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The Powerful Connection Between Women’s Wellness and Pilates
Women’s wellness is multi-faceted. We have a lot to think about when it comes to taking care of our minds and bodies as we juggle friendships, family, work (and so much more), all while taking care of ourselves.
Pilates has been a powerful tool for me to stay strong, both mind and body while raising a family, building a business, and weathering the many storms that have come up along the way. In my 10 years of practicing, I’m continually reminded (by the thousands of women that practice with us at Lindywell!) that Pilates is one of the only forms of exercise that can help us women achieve all of this—often in just a single workout!
Let’s get into the details about the powerful connection between Pilates and women’s wellness and how it can positively impact your well-being at every stage of life.
Core Strength
This is one of the most well-known benefits of Pilates—and it’s worth talking about! For women, core strength is critical for improving posture, reducing the risk of injury, and improving balance and stability. It’s also supportive of overall pelvic health, which is important in every area of life for women.
Pilates helps build strength through exercises that target the abdominal, lower back, and pelvic floor muscles. These exercises, paired with slow, controlled movements, concentration, and precision, engage the core muscles, helping to strengthen and tone them.
Give these pelvic floor exercises a try to experience the power of Pilates for your core.
Stress Management
Stress is a normal part of life, we all experience it in some way. When stress is chronic, however, women can see the impact on menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and digestion, in addition to typical symptoms like headaches, anxiety, and lack of focus.
Pilates is a powerful way to reduce stress because it emphasizes the connection between the mind and body. This helps reset the nervous system and, in turn, promotes mindfulness and relaxation. Intentional breathing, which is a key principle of the Pilates method and a central component of the Lindywell approach, also reduces stress levels.
Here are a few other interesting ways Pilates can reduce your stress that you may have never thought about:
- Relieve muscle tension: Pilates helps to relieve muscle tension and improve blood flow, leading to a reduction in physical stress.
- Increased endorphins: Consistent Pilates practice can increase endorphin production, which can help to reduce stress and improve mood.
- Improved sleep: Pilates can also help improve sleep quality, which can help to reduce stress and promote overall wellness.
At Lindywell, we focus on short, efficient workouts so it’s easier for you to prioritize daily movement, and as a result, reduce your stress and feel your best every single day. Join for free with a 14-day trial or log in and press play on your next workout!
Spine Health
As Joseph Pilates said, “If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.” Very few forms of exercise focus on spine health. Yet, this is key to reducing back pain, maintaining good posture, and making physical movement possible throughout your entire life.
For women in pregnancy, a healthy spine is also necessary to keep a healthy posture as the belly grows and the center of gravity shifts.
Rolling and stretching movements in Pilates keep the spine young, flexible, and strong. One of our favorite exercises at Lindywell is Rolling Like a Ball, which is great for your spine and fun to do! Try it at home to give your spine a little love and have a laugh.
Body Image
Body image is a significant concern for many women. In fact, a 2022 survey of 4,250 women found:
- 88 percent say their body weight or shape is at least moderately important.
- 87 percent have been on a diet with the purpose to change their shape or weight.
- 60 percent say how they feel about themselves is largely influenced by their weight, shape, or size.
This is something I personally struggled with for many years and as a result, I also dealt with low self-esteem and anxiety. For some women, this can also lead to depression and behaviors like restrictive eating or excessive exercise.
Pilates was incredibly supportive on my journey back to appreciating and nourishing my body. Thanks to the physical strength I was building, I felt more confident—and thanks to better posture, I walked more confidently too! More than that, though, Pilates encouraged me to focus on what my body could do each day. Whether it was a lot or a little, this helped me develop a more positive self-perception.
At Lindywell, you are seen, heard, and supported no matter what you’re going through with a non-competitive community of women. We’re all about celebrating non-scale victories and cheering one another on!
Physical Strength
You don’t need to work out for 60 minutes a day or lift heavy weights to build strength. In Pilates, we build strength with body weight, in addition to playing with fun props like light hand weights, resistance bands, a Pilates ring, or a Pilates ball. And at Lindywell, we do it in as little as 10 minutes too!
Not only does Pilates provide targeted muscle training, but each movement is efficient. For example, the Swimming exercise targets the entire back of your body, from your upper back and triceps to your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. It also helps strengthen your core, as with most Pilates movements. Check it out here:
Most Pilates exercises are like this, allowing you to work your entire body at one time, leading to a balanced and comprehensive workout. Thanks to the low-impact nature of these movements, nearly anyone can do it too.
