Pilates and Mindfulness

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Mindfulness in Pilates Exercise

Nowadays almost everyone, football players, celebrities, from rehab clients to aging populations are eager to regain mobility experience the benefits of including a mindful type of workout in their exercise regimes. What type of mindfulness exercises are right for you?
In the words of the late Joseph Pilates “Pilates teaches you to be in control of your body and not at its mercy”.

Mr Pilates was ahead of his time and aware of the positive health outcomes and benefits of connecting mind and body to achieve total body control. In other words, mindfulness is achieved with attention and concentration to monitor one’s present-moment experiences to precisely execute complex movements.

Pilates exercise is build on the concept of mindfulness as observed on the original exercise’s principles. These are, Breathing, Concentration, Control, Centring, Precision and Fluidity.
At our Kensington High Street studio we teach our clients mindfulness from the beginning to through breath, concentration, focus and attention to detail.

Pilates Requires Concentration and Full Attention

Many clients who struggle in Pilates with movement execution seem to be unable to connect their mind to their bodies. In contrast, rather than being poor body awareness, in most instances such clients are just not able to concentrate on the task in hand. That is to say, you cannot be thinking about our shopping list whilst trying to practise Pilates. As simple as this may sound, you must be able to concentrate, be aware of your breath, your entire body and in be the present.

In order to connect with your muscles and move with precision, you must mindfully train and monitor your body. Thus, this is why Pilates is considered a mindful exercise.

Lindsay et al. 2016, summarise the basic mechanisms underlying mindfulness and mindfulness training effects. “Attention monitoring is defined as ongoing awareness of present-moment sensory and perceptual experiences (e.g., sounds in the environment, specific body sensations, mental dialogue and images). Additionally, this capacity to monitor momentary experience relies on selective and executive attention networks”.

Therefore, practising mindfulness training, such as Pilates exercise, can improve selective and executive attention. Also, will improve the ability, the working memory and the ability to execute more complex movements. Consequently, we teach small group classes that allow the participant to focus on their technique and perfect their craft.

What we know about the benefits of mindfulness training

Pilates mindful movement may help with improving your quality of life by reducing stress, mood enhancement, and cognitive functioning.
Evidence suggests that mindful movement (e.g., yoga, tai chi, walking meditation) may even outperform conventional physical exercise with regard to effects on quality of life, mood, and cognitive functioning (Laird et al. 2018).

Recognising the emerging trends of mindfulness in movement

With over 3000 new scientific publications over the past 15 years, it is apparent that public interest on mindfulness and mindfulness interventions has increased. Moreover, so has the literature on this subject dramatically expanded.

“Notably, randomised controlled trials indicate that mindfulness training can impact a broad range of outcomes, including effects on cognition and affect (attention, working memory, emotion regulation”, for instance (Lindsay et al. 2016).

Mindfulness Pilates

Busy Lives, Hard to Focus?

In the midst of our busy lives where we scantily find time to be with ourselves for a minute, mindful training can be quite beneficial.
Certainly, Pilates exercise can help, and a growing body of research suggests that mindfulness training. For instance, Pilates exercise can improve negative affectivity, stress, and stress-related health outcomes.

Core Kensington aims to facilitate the concept of mindfulness without distractions. Meanwhile, our boutique studio at 375 Kensington High Street our architectural design is features relaxing elements that are conducive to mind-body exercise.

Book now and get your first class for only £15

Blog written by Carlo Yanez
Registered Osteopath B.A.(Hons.), BSc.Ost.(Hons)
Fully certified STOTT PILATES® Instructor

References:
Laird, K.T. et al., 2018. Mind-Body Therapies for Late-Life Mental and Cognitive Health. Current Psychiatry Reports, 20(1).
Lindsay EK, Creswell JD. Mechanisms of Mindfulness Training: Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT). Clinical psychology review. 2017;51:48-59. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2016.10.011.

 

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