There are many types of low-impact workouts available for beginners and fitness experts. One option that provides a healthy and fun workout with a variety of benefits is reformers pilates. You have probably heard of pilates before, but reformer pilates takes a different approach to provide a variety of benefits. Check out these seven reformer pilates benefits that can help you live a healthier life.
What is Reformer Pilates
Reformer pilates is a variation of traditional pilates that uses a reformer machine to help control your workout. The machine allows you to control the resistance while moving on a track or holding yourself in place. It can be used either standing, sitting, or even upside down. If you are new to reformer pilates, you can look for reformer pilates classes and simply look for gyms with reformers pilates machines.
How is Reformer Pilates Different From Other Forms of Pilates
The most known version of pilates is mat pilates which uses your own muscles to create a sense of control and improve posture. In both forms of pilates, you use slow, controlled movements to increase muscle tone and body posture. However, reformer pilates uses a system of springs to create resistance. Mat pilates is done on the floor using only your muscles for control.
Full-Body Workout
One of the top reformer pilates benefits is the ability for it to provide a full-body workout. As you work through different exercises, your body is consistently put through different resistance positions that are designed to focus on each part of the body. This can be especially beneficial for improving posture, strength, and body alignment.
Improve Control
Reformer pilates can help you improve control over your workout and your body. The machine can help provide you with that little bit of extra resistance that will allow you to find a better balance between working your muscles and controlling them. It also allows you to have more control over the amount of resistance you are putting on your body. Only you can know exactly what your body is feeling and how to adjust. Listen to your body and start at a resistance level that is healthy for you.
Provides Variety for Your Muscles
In any workout, you don’t want to continually work the same muscles over and over again. Even in strength training, you change it up every day and cycle through workouts. The same is true with reformer pilates. There are endless possibilities in terms of workouts that can be performed on a reformer machine meaning that you can continually provide variety for your muscles. Reformer pilates classes can help you learn the best ways to cycle through workouts for your body.
Low-Impact
Another one of the top reformer pilates benefits is the fact that it is low impact. Many people avoid working out because they do not want to do anything high impact. This might be because their body legitimately can not handle it or because they know they will not stick to a high-intensity workout. These are both completely valid reasons to avoid high-intensity fitness, luckily, low-intensity workouts work too.
Reformer pilates reduces the impact on your joints and muscles allowing you to tone your muscles, improve posture, and realign your body without causing any pain or damage to your muscles, ligaments, or bones. It is especially beneficial for individuals who have had an injury in the past, suffer from inflammation, or have joint pain.
Improves Range of Motion
Another benefit is that it can be great for people who are looking to increase their range of motion. There are many reasons why someone may have limited range of motion. Common reasons include injury, repetitive motion due to a job or habit, or limited physical activity over an extended period of time.
Most of the time, you can’t just jump back into physical activity and expect to get full range of motion right away. It takes time to make improvements to your body and range of motion can be especially difficult to get back. Reformer pilates gently improves range of motion by creating resistance in the muscles that improve joint health and strengthen ligaments and tendons. This can be especially beneficial for individuals that are recovering from a surgery or injury with the proper care.
Improves Posture
Posture can have a huge impact on physical health from muscle and joint health to bone health and even respiratory and circulation health. By making your muscles create resistance naturally using your own body to stretch and strengthen itself, you can actually improve your posture in surprising ways. There are workouts that you can perform to focus on specific muscle groups that are designed to improve your posture. This might be areas such as your lower back, knees and thighs, or shoulders.
Improves Mental Health
Finally, reformer pilates can help to improve mental health. There are several ways that this occurs. The first is through the release of hormones and chemicals in the brain due to increased physical activity. When this happens, people are more likely to feel energized and see improvements in mood. This is particularly helpful for individuals who suffer from depression and anxiety.
Another mental health benefit happens due to the concentration required to maintain slow, controlled movements during the reformer pilates. This improves cognitive function and focus. It can also help people destress due to the rest it gives your mind from external stressors.
Finally, many people experience an improved sense of self-confidence due to clarity in the mind, improved muscle tone and overall health, and even through new connections. When you work out in a group such as reformer pilates classes, you are more likely to feel motivated and recognize the progress you are making through the experience.
If you’re looking for gyms with reformer pilates, check out Element Fitness, one of the top 24-hour gyms in Nunawading. We provide reformer pilates classes and 24/7 access to machines for your convenience.
