Will Pilates help me to get more flexible?
Yes it certainly can! Wanting to be more flexible is one of the many reasons that people start Pilates and it is a great reason!
As physiotherapist we often hear people say they feel stiff, tight or a bit creaky! These feelings can nuisance and in some people can really limit the quality of their lives.
Feeling stiff is a normal short term response to injury or vigorous exercise. But in some cases it can go on much longer. They are lots of causes for feeling stiff. The feeling is often associated with repetitive movements, poor posture, not enough exercise and stress. Sometimes it is associated with joint changes like arthritis. If you have ongoing stiffness it is a good idea to get checked out by your GP or physiotherapist. They will take a full history and do some physical tests. Your physiotherapist will look at things like your joint range of movement, muscle length and muscle tone as well as more general muscle function and balance. Knowing what is causing the feeling of stiffness will help your medical professional tailor a treatment programme for you.
Flexibility exercises will help ease stiffness.
What are the benefits of flexibility exercises
Exercise is important to so many aspects of our health. Any safe exercise that gets us out of our chairs and moving, will benefit our body and minds.
Flexibility exercises are targeted activities that improve the ability of a joint and muscle to maintain the movement necessary for daily tasks and physical activity. Exercises like Pilates! Flexibility exercises can help ease feelings of stiffness, help to improve the range of movement of a joint and the ability of a muscle to lengthen and strengthen.
Where joint and muscle stiffness are contributing to pain, flexibility exercises can be really effective at easing these symptoms.
Being more flexible as we age helps us to keep active and reduced our risk of falls.
Having the flexibility needed for our sports, hobbies and day to day lives can reduce the risk of injury and improve sporting performance.
How will Pilates help me get more flexible?
Pilates exercises are all about lean strength; stretching our bodies whilst strengthening.
But at Pop up Pilates our classes go one step further, we can tailor the exercises just for you!
As your physiotherapist gets to know you they will be assessing how you move. They will look at what range your joints move through, how your muscles lengthen, whether you hold yourself in different postures because of muscle imbalances and much more. Then they help you tackle your weaknesses. Exercise on exercise, week on week they will help you improve your musculoskeletal health.
Your physio will plan your course around your needs and those of the others in your class, and then personalise it for you. If your hamstrings are tight and stopping you from moving your back, your physiotherapist will tailor your exercises to help you improve on it. They will support you one-to-one in your technique so that your exercises are maximally effective.
What about core strengthening?
Don’t worry this will still be a big part of our work together. Every week is a complete and balanced work out, focusing on building core stability, flexibility and movement balance. Classes last around 1 hour and include warm up, balance and stretching work and a cool down as well as a resistance programme to help you strengthen up. We work on all the key muscle groups as we look at our health through the lens of flexibility to improve our muscle balance.
How will this look?
No class is the same because no clients are. Nor are our physiotherapists. Whilst each programme will look different, this term the course themes will include:
Week 1: Understanding (or recapping) the key elements of Pilates. The foundations of the Pilates method that will underpin your programme.
Week 2: Mobility exercises, this might include some release work for stiff spines and necks
Week 3: Static stretches, long stretches for tight muscles.
Week 4: Dynamic stretches. These are movements that help muscles to release and lengthen.
Week 5: Myofascial release work. Looking at the slings and connective tissue for a more holistic appropriate to flexibility
Week 6: Functional stretches to help us with flexibility for every day movements and activities.
Week 7: Dynamic stretches and strength training focusing on movement control
Week 8: Recapping all of the above in the context of any muscle imbalance or pain you might have
Exploring flexibility exercises more:
You can find more information on getting fitter here:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/
https://www.csp.org.uk/professional-clinical/professional-guidance/public-health-physical-activity/supporting-patients-1
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/strength-and-flexibility-exercises/strength-exercises/
https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/get-active/home-workout-videos/