Work Out Smarter, Not Harder

You Don’t Need To Work Harder - Just Smarter

Pilates Inspired movement “is the the complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit. Through Pilates you first purposefully acquire complete control of your own body and then through proper repetition of its exercises your gradually and progressively acquire that natural rhythm and coordination associated with all our mental subconscious activities.” (J. Pilates)

Our Mission Is To Provide A Relaxed Environment That Fosters A Life Long

Commitment To Intelligent, Form Focused Exercise

One of the things I love most about Pilates is that you can gain incredible strength and resilience though the exercises taught in the classical pilates system.  When I refer to strength, which can be a broad term we will get into later - stability, core strength, coordination, and breath control are needed to perform each exercise.  Not to mention the inclusion of how you need to think about each movement.  Without really realizing what you are doing while using a piece of equipment or the floor work - you are building stability in your body - learning to keep one body part still while working other body part - you are using your mind and breath to activate deep stabilizing muscles that help with core strength and your lung capacity.

As consumers of media in all directions these days we are slammed with what experts think is best for you - run harder, HIIT, SIT, lift weights to fatigue, push tires, flip tires, and the list goes on.  While I do not discount those programs as valid and having a place in an all - out fitness routine.  I can tell you from personal experience that I have done all of those things and more - I have done all of those workouts and more.  Before I was introduced to Pilates in my late 20’s, I was in shape, but I did not have a stable body - my feet hurt everyday when I got up, my knee would wobble and want to give out, my low back hurt — all that in my 20’s!!!1 Until I learned how to slow down and incorporate the components of a pilates program did I really learn how to work just with my body weight - wow - no “outside” influence of heavy weights?  Another thing that happened was as I learned how to work from the inside out instead of the outside in, I was able to actually take my weights down and my body felt stronger.  My foot pain went way, my knee stopped wobbling, and I just felt stronger in general.  I can truthfully say that my fifty-something stable body feels way better and stronger than my 20 year old unstable body.

So, based on my personal experience and observing hundreds of people I have worked with over the years - working out smarter is much more beneficial that working out harder really at any age, but definitely as we age.  Movement is not optional as we live in this world sitting at computers, endless tv binging, scrolling etc.  Every component of exercises is beneficial - cardio work, strength training in a variety of ways, flexibility/mobility, and stability.  When you have stable body from a regular routine of pilates your foundations stronger to build upon.

How might you be working too hard?

After the age of 50 our bodies just aren’t the same.  For many reasons, for both men and women, things change.  We just cannot train the same way we did in our 20’s, not to mention that some of the things we did in our earlier years are causing our bodies to “break down” and we are feeling the effects now.  If we continue to do what we used to do, on a body that was never ready in the first place to take on external stimulus we are only making our bodies feel worse.  Is all hope lost then?  No, you can move smarter in your body at any age - you can get stronger in your body at any age - your body craves stability and responds quick to it.

When you continually over-train like your 20 year old self your body will send you lots of signals!  Body signals of overtraining comes when you have joint discomfort, general muscle soreness lasting more than a day, exhaustion, and/or stiffness.  When we do not listen to these pain signals our body responds with increased inflammation, injuries, nervous system stress, or your body just stops responding to workouts and your exhausted and not really knowing why because you are working out and doing all the “good” things that the fitness experts tell us what to do.

Isn’t it a relief to know that all these really doesn’t need to be that hard? That getting your body in order with good alignment, breathing, stability, and yes, even rest is the foundation of having a strong resilient body as we age.  Can we still work out hard? Yes! Can you still flip a tire or two? Sure - if that excites you then go for it.  However, spending more time building a solid foundation, will make your body more receptive to those things - you do not need to sit in that rocking chair!

Why is is so hard to grasp that those simple small movements can make you inherently stronger? Small, controlled movements performed in correct posture enable the small stabilizing muscles to activate.  Pilates mostly focuses on the muscles that connect to the spine and when we can move from those smaller stabilizing muscles - the larger muscles can work harder and more efficiently.  Just because these type of exercises are smaller and precise does not mean they are easy - many people are surprised how much they sweat and shake through these type of movements.  So, gentle does not mean easy, and simple does not mean ineffective.  Often, people think that Pilates workouts get harder, but the reality is when you get more efficient at working from the inside out you body gets stronger, your body is smarter and you can work smarter in your body.

When you learn how to slow down, pay attention to your posture, line up your joints properly, work from the core of the body, pay attention to breath you will be amazed at how much stronger and more balanced you feel in your body.  You will be relieved, that you don’t need to go all out all the time and that actually works against you, and yes, it is perfectly ok and advised to take a day off, rest your body!

In closing, in my years of experience the strongest bodies I see aren’t the ones that worked the hardest, they are the ones that learned how to work wisely in their body, the ones who are most consistent with their wellness plan.  When you build strength intelligently, from the inside out your body is stronger and more resilient.  So, slow down, take a breath, stand tall, and enjoy smarter movement to feel great in your body!