FIVE REASONS WHY I DO PILATES
My name is Gina and I run Be:Poised Pilates Ltd. I’ve been teaching Pilates since 2018, and practicing Pilates for so many years I have lost count! I teach Pilates because I truly believe in the method and its benefits. Each person will find their own key benefits from regular Pilates practice.
Here are my top 5 reasons why I regularly practice Pilates…
1 - FOR THAT HAPPY PILATES BUZZ
The Pilates Studio is my happy place. A great Pilates workout leaves me feeling epic, ready to take on the world! There is an incredible sense of achievement whenever your body manages to do something it couldn’t do before. Even when I feel as if I’m too tired or too busy, I know that as soon as I get myself into the studio and get moving I will feel so much better for it. Pilates is a great reminder that my body can be strong, and capable.
2 - TO HELP EASE PESKY ACHES AND PAINS
Back in the early days of my career I trained vocationally as a dancer. The rigorous training schedule left me with a couple of injuries that sadly were ultimately career ending. Many years later, in 2021, I then sustained an upper body injury from a fall. Whilst all of the the acute injuries resolved over time, all of these areas can still get a bit cranky at times - especially if I don’t pay my body enough attention. I also know that times of physical or mental stress can lead me to carry tension in my body. Pilates offers me a way to get rid of all those aches and pains and to keep them at bay. My body feels so much better since I have been practicing Pilates regularly and this has had a massive impact on my quality of life.
3 - TO HELP MANAGE MY ENDOMETRIOSIS SYMPTOMS
I have endometriosis. It sucks, and it causes a lot of pain throughout my whole body. If I let it, my endometriosis can leave me feeling pretty crappy and not wanting to leave the comfort of my bed at times. However through Pilates I can better manage my symptoms. This means listening to my body and tailoring the type of Pilates workout I do depending on how my body is feeling and where I am in my cycle. This is one of the amazing things about Pilates, it is so easy to tailor it to meet how your body is feeling. I might move differently, pace things differently or focus on different apparatus depeneding on how my body feels and what I need to help it feel better when my endo is getting the better of me. There are various different methods by which I try to manage my endometriosis - Pilates forms a very important and effective part of this for me.
4 - TO MAKE ME A BETTER TEACHER
My amazing trainer and mentor Jo Cobbe of Pilates Ltd always says “never trust a Pilates teacher that doesn’t do Pilates!”. It’s true. By doing the work I get a much deeper appreciation of how to teach the work. It doesn’t matter how long I have been practicing Pilates, there is always more to learn, more to discover - and therefore more that I can bring into my teaching.
5 - TO STAY STRONG AND CAPABLE NOW, AND IN THE FUTURE
At the time of writing this blog I am 42 years old. I am becoming increasingly aware of the need to invest time now to keep me feeling good into later life. I want to have the strength and energy to enjoy my later years. To be able to get on the floor and play with my child now, and with my future grandchildren in years to come. To continue to do the things I love and not feel limited by declining strength, mobility or energy levels. When I work out now I know that I am setting the foundations that will help me to still feel strong and able in future. A very important investment!
These are just 5 of the many reasons why I practice Pilates. How about you ? Why do you practice Pilates? I would love to hear your reasons in the comments.