Today’s post gets personal! I am often asked “HOW DO YOU STAY IN SHAPE?” With beach season upon us, I wanted to share my answer. Besides healthy eating, tennis, running around after 2 young boys, and globetrotting the world to create award-winning wines, PILATES has become a huge component of my life.
We put together this list to show you that pilates is an approachable, accessible form of fitness that nearly anyone can do and achieve great results. Below are five of the many reasons why you should make pilates part of your life.
Cheers to our healthier selves!
~ Liana, President and Co-founder of Gooseneck Vineyards
I Still Can’t Believe I Can Do This!
1. Core and Back Strength
Pilates exercises place focus on your “core”—muscles that include your abs, back, hips and spine. Your back and abs become stronger, including smaller muscles that help support your spine and internal organs. Since you’re probably already gearing up for swimsuit season and that beautiful beach vacation, pilates can help you get that long, lean look that slays on the beach or boat!
Liana at Power Pilates Studio – www.powerpilates.com
Were you a dancer before? Umm, no, but please keep asking!
2. Posture
Pilates first debuted as a form of stretching and rehabilitation exercise for dancers and other performing artists almost 100 years ago. The focus is on good posture – core engaged, shoulders back and down, hips square to the front and even with one another. Soon enough, you are walking like you own it and people start asking you if you used to be a professional dancer.
Alexa Pellicane at Landrum School of Performing Arts, www.landrumdance.com
Balancing Through It All
3. Balance
In order to achieve body balance, pilates focuses on both sides of the body. This improves the look of your muscles, as well as help balance your musculature. And that in turn, improves how you move—whether you’re walking, running, riding a bike, or paddle boarding.
Tripp and Samantha Burman, Copyright 2014 Tripp Burman, www.phototripp.com
Must Feel Amazing to be this Agile
4. Flexibility
People who admire the bodies and movements of pilates devotees don’t think they would be able to do pilates, but they’re wrong. Pilates is a form of exercise that improves your flexibility by helping your tendons and ligaments become stronger through stretching.
Sabrina Razizzi of Landrum School of Performing Arts, www.landrumdance.com. Disclaimer: this level of flexibility is not typical. Individual results will vary.
No More Back Pain! Or at least less pain…
5. Helps Eliminate and Alleviate Back Pain
I have quite a few back issues – severe scoliosis, torn ligaments, damaged nerves, titanium fused portion of the spine just to name a few. Pilates has allowed me to lead a very active life, while chasing my 2 little boys and my dreams. My husband, who suffers from several herniated discs, goes twice a week, at 6 o’clock in the morning, after trying it for the first time last year. Pilates improves and strengthens your core and back muscles, which provides stability for the spine. Combined with stretching and breathing exercises, muscles relax, increasing and stabilizing blood flow, which alleviates pain.
