Benefits of Incorporating Pilates Reformer Workouts into Your Fitness Routine
If you are unfamiliar, let’s address the elephant in the room first – What is Pilates?
It is a form of exercise performed either on a mat or a Pilates reformer machine. Here, you perform a succession of controlled movements that flow precisely into one another. Regarding the particular muscles you train with Pilates – it is technically considered a complete body workout.
Pilates Reformer Machine
Pilates exercise movements are structured for targeting your core muscles and work on the entire body. Which includes your:
- Gluteal muscles
- Abdominal muscles
- Lower and upper back muscles
- Hip muscles
- Inner thigh muscles
The goal of Reformer Pilates
The main goal of a Pilates workout is to be in total control of the body while you move. This necessitates starting from your central core muscles and then leveraging the stability these muscles offer to control your legs, arms, and other extremities effectively.
It is, however, no easy feat, and additionally, it makes Pilates an ideal way to build stamina and strength.
Key Advantages of Benefits Reformer Pilates Machine Workout
There are tons of potential benefits of incorporating Pilates Reformer Workouts into your fitness routine, and these include the following:
Toning of Muscles
The reformer Pilates is a complete body workout, it can help in developing a stronger core and tone a range of important muscle groups.
Strength Building
Adding springs to selective movements on a Pilates reformer machine can increase the resistance and even the intensity of a workout, aiming to build strength. In Pilates, you are not using heavy weights like at a gym; however, you will feel the inner strength of the workout after a Pilates session.
Pilates Facilitates Body’s Natural Ability to Burn Fat
To put it out there, Pilates is not the best exercise for burning calories quickly. However, it doesn’t mean it won’t help your body burn fat. The Pilates reformer machine workout builds muscles, which is essential as building muscles ramps up your body’s metabolic rate, and this is how your body is accustomed to burning fat while even being at rest.
Increasing Flexibility
Pilates reformer workouts are known to improve muscle strength in addition to joint mobility and flexibility. It is because most of the Pilates reformer machine workouts incorporate dynamic stretching.
Postural Improvements
The reformer Pilates:
- Supports a Stronger Core
- Realigns Body and Spine
- Promotes Flexibility
All of these combined result in tremendous improvements in the postural alignment.
Promoting Body Awareness and Mindfulness
Another major benefit of Pilates reformer machine workout is that it encourages you to stay in sync with your body as you build strength. The other strength-building exercises, such as weight lifting, revolve around a mentality of pushing your body to its limits. Sometimes, it means that you might be unable to listen to your body, making it likely to ignore important body cues.
Pilates reformer machine workout is another strength training exercise which encourages you to identify and work within your body limits. Furthermore, the Pilates workout also comes with inherent mindfulness and even incorporates a lot of breath work. Both of these can help relieve stress and tension.
Correcting Muscle Imbalances
The Pilates workout always works on opposing muscle groups. A Pilates workout begins with working on a balanced core and then moving to strengthen all sides of the body , and fixing any of the muscle imbalances.
Preventing Injuries
Pilates is ideal for injury prevention. Focusing on posture form and then fixing the muscle imbalances, the Pilates reformer workout builds greater efficiency and balance, which helps prevent injuries in the future.
Final Word
Incorporating the reformer Pilates workout into your daily routine is relatively easy and offers many benefits for your fitness and health. In addition to helping in toning your muscles, a Pilates reformer machine workout also improves your flexibility, reduces stress, and then improves your overall well-being. With only a little guidance and practice, one can incorporate reformer Pilates in their daily fitness routine and start reaping its range of benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some benefits of a Pilates Reformer workout?
A Pilates reformer machine workout can:
- Improve posture
- Enhance Balance
- Build immune system
- Reduce pain
- Boost flexibility
- Reduce injuries in the future
- Work on the betterment of your mood
Is the Reformer Pilates workout strength or cardio?
For a Pilates reformer workout, it is possible to incorporate both cardio and strength elements, thus making it a versatile form of exercise.
How to incorporate Pilates into my fitness workout schedule?
Like cardio, you can perform Pilates and strength training spanning different days. Or, you can even do them on the same day. For doing both on the same day, we recommend lifting your weight first, then gradually transitioning into Pilates. These workouts can help you focus more on muscle gains and flexibility in addition to all the other benefits of a Pilates workout.