Pilates for Stress Relief: Finding Balance in a Hectic World
For many of us the work/life balance is elusive, with the scales often tipping too far in favour of the office. For parents, the humdrum logistics of lunch boxes and laundry take up plenty of headspace before we even consider our relationships or our own mental health.
Joseph Pilates took inspiration from yoga, martial arts, boxing and self-defense.
If all you knew about Pilates was from stock images or social media you might not know that Pilates can be a powerful tool for stress relief. In fact, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was solely for skinny women with six packs. The reality is different. Take a snapshot of Colchester Pilates’ classes and you will see a spectrum of body shapes and sizes, men and women - delivery drivers, IT coordinators, new mums, retirees - all there for different reasons, not least because of the floaty, serene state they leave in.
Joseph Pilates who invented The Pilates Method believed deeply in the mind-body connection. In a Pilates class you have a lot to think about - "Left arm or right?", "What on earth is a neutral pelvis?", "Why does she keeping saying ‘Just one more’ then we end up doing twelve?". Many clients report a clearer mind and better sleep because of the focused breathing and sheer concentration the moves require.
Pictured: Joseph Pilates performing exercises from his seminal work, “Return to Life Through Contrology”
Body Control Pilates breaks down his original exercises into more accessible moves.
We can hold stress in our bodies. Sometimes just a friendly hand on our shoulders makes us realise we’ve practically been wearing them as earrings. When we ease tension through movement, we also loosen knots in our mind. Exercise makes us happier, less anxious and more relaxed, so it's not just the body we're working with this holistic approach to stress-relief. I see it with my clients every week, they arrive with their days etched on their face and they leave Pilates-drunk.
There has been over a decade of studies on how your posture impacts how powerful you feel. Simply holding yourself neutrally, legs hip width, spine tall rather than hunched forwards, shoulders rounded, makes a big difference to our feelings of power and calm.
Is your posture impacting your mental health? Regular Pilates practice will improve your posture permanently, and imagine the effect that has on your nervous system, your self-confidence, even your self-worth.
About the author: Laura Harding is a Pilates teacher based in Colchester, Essex, UK. laura@colchesterpilates.com
Instagram: @colchesterpilates
References:
T. Loncar, 2021, ‘A decade of power posing: Where do we stand?’ blog post, The British Psychological Society.