Classical Pilates for Modern Life Blog

Myth: Pilates is just a stretching technique, so people who have a great range of motion in their joints cannot possibly benefit from Pilates. 

The truth is that too much flexibility (hypermobility) of the joints can cause pain, soft tissue injury, or joint dislocation, and classical Pilates is highly effective in preventing those conditions. 

How does it work? 

Pilates exercises are designed and organized in a specific order that allows the body to warm up, perform the exercises in a controlled range of motion, strengthen the muscles around the joints, increase proprioception and create body awareness. Such an approach to movement that is focused on control and slow progress is exactly what people who have hypermobile joints need. The Pilates method helps to strengthen the muscles around ALL joints, including the shoulders, hips, and spine.  

The observations are as accurate today as they were in the last century. What has improved? Not much apparently. We still fight the same battles every day. And until we feel the need to change, not much is going to improve in our lives going forward. That need eventually comes, but sometimes it comes on the heels of pain when the body finally rebels against the way we neglect it. At that point, we may no longer be able to choose the course of treatment for ourselves. It will get chosen for us. 

Why wait until we have no choice? Wouldn’t it be smarter to take care of ourselves now so that we can later have control over what quality of life we lead? 

So my two cents come from personal (because I've lived it) as well as professional (because I get to see it almost every day with my clients) experience; Even a small change of adding a few movements to your day can make a big difference.