Our physiotherapists have extensive Clinical Pilates experience which means that we can specifically tailor a program to assist with your rehabilitation and fitness needs. Our on-site Pilates studio in our Campbelltown clinic utilises an array of equipment and when used in conjunction with your program, it will help to strengthen your muscles and skeletal system to help prevent reoccurring injuries and improve your overall physical wellbeing whilst reducing your pain.
Developed in the 1920’s, Pilates is a body conditioning routine that helps build flexibility, long, lean muscles, strength and endurance in the legs, abdominals, arms hips and back – but without putting pressure on the joints. It instead puts emphasis on spinal and pelvic alignment, as well as breathing to relieve stress and to allow adequate oxygen flow to muscles to develop increased core stability for the spine and deeper abdominals. It also has the benefit of improving coordination and balance, as well as weight loss!
The combination of physio and specialised Pilates can not only result in a faster rehabilitation, but also increase your strength and balance to prevent these injuries from reoccurring!
Benefits Of Pilates Exercise
1. Whole-Body Fitness and Exercise - full mind + body workout
Pilates exercise is unique in that it promotes whole body exercise through the integration of strength, balance, range of movement and flexibility with each exercise and movement. There is also a big emphasis on core stability and natural breathing to provide a complete full-body fitness regime for all individuals.
2. For all Fitness Levels and Needs – specific and tailored workouts
Whether you are an elite athlete, a senior recovering from surgery, a school student or someone in between, the principles of pilates can be applied specifically for your needs and body presentation. Whether it be building core strength, improving body alignment and posture, increasing muscle strength and control or simply re-energizing your body, pilates workouts can be tailored for your individual needs.
3. Improves Core Strength – develop a strong back
The core muscles refers to the deeper muscles in our body which we rely on to provide support and stability to our spine and joints. Commonly it refers to the deeper abdominal muscles at the base of our spine. When our core muscles are strong, the spine and joints in our body have a strong foundation to allow for smooth and controlled movement of the whole body. This also prevents certain muscles, like our neck and shoulders, from getting tight or feeling tense. A tailored pilates exercise program will help improve core strength and reduce the risk of injury.
4. Increases Flexibility - gain long, lean muscles
With pilates you will work towards safely increasing the length of your muscles and range of movement in your joints with each exercise. Pilates elongates and strengthens, improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility in a sustainable and realistic way without putting excessive strain and load on your muscles or joints. A body with balanced strength and flexibility is less likely to be injured. Other conventional workouts tend to build short or bulky muscles which can lead to injury.
5. Improves Posture – look taller and more upright
With every exercise in pilates, posture and alignment is paramount and should never be compromised. Starting in the correct position and trying to maintain good posture and alignment throughout each exercise helps to reinforce to your brain and body the correct posture and alignment at all times; whether it be sitting or through a particular movement like reaching forward.
6. Improves Balance and helps with Falls Prevention
Balance is something we can lose so easily in everyday life; whether it be after spraining your ankle, having a total hip replacement, sustaining an acute lower back injury or simply as the result of the aging process. With pilates, the incorporation of the whole body with each exercise, helps to reconnect the nerve pathways between our feet and legs to our brains to regain our awareness and confidence.
7. Increases Energy
Like all kinds of exercise, pilates also helps to improve our energy levels by improving circulation and breathing patterns, stimulating the nerves and muscles and releasing all the ‘feel good’ chemicals in our body.
8. Reduces Muscle Tension and Stress/Anxiety
With emphasis on natural breathing, correct posture and spinal alignment, and, the focus of smooth and controlled movements, the mind is able to connect with the body to allow for a genuine ‘quality not quantity’ approach to movement. This exercise approach promotes relaxation of all those typically tight muscles like the neck and shoulders.
About our Pilates Classes
At physiotherapy ACTIVE, our Pilates exercise programs are individually tailored by fully qualified physios to cater to meet your own fitness requirements and rehabilitation needs. All exercises can be modified based your level, whether you are a beginner or more advanced. The intensity increases over time as your body adapts to the exercises.
If you are a new client to physiotherapy ACTIVE, a one-on-one assessment with one of our physios will be conducted at our Campbelltown clinic, which will evaluate your physical and medical history. Then we will individually tailor your workout, and provide you with a couple of one-on-one sessions to learn the basics of Pilates. After learning the basic principles and breathing techniques of Pilates, you can join in with our group classes or continue with one-on-one sessions. Group Pilates classes will never have more than 4 (four) clients at any one session to ensure you will obtain the highest level of care and attention.
How Do The Classes Work?
Exercises are performed on specialized Pilates equipment and mats. All classes will combine both types of Pilates exercises, dependent on your individual ability and requirements.
Mat Workout Pilates provides a total body workout with a particular focus on the core muscle groups; the abdomen and back. A range of Pilates equipment, such as gym balls, Thera-Band and weights will be provided to use in combination with the mat to assist with your overall goals.
Equipment Workout Pilates involves the use of specifically designed equipment to strengthen and lengthen the muscles, as well as aligning skeletal structures within the body. Equipment supplied includes the Trapeze Table and the Reformer. On the equipment you work with a resistance of springs at different strengths to either increase the demand of the exercise or to provide more support for your body and spine.