Why Pilates Is Becoming One of the Most Recommended Forms of Rehabilitation

You've heard "pilates princess" more times than you can count in the last five years, especially if you are a woman between the ages of 30-50. Reels have popped up out of nowhere showing seemingly easy moves that make even visually-strong people shake.

So what's the deal? Why is Pilates having it's moment in the sun?

Because that is where we think Pilates should have always been.

At Solmira, we believe that Pilates is the foundational exercise that combines strength training, flexibility & mobility, and rehabilitation of movement patterns - all to help us not only feel better about ourselves, but to live better within our own bodies.

What is Pilates?

You can blame dancers for the popularization of Contrology, the original name of the unique method of exercise developed by Joseph Pilates and his wife in the early 1900s (renamed Pilates after its founder mid-century). When they opened their studio in New York, featuring a new methodology of exercise that combined Pilates's experience with boxing, dance, gymnastics, and yoga - dancers and choreographers flocked to work with him to restore proper movement, recover from injury, and find strength in their technique.

The philosophy is in the original name: control(ogy). Pilates is control. Control of breathing to connect the mind with the powerhouse (your pelvic floor). Control of movement with preciseness and deliberate pace. Control of your muscle movement instead of gravity being the driver of an exercise.

Pilates was always primed to be a rehabilitative superstar due to the control required to gracefully execute the movements - whether on the mat, a reformer, or the other apparatus designed to amplify the Pilates method.

The ABCs of Pilates

Breathing for Wellness

Pilates uses breath as the driver of movement. By emphatically exhaling, you not only cleanse your body, but you also engage your pelvic floor (deep core) and create space and strength for connection. Timing your breath creates a graceful flow that can transition into everyday movement.

Core Stability & Strength

Your core is everything in Pilates. While fitness influencers chase abs, Pilates chases stability. The key is they go hand in hand. Strength builds size and abs and uses targeted exercise. However, without stability - the ability of the deep core to control spinal/hip movement - the strength of abs does not protect you from injury or discomfort.

Injury Prevention & Back Pain

Anyone who has experienced back pain knows that it is one of the most debilitating pains out there - cervical discomfort leads to headaches and tension; thoracic pain restricts movement and breathing; lumbar and sacral (hip area) dysfunction can interrupt your entire life.

Pilates is movement for not only exercise, but for rehabilitation and prevention. With the slow intentionality of each move, we are reprogramming our brains for better movement and building the stability and strength that support that movement throughout our everyday lives.

Reformer v. Fitness Pilates

Those reels that are popping up on your FYP? Most often those are fitness Pilates examples. Reformer Pilates, which lends to more control and guided movement is perfect for rehabilitation. Fitness Pilates is great for getting a hard workout in, but without the guidance of the spring-loaded resistance to help with the mind-body connection, improper patterns of movement can be reinforced, amplified, or even lead to injury.

This is where the PEOPLE behind the Pilates matters.

At Solmira, not only do our instructors have decades of Pilates, Dance, Barre, and other movement methods under their belts, they also have a rehab-focused view of how to utilize Pilates to increase functional strength and mobility in everyday life.

Even better? Our PT and Chiropractor use Pilates to rehabilitate and train patients. It is not uncommon to see all of our practitioners utilizing the equipment across the breadth of our offerings.

Try Pilates Today

Ready to try Pilates and get back to moving better than ever? Reach out to hello@solmirawellness.com to get in on our 3-pack of private instruction to help you get familiar with the equipment and learn the methodology to prepare for group classes OR continue with your private instruction.