps to improve muscle definition and create a balanced physique.

And, I know I’ve been saying throughout this post that pilates focuses on your core. However, pilates definitely helps with generally toning up your whole body.

Pilates incorporates exercises that target smaller, stabilizing muscles, enhancing overall muscle tone and improving muscle imbalances.

So, pilates offers a comprehensive approach to toning the body and over time and with practice you will start to see a sculpted and well-defined physique.

5. Pilates improves posture over time

My final reason why I think pilates will change your life is that continued practice of pilates will improve posture over time as well as improve your awareness of your posture.

I don’t know about you, but from being in a corporate job and having to sit most of the day at my desk, I could definitely use some help in the posture department.

My posture is not terrible… but it’s not perfect either.

Well, certain pilates exercises address the imbalances and weaknesses that contribute to poor posture. Through these exercises, pilates targets the muscles responsible for supporting proper alignment, including the deep abdominal muscles, back muscles, and the muscles around the shoulders and neck.

Exercises such as “swimming” and “upper back extensions” help with opening your chest and shoulder muscles as well as improve upper and lower back support over time thereby improving alignment.

By strengthening these muscles and promoting balanced muscle development, pilates helps to alleviate muscle imbalances, relieve tension, and correct poor posture.

Additionally, there is a huge emphasis on spinal alignment, proper breathing as I mentioned earlier, and body control in pilates promoting a more upright and aligned posture in everyday life.

I have noticed throughout the day I am more conscious of my posture. It’s almost like I have developed muscle memory to maintain good posture both during exercise and in my everyday activities!

I mean, after a good pilates class, I always want to sit up straight and walk tall!

Now, I know these are only 5 reasons in my own personal opinion why pilates can change your life and help you become stronger and more in tune with your body.

But, I will share one more anecdote as it relates to pilates for beginners…

My pilates instructor told me that students of hers that have been workout out using the pilates method for a decade are more flexible and able to perform the various moves so much easier than her newer students who normally only weight train!

That shows that the amount you can lift in weights does not always correlate to the movements you do in pilates!

I have to continue to learn about and try more pilates workouts because this honestly all sounds too good to be true.

Trust me, I know. I hear myself as I am typing this.

While I am not a certified pilates instructor, yet and I do hope to be one day, these are my top observations based on the introductory classes I have taken and countless at-home mat pilates workouts I have done.

I have been loving pilates and am excited to see where this part of my journey will take me.

What about you? Have you tried any pilates for beginners classes or plan to? Are you a beginner at pilates or advanced?

Let me know in the comments below!