Many of us in the over 50 age group are looking for ways to continue our fitness routine. Pilates is a great way to go about this as it exercises multiple muscle groups and targets problem areas that often get ignored, such as the abdominals. It is also gentle on joints without the jarring movements that happen with other types of exercise. This can be especially important for those who have arthritis or other joint problems. The best part? You don’t need any equipment!
The benefits of pilates will keep you feeling strong and fit at all stages in life!
First things first. What is Pilates (aside from your new favourite form of exercise!)?
Pilates is a system of body exercises that typically involve stretching and balancing to help you become stronger, more flexible, and stable. These exercises are performed on a mat or with equipment such as a Pilates Reformer which can be used for resistance training.
In the 1920s, Joseph Pilates developed a workout method that became known as The Pilates Method. He created this exercise regimen by incorporating his knowledge of ancient Greek and Roman physical education with ideas from Eastern traditions to address weaknesses in Western mind-body practice at the time. This is the basis for Pilates as we know it today.
Pilates is a great form of exercise for all ages and abilities. But, as you get older (and are experiencing certain changes in your body), Pilates can be especially beneficial to keep up with the demands that come from ageing while staying active! Let me show you how.
Pilates is a great form of exercise for the over 50s as it’s low impact
With the help of Pilates, many have found that they are able to get in shape without going through a high-impact workout. The gentle exercises focus on flexibility and strength while minimizing stress on your joints. This is perfect for people who want an easy way to stay healthy or those with painful joints! Strengthening the muscles surrounding your joints will then help to support them and improve posture.
Many find it difficult nowadays when working out because their body can’t handle the impact created by traditional exercise routines like running or other hard workouts such as weightlifting. It’s no secret: we’re getting older every day so our bodies need new ways of staying fit now more than ever before! Luckily there exists a low-impact form of fitness known as Pilates!
Pilates is great for those with back pain
Many people, especially over 50, suffer from back pain. Women have a higher risk of experiencing lower back pain than men do because they are more likely to carry the weight of their upper body in their hips and thighs and less in their abdominal muscles. Pilates can help with this by strengthening your core while also helping you gain flexibility.
Pilates is a great way to fix your posture or, in other words, “fix the problem.” Correcting bad bodily movement can not only relieve back pain and discomfort but also increase awareness of proper spinal alignment. So if you find yourself slumping over when sitting or hunching forward while standing in a queue – take control!
Pilates strengthens your core muscles which can help prevent falls and injuries in later life
Pilates is an excellent form of physical activity for anyone who wants better stability when sitting or standing as it specifically works on strengthening the abdominal muscle group needed for this purpose while also improving posture through stretching out tight calf muscles so they don’t pull down during these activities.
As we get older, the muscles in our core begin weakening from lack of use but this is something that can easily be remedied by incorporating more challenging exercise routines into your life such as the type done during Pilates.
Pilates’ based workouts create an environment where you will experience increased muscle strength and control while also feeling better about yourself since it promotes weight loss, body sculpting, injury prevention and much more!
Pilates is fantastic if you have osteoporosis (or to help prevent it)
For those who haven’t been diagnosed with osteoporosis, Pilates is an excellent way to reduce your risk. Its low-impact nature makes it a prime choice for those over 50 who want to stay active and independent as they age.
Joseph Pilates developed his methods with the intention of achieving total muscle balance throughout the entire musculature. Whether someone has osteoporosis or not, this muscular balancing benefits people greatly as they get older because their bones are less likely to break from weak areas while being strengthened all over due to increased strength training. This is even more beneficial for those with osteoporosis as the low impact exercises strengthen the whole body without risking injury (though if you are concerned, a 1-2-1 session may be preferable).
Pilates can make you more flexible
Pilates is a great workout for people who want to improve and maintain their range of motion because it concentrates on stretching the muscles used during physical activities. This type of activity will work by lengthening these muscle groups so they are less likely to be tight over time from not being stretched regularly enough.
It also improves posture by lengthening tight muscle groups in the front of your body while strengthening weak ones on the side and back of your torso – all without straining any one particular area too much!
We’ve seen how pilates is one of the best low-impact workouts for people over 50, and it can be great at preventing falls and injuries in later life. It might also help if you have osteoporosis or back pain too! If that sounds like something you want to try, why not book a class now? I am a fully qualified instructor and will show you all the correct moves so there’s no need to worry about getting injured. I even run more gentle classes especially for those over 50. Book yourself onto a class or one-on-one session now and enjoy the benefits today!