Pilates Benefits After 10 Sessions

Pilates has been around for over a century, but it’s really taken off in the last several years. As its popularity has grown, so has the research on it, especially regarding its benefits. Pilates delivers many health benefits in as few as 10 sessions. In 2010 MayoClinic.com reported that Pilates improves core stability, posture and balance, and it can even help prevent and treat back pain. The low-impact strength-training exercises that a Pilates routine uses focus primarily on strengthening the core, building muscular strength from your center out, and increasing endurance to help with everyday activities.

  1. Flexibility and Balance

    • One of the most significant benefits of practicing Pilates is improved flexibility and balance, which result from the stability-driven core exercises performed each session. In a 2011 study detailed in "Asian Journal of Sports Medicine," participants who practiced Pilates twice weekly for eight weeks showed a dramatic improvement in flexibility after just four weeks, or eight sessions. Balance is also positively affected by regular Pilates exercise, as the symmetrical movements strengthen your core and back to help align and center your body.

    Endurance and Strength

    • Because Pilates uses strength-based exercises, muscular endurance is also affected. The exercises rely on resistance from body weight or other equipment, working and strengthening your muscles as you complete the movements. Breathing technique, which is another focus of Pilates, is also important for increased endurance. Concentrating on steady breathing with deep inhales and exhales as you perform the exercises will deliver more oxygen to your body, feeding your muscles and reducing fatigue. After 10 sessions, you’ll feel stronger and able to perform the exercises more easily.

    Posture

    • Pilates has also been shown to help improve posture with its core-strengthening moves. When you practice Pilates, you exercise with a neutral spine, meaning that the natural curves of your back are maintained. This results in a properly aligned spine, pelvis and skull. The exercises also strengthen your core muscles, which support the spinal column and contribute to good posture. Even just one session of Pilates can put you on the path to better posture, as each movement relies on an elongated and fully supported spine. Within a few sessions, you should find yourself practicing better posture naturally as you gain strength and a subconscious awareness of the correct way to sit, stand and lie down.

    Reduced Back Pain

    • Regular Pilates practice can help reduce pain as well, especially in the lower back. Maintaining good posture and strong core muscles can help reduce pain and increase back health. Pilates strengthens key muscle groups that can have an impact on back pain, and the routine also teaches people how to achieve postural symmetry, reducing tension on joints and discs. The hips and shoulders, which connect at either end of the spinal column, are also strengthened by Pilates exercises, helping to ease stress on the back. Although it may take more time to eliminate pain altogether, even a few sessions of Pilates can begin to make a difference on lower-back discomfort.