Many of us are aware that the fusion of yoga and Pilates. Yogalates, has a positive impact on our overall wellbeing both physically and mentally.
Let’s dive into some of the specific health benefits of the movement, breath work and mindset that yogalates enhances….
1. IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY
The asanas, sequences and exercises in yogalates involve lengthening the muscles, and mobilizing the joints. This enhances range of movement, posture and reduces joint stiffness and aches and pains. Some of the exercises that do this are: shoulder circles, spinal twist, triangle pose, pigeon pose, and hamstring stretch.
2. INCREASED MUSCLE TONE AND STRENGTH
After a yogalates workout, your body repairs or replaces muscle fibers that have worked through a cellular process to form myofibrils, new muscle protein strands. These repaired myofibrils increase in size and quantity resulting in the growth of muscle (hypertrophy). Yogalates aids in building a strong toned body and improving endurance.
Yogalates focuses on good spinal and pelvic placement, correct breathing and engagement of the deeper core stabilising muscles. It is super common for people who are new practicing yogalates to say that they can now feel muscles that they never knew they had!
3. IMPROVED STABILIZATION OF SPINE
Yogalates is an excellent activity for activating the support and stabilising muscles in the body to more effectively control movement , prevent injury and improve posture. These muscles include the abdominal, gluteal, spinal, and quadriceps muscles. Exercise that enhances spinal stabilisation include bird dog, plank, lunges, warrior pose, dead bugs, and half moon pose.
4. INJURY PREVENTION
Yogalates can assist in the rehabilitation or prevention of injuries related to muscle imbalances by enhancing physical coordination and balance. The fusion of yoga and Pilates is a body and mind workout that incorporates breathing, stabilising, stretching and strengthening exercises that help you to realign your body, prevent joint stiffness and injury by balancing out any weak or tight muscles and increasing body awareness. A good yogalates session is structured strategically to address awareness, posture, core, spinal and glute activation and flexibility. Yogalates is very much in line with clinically proven and exercise science principles, which is why we frequently, find physiotherapists like myself advocating for it!
5. BUILDS STRONG BONES AND HELPS PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS
As mentioned, your muscles grow stronger from the asanas and sequences in yogalates, they pull on bones. The more they contract and pull on the bone the stronger the bones become. On the flip side, If you don’t move and exercise, your muscles can become weaker, and the force they apply to bones decreases.
Weight-bearing asanas may help prevent osteoporosis, and may also help people already diagnosed with osteoporosis (if practiced with care under the supervision of a qualified yoga teacher). These include salute to the sun, tree pose, chair pose, lunges, squats, push-ups, crow pose, side plank, just to name a few.
The flow and sequence can be adapted to any level of fitness and tailored to physical requirements, injury and emotional state. Energising, strengthening, stretching, calming, nurturing yogalates embodies all levels of fitness.
When taking my online and in studio classes, and as a physiotherapist I offer modifications and progressions and encourage participants to develop their own body awareness by listening to their own physical and emotional messages.
The key to achieving all of these things through the practice of yoga and Pilates is consistency! If you are enjoying yogalates and you feel aligned, strengthened and open afterwards, I highly suggest attending studio or practicing online classes 2-3 times/week.
https://beyogalates.com.au/get-started/
See you on the mat.
Lisa x
