Think Pilates is only a workout for your body? Think again. Louise Buttler, founder of LIVE BRAVE Pilates shares how you can strengthen your mind at the same time with this Pilates workout for stress
The benefits of Pilates are endless, which is why it’s so popular. Not only do you see physical results quickly, but it has the power to transform you mentally and emotionally. I know that if I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed, a 20-minute Pilates class fixes everything and totally resets me. It gives me energy, focus and always puts a smile on my face. Pilates is a miracle tool for the mind.
I first got into Pilates seven years ago when I went with my mum to a class as part of her rehabilitation from her mastectomy. It was then I realised how incredible it is both physically and mentally. Mum was very unwell from chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and Pilates gave her a real escape and inner serenity.
Since then, I’ve launched an online platform to share my passion for Pilates, and my mission is for as many people as possible to live happier and healthier lives. Lots of our users write in to tell us how they have noticed a big change in their self-confidence and inner strength since doing Pilates. Joseph Pilates, the founder of the method, said of Pilates that it offers ‘complete co-ordination of body, mind and spirit’. Put simply, you must concentrate on every movement. You focus on the breath, the alignment and precision of the exercise, and your mind is unable to think about anything else. It is just like meditating but without having to sit still with your eyes closed.
Releasing tension
When you learn to voluntarily engage certain muscles during a class – such as with deep core activation – you fire up a movement chain that might have been asleep for a long time. Your core consists of 29 muscles, and learning to use them is a cleansing rinse for your nervous system. A healthy nervous system means better communication between your brain and other parts of your body, as well as releasing happy hormones.
Most of us are under a lot of stress in our everyday lives, which means our stress hormones, such as cortisol, build up in our bodies, causing hypertension, muscle spasms and pain. A Pilates workout relieves tension through mobilisation, releasing and stretching. Fascial release Pilates sessions are therefore very popular to loosen tight muscles, and when you release stress from your body, you also get it out of your mind.
People can notice physical results much quicker from Pilates compared to high-intensity training, and this is because our bodies store fat and retain water when they are in ‘fight or flight’ mode. Being low impact, Pilates is calming on the nervous system and, therefore, allows your body to let go of both fat and water.
All about the breath
Breath is a main principle of Pilates, and when you learn to control your breath and breathe correctly, you can calm your mind. In classes, we do a lot
of repetitive movement on a targeted muscle group, and you often have to breathe your way through the deep Pilates burn.
Finally, Pilates promotes good posture, and when you stand tall or sit up straight you automatically feel more confident. In fact, try this test right now: slouch and look down – did you find it difficult to breathe deeply? Did you smile? Slouching promotes feelings of depression. Now, stand up tall with your shoulders back: Do you feel better? Did you smile? In Pilates, we work the postural muscles in the body, so you will stand tall and smile all day!
Ready to give it a go? Try the following sequence…
The Lunge Series
- Start with your right foot forward, knee bent and left foot back, leg extended with heel lifted. Ensure your right knee is above your right ankle.
- Lean forward into a long diagonal ensuring the back of your skull is in-line with the back of your ribcage and sacrum.
- Stand into your right heel to activate your right glute and bend both knees into right angles, lowering into a lunge position.
- Do this 10 times, then hold halfway for 10 seconds and then pulse up and down for 10 more seconds. Then do the other leg. Enjoy the glute burn!
Triceps Dips
- Start on all-fours, hands under your shoulders, knees under hips.
- Inhale and allow your shoulders to go forward over your wrists, bend your elbows and lower your chest to the mat, hugging the side of your ribcage with your arms.
- Exhale, press your hands down and come up.
- Do this 6 times, then repeat, holding the position half-way down and add a pulse for five counts – your triceps will scream!
- To make it harder, raise alternate legs to the ceiling on each dip.
The Bridge with marching
- Lying on your back, knees bent and feet flat on the floor, inhale to prepare and, as you exhale, stand into your feet and allow your hips to float up to find a long diagonal line from your shoulders, hip bones and knees.
- Stand into your left foot and allow your right leg to float up into table position so your right knee is above your right hip.
- Slowly place your right foot down and allow your left knee to float up.
- March slowly 10 times, trying to keep hip bones level.
- Inhale, exhale, relax your jawline, lengthen your sternum, and come down from your upper back, mid back and then lower back.
Leg Pull
- Start sitting legs out long, hands at your hips, fingertips reaching towards your toes.
- Inhale, exhale and press hand and heels into the floor and lift your hips.
- Stand into your left heel and lift your right leg, pulse it up and down five times. Stand into your right heel and allow your left leg to lift up and down five times. Keep your hips lifted and level, and don’t forget to breathe!
Red light Pilates: the full-body workout that won’t leave you feeling achy the next day
The Mermaid
- Sit with your legs in a 90/90 zigzag position with your arms down by your side.
- Inhale, then exhale and reach your left fingertips up and over to your right, imagining you are between two panes of glass, reaching up and back down to your right side.
- Switch your arms over and repeat five times, then switch legs and repeat. Your hips and sides will feel amazing after this exercise.
The Swan with rotation
- Lie on your stomach with your hands next to your ribcage and elbows pointing back behind you. Start in an ‘active’ position, meaning the back of your head is in line with the back of your ribcage and sacrum, with eyes gazing down.
- Inhale and, as you exhale, push your hands down and towards you; peel up starting with your nose, sternum and belly button, until you’re resting on the front of your thighs, arms lengthened.
- Push your breastbone forward and think about your shoulder blades drawing down towards your pelvis.
- Inhale, exhale and look over your left shoulder at your left heel, allowing your right shoulder to come forward.
- Inhale, exhale and bring your eye gaze around in front of you and over your right shoulder looking at your right heel.
- Bring your gaze forward, inhale, exhale and bend your elbows towards the wall behind you and slowly lower down imagining the crown of your head reaching to the front of the mat.
Louise Buttler is founder of LIVE BRAVE (from £22 per month, with three- and six-month subscription plans, livebrave.life), an online Pilates platform offering effective, low-impact workouts that focus on functional movements to realign and condition your body. The platform hosts more than 700 on-demand classes, with up to 15 new classes being added each month; classes range from beginner to advanced, and include pre- and post-natal programmes. Follow at instagram.com/livebravepilates