Pilates and Women’s Wellness Go Hand-in-Hand
Women’s wellness is all about building resilience, strength, and flexibility in the mind and body. At Lindywell, Pilates helps you achieve all of that and more through full-body movement, focus on the breath, and efficient workouts that can be done in just 10 minutes. If you’re ready to love yourself more, appreciate your body, and feel strong and confident, it’s time to give Pilates a try.
Robin Long
Robin Long, founder and CEO of Lindywell, certified Pilates instructor, Nutrition Therapy Practitioner, and author of 'Well to the Core,' blends 15 years of expertise with a lifelong commitment to holistic health.
Learn more about Robin Long
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13 thoughts on “<strong>The Powerful Connection Between Women’s Wellness and Pilates</strong>”
I’m interested in trying Pilates but doing that ball roll thing…is that safe for someone with bad lower back pain?
As a past runner and gym rat ! I love the the Pilates that are posted for members ! It gives me such joy when I put down my mat each day! And as I see my improvements with time it energizes me to come back to More!! Ihave have a better core,strength and flexibility at age 69 yrs than I’m my 40s!!thank you all
We love to hear the difference consistent Pilates is making for you! We are cheering you on both on and off your mat! 🙂
I can’t speak for others, but thoughtfully, slowly stretching my spine has helped my lower back pain significantly. The key is not doing anything that “hurts”. And of course always check it out with your physician when you start any exercise routine. My chiropractor was thrilled when I started Pilates and it truly has helped my back pain.
We are so sorry that you are experiencing back pain! Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individualized recommendations regarding injuries and/or rehabilitation. We know that every body is different and every situation is unique, so we would recommend speaking with your doctor and/or physical therapist to determine which exercises are safe and recommended for you based on your individual needs. Back pain is especially tricky because for some focusing on strengthening and mobilizing the muscles related to the back, hips and shoulders is helpful while others may need to avoid focusing on these areas to heal. We hope that you receive the medical care and treatment that you need to heal.
Pilates has been instrumental in helping to manage stressors in my life. It has helped me to be more centered and aware of how I am feeling throughout the day. I no longer hold my breath during work time. Pilates has given me increased upper body strength and flexibility. I am much more equally balanced left and right sides. I have been with Lindywell since 2020, and this awareness and strength has taken 2 full years to obtain. It teaches patience and I Love how I feel after the workouts. I am grateful for the Grace Over Guilt mindset because I am not perfect, but keep coming back to the mat!!!
Thank you so much for sharing, Debbie! We love hearing the difference that Pilates has made for you and we are celebrating the way that you’ve cared for yourself with Pilates. Way to go!
I signed up for Lindywell palates in 2019 and there will be no going back! I have strengthened my core and increased my flexibility over time has benefited my day-to-day routine easier and pain free! I travel for work so I never have to worry about missing a class as I make Lindywell pilates work for me. Thank you Robin and Team!
Thank you so much for sharing, Maureen! We love traveling with you too. 🙂 We are cheering you on, both at home and on the road!
I had a knee replacement in June. I’m wondering how much time you spend kneeling. I’m not allowed to kneel yet.
This is a great question and we are so glad that you are being mindful of your continued healing! Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individualized recommendations regarding injuries and/or rehabilitation. We know that every body is different and every situation is unique, so we recommend speaking with your doctor and/or physical therapist to determine which exercises are safe and recommended for you based on your individual needs. The great news is that many kneeling exercises can be done standing. 🙂 We hope that each day brings you closer to a full recovery!
If you’re hesitant to sign up but are drawn to what you’ve seen and heard, I highly recommend trying some of Robin’s free workouts on YouTube and signing up for a free trial. Doing that convinced me that this pilates membership was worth it for me. The Lindywell membership makes it so easy to be consistent, whether you have only a few minutes or a longer chunk of time to spend. Plus Robin and her new instructors are all so gentle and encouraging in their approach and teaching style. I’ve been a member for almost two years now and can feel a difference in my body and overall health. Strong core and healthy spine— yes please! It works. The Grace over guilt theme welcomes everyone to just take one step at a time. I’m so glad I found Pilates with Robin!
Thank you so much for sharing, Susan! We are so thankful that you are a part of the Lindywell community and we love hearing the difference your membership has had for you! We are cheering you on!