December 12, 2024

Why does Pilates improve flexibility so much? | workouts

2 min read
Why does Pilates improve flexibility so much?  |  workouts

Flexibility is the body’s ability to move its joints in the optimal range according to the task to be performed, and allows and limits the stretching of body tissues, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, capsules, and skin. Conversely, it can be said that shortening is the loss of tissue stretch, while reducing the length of muscle fibers.

Good body flexibility is maintained by doing frequent muscle-stretching exercises – Photo: Istock Getty Images

There are several factors that affect a person’s resilience:

  • Endogenous factors (inherent in the individual): age, gender, body type, biological character, physical condition;
  • External factors: temperature or time of day, routine, physical activity and type of physical activity being done.

Good body flexibility is maintained by performing frequent muscle stretching exercises. It can be performed on its own, as well as after physical activity. This allows the muscles to remain relaxed with less tension, to be able to act more flexibly in body movements, and to work in unison. This harmony improves posture, as muscle stiffness or shortening can change the position of joints and their relationship to other muscles.

Working on stretching with strengthening also helps develop body awareness, makes movements more flexible and lighter, as well as helps prevent muscle injuries..

Within the Pilates method, it is possible to achieve this increase in flexibility during practice. While stretching exercises are performed alone, before or after class, there are exercises that deal with both strengthening with body stretching and others with stretching during the required movements. The dynamics of the exercises allow all the joints and muscles of the body to work, which makes it possible, in strength or balance positions, to maintain posture or tighten another area of ​​the body through good tissue stretching..

The repetition and subsequent development of exercises in degree of difficulty, associated with slow and precise performance of each of them with an emphasis on fluidity of movement, ensures that the individual is able to improve strength and stretch the muscles in all required positions and with all equipment. The different postures in which the body works make this stretching and posture improvement specific and keeping it out of the classroom, with long-term gains and durability.

A flexible and comfortable body is one that moves better and responds better to external factors that destabilize it. So it is important to think about this when we do our physical activity.

*The information and opinions expressed in this text are the sole responsibility of the author, and do not necessarily correspond to the viewpoint of ge/I Math.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *