Benefits of Clinical Pilates You Can Expect to See Right Away

What if there was a way to help you get in shape and improve flexibility, all while strengthening the most key muscle groups across your entire body? With Clinical Pilates, you can experience some incredible benefits across the board, many of which can be observed within just one or two sessions with me, Dana, a physiotherapist and pilates instructor. Derived from traditional Pilates, which tends to be more focused on exercise and fitness, Clinical Pilates applies a deep knowledge of the body’s interconnectedness in order to help people overcome pain, improve flexibility, and restore balance and symmetry to the body.

Clinical Pilates is one of the best ways to get started on tackling an ongoing injury or other physical problem, and the best part is you don’t even need to wait too long to start seeing the benefits! Here are five of the most immediate benefits you can expect to see from just a couple of clinical pilates sessions.

1. Body awareness

For some, the idea of being aware of our bodies seems a little redundant.  It’s our body, our physical vessel—of course we’re aware of it! However, Clinical Pilates can be an invaluable tool in helping people really get in touch with their bodies, allowing them to understand the countless systems and mechanisms working in harmony in order to keep you going. 

Because Clinical Pilates is so focused on the natural movement and dynamics of the body, and because I always take the time to educate my clients on the purpose of certain exercises, you’ll start to notice a new awareness about your body in no time. This awareness can help in many ways: not only does it help you to avoid painful or damaging activity, (such as poor posture when standing or sitting) it can also act as a way to emotionally ground yourself, allowing you to live presently and in harmony with your body.

2. Better, more restful sleep

Although the number one goal of Clinical Pilates isn’t to provide a high intensity workout, it’s a workout nonetheless. Like any other exercise program, Pilates will burn calories, meaning you’re spending your physical energy in each system. It’s also a well-rounded exercise, meaning you get the benefits of cardio, strength training, and flexibility training in one process, rather than being forced to split these exercises up. 

The end result is that you’ll likely start to experience better and more restful sleep within your first few sessions with a Clinical Pilates instructor. This is simply because the training takes some hard work, and your body will be happy to expend some energy to do it. When that’s done, you’ll likely feel ready for a good rest at the end of the day, and the quality and length of your sleep will improve as a result.

3. Relief from pain and stiffness

Many people turn to Clinical Pilates as a way to address ongoing physical issues like chronic pain or a lack of mobility. Clinical Pilates incorporates many techniques to help treat these problems, and you’ll likely start to notice the difference within your first handful of sessions. Although the strength-building aspect may take more time to be noticeable, you’ll likely experience some relief from your physical symptoms in no time thanks in part to the stretching and flexibility training.

4. Improved balance and overall physical performance

Many of my clients notice that their balance has improved significantly after just a few sessions of Clinical Pilates. This is partially related to the prior point about body awareness, but is also thanks to the focus Pilates places on core strength and stability. The more conscious you are about engaging this vital muscle group, the more quickly you’ll notice the benefits. For instance, you might feel more strong and secure when standing, or like your balance has improved. Many people find that just a few sessions of Pilates also helps them improve at other exercises they were already doing, whether that’s with cardio, free-weights, or body-weight training.

5. Positive changes in mood and mental health

You’ve probably heard that, next to quality sleep and diet, exercise is one of the best things you can do for your mental health. The vast majority of my clients report improvements in their mood and mental health within the first few weeks of Clinical Pilates sessions, and this is for a number of reasons. For some people, Pilates can help them overcome chronic pain, which can be a constant drain on your mental energy. Some of the mindful stretching and breathing done in Clincial Pilates can also help in calming our minds and lowering our blood pressure, helping us to do away with stress and anxiety. 

Physical activity has also been shown to release serotonin and dopamine (the chemicals that make us feel happy, content, and euphoric) in the brain during regular exercise. Many people love Pilates because it provides them with a great start to their day, or else the perfect way to end things off. 

So, are you ready to take your physical health into your own hands? Tired of living at the mercy of ongoing pain or limited mobility? Looking to start building strength and stability, and experience the countless benefits to both body and mind while doing it? If so, Clinical Pilates could be the thing for you. All you need to do is get started!

With over twenty years of experience as a Clinical Pilates instructor, physiotherapist, and athlete, I’ve seen firsthand the impact that this treatment can have on people, both in the short term and the long term. If you have more questions about the benefits of Clinical Pilates, or if you’re ready to start experiencing them for yourself, contact me today.

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