A few months back, ABS-CBN Lifestyle let me and my ONELIFE squad share “8 Reasons Why Pilates Works” for us. Here’s our short video talking about the studio and Pilates:

If you’ve been curious about Pilates and been trying to find reasons why you should finally give it a try, here’s a recap of why it’s been the top workout choice for us:

1. WORK, CORE, WORK!
   When you do Pilates, you are never not using your centre. I’ve found that when I do other workouts, I tend to focus on isolated muscle groups and that it’s only during Pilates that I consciously integrate core work to support the movements to be done by the rest of my body.

   

2. GOODBYE BACKPAIN
   Multiple international researches have hailed Pilates as one of the most effective methods to relieve lower back pain for good. Lower back pain is usually caused by a weak core, tight legs, or misaligned hips and since Pilates focuses on developing core strength and improving the alignment of the pelvis and the rest of the spine, you’ll learn to counter the effects of bad movement habits and you can slowly kiss lower back pain goodbye!
   

   

3. NO PRESSURE
   The Pilates reformer is an amazing equipment. Since the reformer allows you to do a lot of functional exercises lying down, you can take it easy on your joints and your spine. Imagine jumping, squatting, running, and so much more without the impact of moving against gravity. You’ll be surprised how much work you’ll get to do, but without the usual high-impact routine stress.

   

4. BRING SEXY BACK
   I’m sure you’ve heard of the saying “You’re only as young as your spine.” and I’m definitely a big believer of that. I’m now 33 years old and I’m not getting any younger. However, because of Pilates, I’m still able to do a lot of things the younger set could do, and get this – without any pain or injury! The only way to keep the spine strong is to put in the work to develop the muscles that support it and I find that no other workout can work the back like Pilates does. Around the world, Pilates is renowned to be a top choice for rehabilitating back injuries so you can just imagine what it can do for healthy backs! Remember, the healthier your spine, the happier your life.

   

5. WEIGHTLOSS, REALLY!
   It took me some time to finally get it that a big part of achieving true, sustainable weight loss comes from maintaining a healthy muscle tone. When I was younger (and didn’t know better), I thought only doing cardio and being on a calorie restrictive diet can lead to weight loss. However, after being in the industry for a while now and after much study, I realised that a big part of the weight maintenance recipe is having muscles! Yup, the more muscles you build, the more calories you burn (not just during the workout, but even after! Muscles consume much more calories throughout the day). As we get older, we naturally lose muscle tone which means we gotta do more strength work. Pilates is great strength work for both big and small muscles which makes it absolutely perfect for this. That and you don’t have to be intimidated by the usual free weights area at the gym. 🙂

   

6. FOCUS, FOCUS.
   Pilates is amazing Mind+Body work. You just simply can’t zone out especially when you’re working with equipment. Imagine having to do a lunge or a plank on a moving platform; If your mind is not fully in the moment, engrossed in the exercise task at hand, then you’ll definitely have a hard time doing it. Pilates is also a very meticulous workout and coaches will usually guide you through how to tap the smallest, most isolated muscles so you’ll be tuning in for sure.

   

7. POSTURE IS POWER
   The aim of a great Pilates class is always to bring the body back into a balanced posture. There will be work for the core, the back, the legs, the bums, and the arms; It is always a well-rounded workout designed to improve the alignment and the strength of the entire body. A balanced body looks and performs better, don’t you agree?

   

8. PRACTICE FOR LIFE
   I’ve seen people of all ages at the studio doing Pilates and its because Pilates can be regressed or progressed no matter what stage of life you might be in. Pilates is excellent for general fitness, injury rehab and prevention, postural correction, active aging, and even pre and post natal work. So yes, Pilates is a workout you can do forever!

If you haven’t tried Pilates before, I hope this post made you want to give it a shot. If you love this post, I hope you can share it! 🙂