Joseph Pilates actually called his method Contrology, because he believed his method used the mind to control the muscles. Today it’s called Pilates and is vastly popular around the world with millions of people subscribing to the health benefits of his exercises.
His exercise programme focuses on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. Body awareness, breathing techniques, alignment of the spine, and strengthening of the deep torso muscles are some of the specific areas of development Pilates concentrated on. Strengthening these areas helps alleviate and prevent back pain. Joseph Pilates came up with his exercises during the First World War to improve the rehabilitation programme for the many returning veterans. These exercises are also ideal for women during pregnancy and afterwards.
Exercising during pregnancy maintains muscle strength and prevents musculoskeletal problems. Pilates fulfills the exercise requirement and provides many other benefits like breathing control, mental well-being, confidence and body awareness. Of course, all exercises should be conducted with a qualified instructor and after a doctor’s check up.
Pregnancy changes many parts of your body but mostly the centre part, your core – your hips, abdomen, back and chest all get pushed, prodded, rearranged and stretched. Pilates strengthens these core muscles as well as placing a focus on breathing techniques, stretching, alignment and body awareness. The idea is to concentrate on breathing correctly, standing with your spine aligned and your centre of gravity in the right place before you even start the exercise you are to attempt. Ms. Iduma Ortega, who has been teaching Pilates for the past five years and is currently teaching at PowerMoves says “The exercises can be used as corrective and preventive exercises which are great for the pre and post stages of pregnancy. Pilates can help prevent future pain and injuries that arise from poor body alignment and can also decrease a lot of the common problems a pregnant woman will face due to the change of centre of gravity, tight and loose muscles and the added weight that puts pressure on the knees, ankles, feet and back.”
Pilates uses slow and fluid movements that strengthen and build the muscles. It has no jumping and jolting moves that are hard on the joints. Ms Ortega is a staunch supporter of Pilates during pregnancy “I find Pilates a truly intelligent, safe and effective method for pregnant woman as well as for those who are interested in starting a family and for the ones who are in the post-natal stages. Two inevitable results of proper Pilates Training are: an improvement in posture as well as the ability to fight gravity. Pregnant women also enjoy joining small classes where they can relate to other women that are pregnant as well and socialise and have fun”
The post natal period can be equally difficult on the body. There are still a lot of physical changes going on and the hormonal swings can be unpredictable and frequent. Safety is vital during this stage of healing and you should not overstress your body physically at this point. A constant and progressive increase in strength and reduction of weight is healthier. Ms. Ortega advises “For the postnatal period both the Mat and Apparatus work provide safe and effective targeted exercise that is not too stressful for the abdominals or the back, specially if a woman had a cesarean delivery, in which case it is more important than ever to take the time to build back those fibres from the inside out and to use patience and common sense – not take quick fix results.”
Remember that to lose weight, you need to spend more calories than you take in. During your post natal period you should not reduce your intake too much but you can begin building up your muscle strength. This is a time of healing for the internal structure of your body and this does take some time. A moderated increase in workout will also reduce the mental stresses that come with having children.
“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. In order to achieve happiness, it is imperative to gain mastery of your body. If at the age of 30 you are stiff and out of shape, you are old. If at 60 you are supple and strong then you are young.” Joseph Hubertus Pilates
