These 12 benefits of Pilates will make you want to take up the practice –

Pilates is a technique that uses your own body weight to perform movements, and works on concentration, strength and mobility. The method was created by the German Joseph Pilates, and soon became a success in Brazil – and around the world. And rightly so: it is considered one of the most complete exercises, as it works the body as a whole!

Check out all the benefits that practice can provide:

Benefits of Pilates

– (Natália Lima/Disclosure)

Better posture and less back pain

“One of the main causes of bad posture is a sedentary lifestyle. It causes us to lose the flexibility of the body, generating incorrect movements and contributing a lot to the pain”, explains Natália Lima, Pilates Instructor and founder of Tatva Space.

“Unlike other activities, Pilates uses movements that require flexibility during the exercises, which promotes an effective stretching of muscles and tendons”, continues the specialist.

Pilates is famous for emphasizing the core – the core of the body made up of muscles that, when properly strengthened, support and stabilize the spine.

Remembering that a strengthened core also means less discomfort in the back and hips.

Pilates works every muscle in the body equally. Thus, there are no muscle imbalances – a risk factor for injuries.

Stress and tension relief

It’s already known that doing physical activity regularly can stimulate the production of hormones known to generate the feeling of well-being – such as serotonin. With Pilates, it’s no different.

Lung function development

One of the bases of the practice is proper breathing during the execution of the movements. Point for the lung!

more body awareness

Paying attention to the structures activated in each exercise is also fundamental in Pilates. Thus, you will gain more and more body awareness.

Of course, the activity also strengthens regions other than the core — buttocks, legs and arms, for example, can be worked on.

Another benefit of sports in general is making us more energetic during the day.

“Pilates strengthens the deepest muscles”, clarifies Natália Lima. And that even includes those present in the pelvic floor, which is important to prevent urinary incontinence and increase sexual pleasure!

Studies suggest that Pilates can help people sleep better, especially for people under 40. Furthermore, another survey found that postpartum women benefit from more restful sleep by adding Pilates to their weekly routine.

Enhanced performance in other sports

“More and more high-performance athletes are looking for Pilates to increase their performance”, says the specialist.

Anyone who thinks that the activity is easy is very wrong. Some moves are quite challenging and require your balance.