How Pilates Transforms Your Body with Dynamic Stretching
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We often hear that stretching is good for us and most of us want to feel more flexible. But why? What are the actual health benefits of having ‘stretchier’ muscles? In this blog, we'll explore the symbiotic relationship between stretching and Pilates, delving into how a holistic approach to flexibility can transform the way our bodies move.
Most of us are aware that the goal of stretching is to improve our flexibility. This helps us achieve our muscles’ optimal length and improve the mobility of our joints, which in turn, allows us to move more freely with good posture. Flexibility is a vital part of overall health and wellbeing.
The need to spend time on improving our flexibility is particularly beneficial due to effects of modern day living. As a population, we spend a large proportion of our day sitting down and as a result our muscles can become chronically shortened over time. It is a case of ‘use it or lose it’ and if we lose range of movement this can lead us to feeling stiff or inflexible and moving our bodies less efficiently.
We achieve optimal flexibility through a combination of static (aka passive) stretching and dynamic (aka active) stretching. Static stretching is where we hold a position for a prolonged period of time. We often do these stretches after a bout of exercise, for example after a run or a fitness class in order to return our muscles to their normal length having being contracted during our exercise session.
The focus of Pilates is on dynamic stretching, which involves active movements and muscle engagement to mobilise and lengthen muscles and joints in a variety of ranges of movement. It is referred to as ‘active’ because the stretch relies on the contraction of opposing muscle groups to create tension in order to lengthen the target muscles. The movements affect tight muscles and fascia, gradually increasing their elasticity and range of motion over time. Pilates focusses on moving individual joints in all different fascial lines in order to truly improve its flexibility. Humans have an ideal range of movement at every joint and whilst the majority of us want to maximise our mobility, some people are hypermobile, meaning they can move into ranges which go further than is ideal. Therefore, in Pilates we focus on working to the ideal range rather than ‘as far as possible’.
The Benefits of good flexibility
Enhanced Range of Motion
Pilates emphasises flowing, controlled movements that take the body through their full range of motion. By elongating the muscles we allow for greater freedom and ease of movement in our daily activities and athletic pursuits
Increased Joint Mobility
Active stretching helps to lubricate the joints and improve their mobility by moving them through a full range of motion. This helps to maintain our overall joint health, especially as we age
Improved Posture and Alignment
Flexibility and posture go hand in hand. By lengthening tight muscles, releasing tension, and correcting muscular imbalances, we can achieve better posture and alignment
Injury Prevention
Flexibility plays a crucial role in injury prevention by reducing the risk of muscle strain, sprain, and overuse injuries. By improving flexibility in key muscle groups, Pilates helps to alleviate muscle imbalances and asymmetries that can contribute to injury. Additionally, increased flexibility promotes better joint mechanics and proper biomechanical alignment, reducing the strain on joints and soft tissues during movement
Better Performance
Whether you're an athlete, dancer or weekend warrior, flexibility is essential for optimal performance in any physical activity
Daily Movements
The more we can get varied movements into each and every day, the better, so taking opportunities for natural movement more frequently is really beneficial. Pilates helps us by taking our bodies into movements which we may not do in everyday life.
Daily Movements for good flexibility include spinal flexion, extension, rotation and lateral flexion. We try to incorporate these movements into every Pilates class we teach.
By embracing the principles of dynamic stretching in Pilates, you can unlock your body's full potential, moving with grace, ease, and freedom. So, roll out your mat, take a deep breath and enjoy the movements.