5 Reasons Every Mum Should Try Pilates

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Without a doubt, Pilates definitely helps create a stronger core and improved pelvic floor function, but there are so many other reasons you should include Pilates into your weekly workouts.

Boosts Self Confidence

 Most mums are often sleep-deprived, stressed, and unsure of themselves, particularly first-time mums. The overwhelming pressure to get back to pre-baby body shape can be an impossible goal that leaves many of us feeling deflated, out of control and extremely self-conscious of our new shape. A well designed Pilates program like our Balanced Body Pilates can help renew your confidence by helping you re-connect with your body through awareness, balance and strength technique. This will help you take on your daily demanding tasks with ease and feel more in control of situations and less worried about losing the baby weight. With a better mind-body harmony you will start to appreciate your mummy body for it’s amazing abilities and realise its uniqueness and amazing power. This simple change in thinking will boost self-confidence and enhance motivation. As a mum, this sense of self-confidence and self-belief is the most important gift you can pass on to your children.

Brings Your Whole Body Back into Alignment

 Reintegrating the body after pregnancy is key to avoid pain and injury while caring for your baby. Postural alignment changes due to a shift in centre of gravity from the growing baby leaves most new mums with an over-arched lower back posture and sometimes nerve pain into the legs. This in addition to the rounded shoulder and hunched upper back from the weight of the breasts and carrying baby, alters normal spinal alignment. Pilates carefully corrects and develops a well-ordered link between the shoulders, hips and spine to produce optimal total body positioning and movement patterns.

Removes Aches and Pains

So much of our time as a new mum is spent sitting feeding or watching our sleeping baby, especially in the early months. As humans we were not meant to spend most of the day sitting. This sedentary lifestyle not only leads to serious health issues, but a prolonged slouched seated position can cause poor spinal health, nerve impingement, muscle weakness and painful imbalances. Pilates can help correct these imbalances by flexing the spine and strengthening the muscles that support it. Learning how to engage the correct muscles during our normal daily activities will ensure a majority of aches and pains disappear. Balance Body Pilates educates mums on correct firing patterns and alignment techniques when cooking, putting bub in the cot or car or simply brushing your teeth. We focus on the attention required in doing the exercises that changes your awareness when performing your everyday activities.

Increases Brain Function 

How many mums complain about ‘mummy brain’? The sleepless nights, hormonal changes, and groundhog days surely have an impact on how fast we process information. Well, becoming one with your body by way of thinking about how you’re moving can help create better brain connections. It’s harder to zone out in Pilates than it is when you go for a walk because you have to focus on the muscles and the breath.  Pilates requires full body engagement, unlike other exercises that focus on one muscle group at a time. Your entire body is working with each exercise as you consciously work your inner thighs, glutes, quads, shoulders, back and core. 

De-Stresses the Mind

 And perhaps the best benefit of Pilates is that it requires so much focus and attention as you concentrate on the each move and line up the breath with the exercise that you won’t have time to worry about any of the stresses in your life. Focusing and being present in the moment will help all your to-do lists melt away from your mind. That one hour will focus entirely and solely on you. It will leave you refreshed, relaxed, reinvigorated and most of all de-stressed!

Register for Balanced Body – Labrador Community (Mondays or Thurs 7:30pm)

Register for Mums & Bubs Pilates – Hope Island (Thurs 8:30am)

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