Why Pilates?

With so many choices for exercise, how do you know what’s right for YOUR body?

As a physical therapist, I’ve been known to go around town and take classes to figure out why a given method is keeping me in business. And as I see it, there are two issues at play here:

  1. Large exercise classes cater to EVERYone, which often translates to NOone. We are all different people. We live in different bodies of different ages, strengths weaknesses and injury profiles. Some of us sit in desks for a living and some are on our feet all day long. One person might habitually stand in swayback; the person next to them has a long neck with low shoulders and the person next to THEM has overdeveloped quads. So how does any one exercise class account for all these variables? The answer is, it can’t possibly.

2) Many very popular exercise forms have a strong bias toward working EXTRINSIC (superficial) muscles to build power and strength. That may SOUND good, but not when power and strength are not complemented by a deeper control. The root of most injuries is microinstability deep within the joint. It causes the joint surfaces to move on one another in imprecise ways, and over time, that leads to deterioration and arthritic change (that’s right, it’s not just genetics). We have ammunition against microinstability in the deep musculature of our joints, but if we’re only blasting away at our quads and our deltoids, we’re driving injury – not preventing it.

So why is Pilates different?

Pilates was developed with 9 core principles that strive for movement QUALITY, and by doing so prevent injury:

  • Breathing
  • Concentration
  • Control
  • Centering
  • Precision
  • Balanced muscle development
  • Rhythm/Flow
  • Whole body movement
  • Relaxation

What’s more, Pilates is often performed one-on-one, in a pair (duet), or a small group class. That allows the instructor to cue more precisely and modify based on an individual’s needs. That means, instead of getting the workout someone ELSE needs, you’re getting the workout that YOU need.

Pilates is a prime weapon against instability, and that’s why a lot of us physical therapists tend to send our patients to Pilates instructors for long-term maintenance. And why a lot of physical therapists become certified in Pilates themselves. It focuses on the deep core, hip and shoulder musculature that keeps joints moving precisely and prevents the development of acute injury and progressive joint disease.

There’s not one right answer when it comes to exercise. But whatever form you enjoy, Pilates can be a wonderful addition to keep you healthy and moving with ease.