With the Christmas holidays quickly approaching everyone is searching for the perfect gift for a loved one or that special someone. There are plenty of choices to pick from (jewelry, clothing, the latest technology etc..) but why not give the gift of Pilates this holiday season instead! It could make the perfect gift that could potentially be life changing.
Still not sure if your loved one would enjoy Pilates or how they could benefit? Well short answer is anyone and everyone can benefit from Pilates and although that doesn't narrow it down for you, here is an example of a variety people it would benefit.
1) Those who suffer from low back pain
Pilates is often recommended to help ease back pain. Pilates works to strengthen the core (which isn't just abs, the core also includes muscles that run down your spine and the pelvic floor muscles) which will in turn help support the spine and allow you to do everyday movements a little bit easier. Gentle stretching is also done in class which definitely contributes to a healthy and happy back! Make sure they consult with a health care professional before engaging in any exercise program.
2) Those looking to get flexible
Speaking of stretching, we get lots of clients who do Pilates to gain their flexibility and mobility in their joints. Pilates focuses on the alignment of the body, so as we do focus on strengthening we also want to make sure we counteract it by stretching the body through the front, back and sides, ensuring our body is ready for movement for any part of our day! Over a series of weeks, there will be a noticeable improvement in the way the body moves and responds to certain activities that the individual may be doing for a long time.
3) Those looking to stay in shape with low impact movement
One of the greatest reasons why Pilates can be beneficial to anyone is because it doesn't require high impact movement that can commonly cause sore and uncomfortable joints. Pilates matwork requires mainly body weight (unless used with a prop to add resistance) and does a variety of exercises either on your back, belly, side or standing. The Reformer provides resistance with low impact for the joints. It allows you to develop strength without having to exert yourself to complete the exercise. Pilates is very safe and gentle for the body but don't let that fool you! A Pilates workout is no joke and you'll leave the class every week feeling like you got an incredible workout.
4) The athletes in your family
Pilates is excellent for any athletes (whether they're runners, triathletes, figure skaters, synchro swimmers, etc..) as it focuses on balancing and aligning the body. Any athlete would know that cross training is crucial for progress and development and if they're having a hard time finding an alternative workout regiment, Pilates would be the perfect fit. We already spoke how Pilates strengthens the core and develops flexibility over time (which is especially important for athletes) but it also helps improve balance (working the deep stabilizing muscles), align the body (such that when performing the movements, the body is performing the correct firing patterns) and reduces the risk of injury.
5) Those who have labour intensive jobs and/or have a computer job.
For those whose job requires repetitive movement, heavy lifting or lack of movement at all (computer jobs), Pilates will go a long way for a more enjoyable working life. With jobs like these, it's important to do unilateral exercises to balance out the muscles in the body but also to focus on body alignment and decrease the amount of bad posture habits gained while at work. If the job is labour intensive and requires heavy lifting, then developing core strength will be beneficial. If the job requires sitting at a desk for most of the day, core strengthening is also beneficial to help support the spine but also to reduce any chances of headaches or tightness in the neck, shoulders and low back. Overall,Pilates is designed to improve your posture, therefore making activities you love more enjoyable.
At A Lyrical Body Pilates, we offer barre, bootcamp, ELDOA, stretching and mat/reformer classes and not to exclude private sessions as well (reformer tower is available for this service), therefore a gift card to our studio can go a long way! If you're looking for more information, feel free to email us at [email protected] or call us at 905-631-2300.
In the spirit of giving this holiday season, we decided to sponsor a local family in need and could use your help but more on that next week so stay tuned!
ᐧ