Why low-impact workouts like Pilates are the future of fitness
We used to think of a workout as needing to be heart-raising, sweat-drenching, exhausting. But in recent years, we’ve come to recognise that this idea of fitness may not be the best thing for us after all… With an increasing focus on a holistic approach to health, considering many different aspects of physical and mental wellbeing, the rise of low-impact, lower-intensity movement styles like Pilates continues. There’s more and more demand for these types of workouts - and for very good reason! Here are some of the key reasons why Pilates and low-impact exercise is the future of fitness (and spoiler alert: the good news is this means the career opportunities in the industry are endless, and only expected to soar from here!).
There’s less risk of injury.
Low-impact exercise like Pilates places far less strain on your muscles and joints compared to higher-intensity and -impact movements like running, jumping and plyo style movements. These exercises, which often involve one or both feet lifting off the ground at once, put excessive force on your bones and joints whenever you land, meaning your risk of injury is greatly increased. This can result in fractures and breaks, muscle weaknesses, and even stress fractures or overuse injuries. Put simply, humans aren’t equipped to deal with constant force and pressure applied to our joints - especially as we begin to age!
Whereas Pilates focuses more on lengthening, strengthening movements, and on recruiting smaller muscle groups for a full-body workout without the strenuous pressure on your joints in the process. This is much more sustainable long-term, meaning the strength and fitness you build now can be maintained long into the future, as your muscles, joints and bones will only get stronger over time, instead of being weakened by high-impact movements.
Which leads to the second benefit…
Low-impact movement doesn’t discriminate.
Pilates and lower-impact movement styles are suitable for (almost!) everyone - regardless of your age, ability, fitness level, experience, you name it. There are endless modifications and progressions to ensure each movement is tailored to your individual needs, and it doesn’t have to be high-paced or intense. It’s all about focusing on connecting your mind and body, engaging each muscle, and taking your time to perform movements with correct form and accuracy for maximum results. This means you can continue practising Pilates as you age, as you recover from life changes such as post-partum or injury recovery, and through whatever life stage and fitness level you may be at now or in the future.
Pilates is welcoming, modifiable and accessible to all! It promotes longevity and sustainable fitness and health, instead of smashing your body to achieve a certain “goal” in the short-term, at the expense of your physical and mental wellbeing.
It emphasises the mind-body connection for additional benefits.
Pilates and low-impact exercise styles aren’t purely focused on the physical. In fact, a key aspect of Pilates is the emphasis on the mind-body connection. This means paying attention to each muscle you’re recruiting in each exercise you perform, bringing mindfulness to your Pilates practice. Not only does this allow you to be more present and enjoy mental benefits as well as physical from your practice, it also means you’re safer and at lower risk of injury as you workout, given you’re so aware and focused on the correct form when performing each individual movement.
The mind-body connection has so many benefits to your life - it can help reduce stress and regulate emotions, and even enhance your sleep and prevent injury. It allows your Pilates practice to become a “pause” in your day, a moment of respite to dedicate to you, and to nurture your mental health as well as your physical health.
While other high-intensity exercises focus on smashing your body and pushing yourself to your limit, with little regard for the impact this can have on your body and mind, Pilates and low-impact movement recognises that fitness isn’t just about your body. It’s about giving you the chance to reconnect to your body, to inhabit it and appreciate all it allows you to do each day.
It doesn’t wreak havoc on your stress levels and hormones.
High impact forms of exercise can wreak havoc on your body - especially if you identify as a woman! For females, your body isn’t designed to deal with extremely high intensity exercise often - in fact, it can cause your cortisol (your stress hormone) levels to increase significantly and chronically, which can have endless negative effects on your health. Cortisol can interfere with your healthy production of other hormones - including your reproductive hormones - causing changes to your menstrual cycle, weight and appetite changes, digestive problems, gut health issues, poor immune system function and sleep quality… The list is endless.
If you’re overdoing it on the high-intensity, high-impact workouts regularly, chances are your cortisol levels are chronically elevated, and you may well be in a constant state of fight or flight. This means your entire hormone system may be out of whack, leading to some of these consequences for your physical health - as well as your mental health. This can cause fatigue, high stress, irritability, anxiety and a number of other mental and emotional health consequences too.
So instead of pushing your body beyond its limits, where it’s not feeling or operating at its best, try nurturing it and looking after it with low-impact style workouts like Pilates. Instead of wreaking havoc on your hormones, lower-impact movement can actually support healthy and balanced hormone production,as well as producing feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters to improve your mood and feelings of wellbeing! It’s like night and day when you measure low- and high-impact workouts against each other when it comes to their impacts on your overall health and wellbeing!
You can expect enhanced results.
Pilates is renowned for achieving incredible results for your physical and mental health, thanks to its low-impact, strengthening, toning and lengthening nature. Instead of putting short, sharp bursts of pressure on your muscles and joints, this emphasis on lengthening movements helps to build lean muscle mass, without creating “bulky” muscles. When you have an optimal amount of lean muscle, this means your metabolism is strong, you’re at less risk of bone breakages or injury, your hormones are likely to be healthier, and your body will be better equipped to fight off any illness, infection or stress. So you can sculpt your way to a toned physique, while enjoying the health benefits of the muscle you’re building too!
Plus, you get all these benefits without needing to push yourself to exhaustion, wreak havoc on your hormones and health, or spend all your energy each day on a high-intensity workout. Sounds like a good trade off if you ask us!
So there you have it, just a few of the many reasons why Pilates and low-impact workouts are the future of fitness - and they’re here to stay! Want to take advantage of the booming industry and get in on the action as it continues to soar in popularity and demand?
NOW is the time to take the leap into your dream career in Pilates! With future jobs in the industry predicted to become even more dynamic, diverse and exciting, get ahead of the curve and kickstart your Pilates career now! Secure your spot in our upcoming APPI Pilates Instructor Certification today, and experience all these benefits for yourself - and help your future clients achieve them too. Or, for more information about how our course can support your career goals and fit in with your existing lifestyle and commitments, book a FREE chat with our helpful Course Experts now!