The fitness world has a big rep that if you’re sweating, in pain, and sometimes feel like throwing up, then you’re hitting the gym hard. However, this kind of philosophy can and will scare many away when they want to take it slow but still get a good burn. In fact, it’s totally possible to get a good burning work out in and not feel nauseous and half dead afterwards. No pain, no gain doesn’t have to always apply to exercise. Sometimes your body needs slow and graceful in times of recovery, or perhaps this is what your body prefers all the time.
Exercise is only as useful as people’s willingness to do it. Hard exercise pushes your body to the absolute maximum limit. But if you can only stomach it for a couple of weeks, it’s not going to make a big difference to your overall health.
So what is the solution? Is there a type of exercise you can perform on a daily or weekly basis that your body will appreciate and you will reap benefits from? You need to love your body and treat it well and it will perform well for you.
Pilates
A bit like yoga. It’s the sort of exercise that you’ll actually look forward to doing, day after day. Not only is it great for overall fitness and flexibility, but it’s also an excellent type of exercise for people trying to recover from injury or a setback. Pilates can be beneficial for fitness gyros, young people, older people, pregnant women, postpartum moms, most anybody.
But why pilates? Why is it so beneficial to the body?
Low Stress
Do you ever get that sinking feeling in your stomach when you think about your next spin class or hitting the weights again? Strangely enough, that can be your body’s way of telling you that you’re doing too much. Take a step back. Intense exercise is great, don’t get me wrong. But sometimes your body needs a day or week off. Pilates can be a great “filler” for your week’s off.
The great thing about pilates is that it’s low stress. You never go into a session thinking about the pain that you’re going to have to endure: there’s none of that. Rather, you slowly work your way around all the muscles in your body, stretching and strengthening each. It feels natural and healing to your joints.
Recovering from Injury
Obviously injuries slow you down. And it’s never convenient. After you’ve spoken to your personal injury lawyer, pilates is a great way to rebuild strength and confidence slowly. Pilates still gives you a good sweat and burn, but it’s not stressing the body, muscles or joints. Maybe you just had a baby and you need slow movements to strengthen your body again. Or perhaps you’re recovering from an injury, or maybe you’ve never tried fitness before. Give pilates a try.
Convenient Anywhere, Anytime
Lots of exercises and fitness routines involve equipment and time setting it up. For instance, Mountain biking requires special clothing, tools, and a decent bike. Sometimes, setting up takes longer than the actual exercise itself. We’re busy moms. We don’t have time to waste. If the baby is finally napping, girl you only have 30 minutes or less. Time is precious, so make sure you can get the most out of your exercise without extra stress and inconvenience.
Pilates only requires a mat. You can purchase one right here: yoga mat. Once you got that, you can either take part in a class or just follow instructions on YouTube. It’s that simple.
You can do it anywhere, anytime.
Improves Posture
If you work an office job, then there’s a good chance that you spend most of the day sitting in the same position. Even as a mom, picking up kiddos, bending down, sitting on the floor, or sleeping in toddler beds (because those toddlers refuse to sleep alone) can jack up your back, hips, knees, etc. All of these movements can lead to pain somewhere in the body.
Pilates is a great tool to use to improve posture because it helps strengthen core muscles, especially those in the back. Another positive for moms. A weak core is a real thing and can be the reason for a number of injuries or joint pain. Try to find Pilates regimes that focus on strengthening the hip tensors – a muscle group that’s weakened over time by chronic sitting down.
Pilates is supportive and strengthening without stressing the body. Give it a try. Especially for you mamas, lack of sleep and time can leave you stressed and over exhausted. Intense working out can often hurt your body more. Ease into a rhythmic flow and soon enough your body will thank you for treating it gracefully.
