A little Pilates a day can keep the doctor at bay

Now more than ever we are being reminded of the importance of looking after our health and wellbeing. Since the beginning of this global pandemic researchers all over the world have been trying to understand what makes people more at risk of the disease, and of developing serious symptoms. Underlying health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes were both identified early as factors that put people in the most at risk categories. Now it is also thought that being seriously overweight makes people more susceptible to Covid-19 and more likely to experience the most severe symptoms.

Looking after our own health can sometimes feel like a chore, making sure we make good choices in our eating and exercise habits. Often this is because we don’t associate doing the healthy thing with feeling good, we haven’t learned to enjoy the foods that do us the most good, haven’t found our exercise mojo or feel our habits are just too ingrained to break. When trying to make any change to a routine it generally helps to start small and build from there. Rather than trying to find several hours a week to exercise maybe try finding just 10 minutes a day to build your new habit.

Most of us know that we should be doing some kind of physical activity that raises the heart rate and increases circulation to help the body rid itself of waste material and toxins that build up in our tissue. Some people love to get stuck-in to tough cardiovascular workouts that really get the heart pumping and the lungs exploding, but it’s not for everyone. When done well a Pilates workout will raise the heart rate and stimulate the circulatory system without it feeling like a grueling ordeal you simply have to get through!. I’ve lost count of the times that clients have said “I can’t believe that was an hour!” at the end of a class as they walk out taller and more energised than when they arrived.

Even those who have found their exercise groove and love to get stuck in to a cardiovascular challenge would benefit from adding a little Pilates to their routine on a regular basis. Sometimes as the cardio challenge increases our form and technique falls short, making us more likely to cause damage to any area of our body we’re not paying attention to. This might result in a sudden acute injury such as a sprain but could also lead to overuse injuries that often take time to show up and can also take longer to recover from.

Joseph Pilates’ intention, when developing his Mat exercises, was that anyone could perform them, at any time, from the comfort of their own home. But it’s a good idea to start your Pilates learning with some help from a professional teacher to set you up with good technique from the beginning. You could start by attending a weekly class, on the mat or apparatus, and take just two or three of the exercises you have learned home with you to practice several times in between your weekly class. You will be amazed at the difference it can make to your body in just 10 minutes a day a few times a week. Several of my clients have reported that aches and pains they have long suffered from have eased in just a couple of sessions! The Pilates method really can make dramatic improvements to your mental and physical health and help you “Return to Life”.