The benefits of joining our Pilates classes in Winchester:
- Longer, leaner muscles
- Core strength & stability
- Injury prevention
- Relief from stress & back pain
- Better posture
- Improved balance & coordination
- Enhanced athletic performance
- Effective post-rehabilitation
- Heightened mind-body awareness
- Increased self-confidence
What is Pilates?
Originally called Contrology, Joseph Pilates pioneered this unique training system in the 1920’s to combine the mental focus and specific breathing of yoga with the physicality of gymnastics and other sports to create something entirely new. Favoured by physiotherapists, Pilates aims to train you optimally in strength, flexibility and endurance, without risking injury or building bulk; with a focus on core stability, including pelvic and shoulder stabilisation, natural (neutral) spinal alignment and a breathing technique. Pilates helps to restore the natural curves of the spine, relieve tension and enhance self-confidence. The result: a balanced and aligned body that looks fit, feels revitalised and moves with ease.
So what is core stability? It’s the effective use of the core muscles in your trunk/torso and pelvis to help stabilise the spine, allowing you to move more freely and safely both when doing exercise and also in your day to day life.
“What is balance of body and mind……….conscious control of all muscular movements” (Joseph Pilates)
In Pilates, a structured breathing technique is an effective tool that is meant to enhance and eas your movements, as a general rule you inhale to prepare and exhale as we execute the movement, particularly through the more difficult parts. There are no mindless moments in Pilates, you need to focus your mind at the task in hand, trying to conduct an internal dialogue directing your body through the exercise, likewise moving with control with aid your development. You need to learn how to centre your body as you move. Your centre is the wide band of midsection from your naval around to your lower back, from your lower ribs to just below your buttocks (your core). So no leg or arm movement should be executed without a strong ‘centre’. Each move will be performed with the utmost precision possible for you at that time, in focus and form. Each movement should have a continuous flow avoiding fragmented or jerky motions.
Often performed on different specialised apparatus, at Redwood we train you on the mat but include lots of smaller equipment such as foam rollers, arc barrels, fitballs, hand weights, fitness circles and resistance bands to challenge you both mentally and physically.
How can it help me?
If you are looking for a form of exercise, and an enjoyable pastime, that will make you feel good, then Pilates could be for you. It’s a unique system of body conditioning that stretches and strengthens the muscles as well as improving flexibility, balance, breathing, posture and alignment. Pilates is a perfect combination with another form of exercise, such as running,cycling and golf, even gym-based weight training. But it is also a great form of exercise if those others are not performed. It will give you a greater sense of wellbeing, you’ll feel revitalised as you leave your class and you will take the principles away with you and involved them in your day to day life. Most of the main benefits are listed above but you’ll also increase circulation and muscle tone, improve your respiratory and lymphatic systems, improve bone density, relieve pain, stiffness and tension, exercises muscles without risking pain, tears, strains or jarred joints and most of all it is suitable for anyone, regardless of age or level of fitness.