Reformer Pilates for Flexibility
There are many benefits of doing Reformer Pilates, one of the main ones being improved flexibility. The deep stretching exercises can help to give you an increased range of motion in your joints, enabling you to move more freely at the same time as improving core strength and balance.
Improved flexibility is important for increasing your fitness levels but can also counter the dangers of doing nothing.
As you get older, your body becomes more inflexible. When you were in your 20s, you probably felt little effect as the result of a sedentary lifestyle. However, as you age, the less flexible your joints become, so if you don’t do any exercises that help flexibility, such as Reformer Pilates, you will find movement increasingly difficult.
This is because, without stretching exercises, the tendons, ligaments and muscles around your joints will tighten and shorten. Limited joint movement also results in loss of fluid in the joint cavities that surround your synovial joints which protect and nourish the joint. The cartilage – the padding on the end of each bone – and the synovial fluid that surrounds the entire joint, cushion the bones and reduce friction on them when you move. This enables greater movement and prevents the bones from rubbing together, which would otherwise result in pain, inflammation and decreased mobility.
Decreased flexibility can also cause problems with posture which increases the risk of injury when you’re bending, reaching and lifting, or taking part in sports. Sitting for long periods can lead to muscle tightness with knock-on effects on the alignment of your spine which could result in lower back pain and problems with your neck and shoulders.
Being flexible means being able to do more. The more flexible your muscles are, the better your mobility. Having flexible muscles means your joints will move in the way they’re supposed to, allowing you to put a greater load on them, and enabling you to do more.
Flexibility will also mean it’s easier to move your muscles, making it less likely that you’ll suffer from stiff or painful muscles, especially when it comes to lower back pain. Greater flexibility also puts less stress on your joints, helping you to move more smoothly which decreases the risk of muscle and ligament sprains.
With greater joint and muscle flexibility, strength training becomes more efficient. When joints can move freely and across their full range, it helps the surrounding muscles contract, giving them greater power.
Flexibility can also help you improve your performance when doing sports. Increased flexibility leads to improved posture, and good posture aids performance, whether it’s to help your golf swing, lift heavier weights, or run smarter and faster.
Stretching exercises are an essential part of any physical activity warm-up. Reformer Pilates exercises are a series of dynamic stretches and controlled movements that stretch the muscles and improve flexibility. It is a great exercise for older adults wanting to improve their health, as well as for people who are hoping to counteract the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. This is because the best Pilates exercises offer a full-body workout that supports the body while working the core muscles.
This is why Reformer Pilates is also popular with elite athletes and professional dancers. They treat it as an essential part of their training regime as it can help them increase flexibility as well as build and retain a strong core, maintain stability and balance, improve their posture, and decrease their risk of injury.
If you want to find out what Reformer Pilates can do for you, try a class for just £10. You can also bring a friend with you for free. Simply click here, choose your most convenient Chilli Pilates studio and scroll down to the relevant Buy Now button. And make sure you add the promo code TRY10 before you check out!
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