Pilates is named after its developer Joseph Pilates. During the 1920s he was plagued with physical problems and developed a set of movements and exercises to promote healthy wellbeing. Pilates wanted to help other people achieve physical health as well and shared his exercises with many people. He believed everyone could benefit from doing these exercises.
Those who practice Pilates believe it offers more than just physical strength, however. Stress relief is considered one of Pilates’ benefits. Here are a few possible reasons as to why and how Pilates offers stress relief and wellbeing.
Pain Relief
Pain in and of itself causes stress. Chronic pain can be stressful to the point of debilitation. Joseph Pilates made the bold claim that he never needed an aspirin, and suggested that others who practiced his exercises wouldn’t need any, either. While that radical a claim may not be for everyone, it does lend credence to the idea that Pilates relieves pain.
Pilates promotes body alignment and core muscle strength, as well as flexibility. Pilates also works toward “spine lengthening.” This may explain why such exercises can relieve pain.
Many practitioners in the wellness community chalk chronic pain up to the body’s misalignment, often aggravated or caused by tense muscles. They say that muscle tension can pull bones and joints (especially the spine) out of their correct positions. The body then tries to compromise with more muscle tension to pull the bones back where they belong. With its emphasis on relaxing the strengthening muscles, then, you can see how Pilates could relieve pain.
Cardiovascular Health
Circulation is reputed to be enhanced by the practice of Pilates. Perhaps this benefit could lower blood pressure and other stress-induced cardiovascular problems that, when left unaddressed, can be deadly. Healthy circulation can go a long way toward an overall sense of wellbeing.
Muscle Relaxation
As stated previously, stretching and muscle relaxation is a key tenet of Pilates. The exercises are said to elongate muscles and increase strength as well as flexibility. As the body experiences stress during the day, flexibility and relaxed muscles can help deal with those stresses in a healthy way, before the impact takes hold of the muscles and gets the body out of whack.
A strong-yet-flexible state of body can also affect the mind the same way – strong but flexible. That’s the ideal state of mind and body for a sense of wellbeing.
