At a course over the weekend, my mentor said to us ‘pilates is a smart person’s workout’, and it really stuck with me. Why may you ask?
Coordination & Control
Pilates requires you to focus on control and coordination. It’s not about speed and just trying to smash out as many reps as you can do in the shortest possible time frame. It’s graceful and fluid. So we actually use quite a bit of brain power to slow the movement down and focus on the coordination required and the smallest of movements within the overall flow of the exercises.
Mind-body connection
Your instructors will continue to remind you to focus on the control and coordination, and your breathing throughout the class. Often the long list of things you had to do that were on your mind when you entered the room, are forgotten about during class because there’s too much else to think about! For this reason, you may even find it almost meditative. There are a number of concentration points throughout each exercises, and sometimes by shifting this focus, the exercise can change completely and it’s a great way to keep clients on their toes and mixing up the routine.
Focus
As you get more confident and stronger in your classes, your instructor may start to give you more advanced exercises that will require more focus not only in coordination and control, but also in balance and strength.
The concentration required in a class is great, particularly if you are mastering different exercises in each class. A great instructor will keep you on your toes so that not only is your body responding to the changing movements and load, but your mind is also strengthening in focus, control and patience.
If you haven’t tried a class yet, we’d encourage you to come in and give it a go. Mind and body workout here you come!!!
