Improving your flexibility may currently be on your ‘nice to do’ list but you’ve probably never really thought to make it a priority.
I mean, touching your toes is only a cool party trick right? Not exactly… Without flexibility, our body’s movement is drastically restricted. You can’t possibly train to your full potential and your risk of injury is heightened.
If you understand how important flexibility really is, you’ll want to work to improve it everyday.
4 benefits to improving your flexibility
1. Strong joints
If you have good muscle and joint flexibility, your joints can handle all the different angles required for movement – whether it be during your everyday life, or exercise and sport, your joints are more supported.
2. Injury risk is way down
Muscle tears and sprains are often caused by tension of muscles. Improve flexibility and your balance between lengths of muscles and the tension will improve – meaning less risk of injury.
3. Performance is peaked
When your flexibility is optimised, your muscles length and muscle contraction are optimised and whether it be running, swimming, or any sport – your performance will, in turn, be at its peak.
4. Fatigue is down and PB’s up
With a decrease in risk of injury and pain during your exercise, you’re more likely to enjoy it and continue to enhance your performance.
4 ways Reformer Pilates can improve flexibility
Reformer Pilates allows you to have total body ownership and is seen as one of the quickest and most effective ways to improve your flexibility.
1. Allows a full range of movement
Mat pilates is great, but using a reformer allows you to stretch fully. Using the reformer you can support your body through a full range of motion, which you’re unable to do without the apparatus.
2. Supports joints
Reformer Pilates helps you develop flexibility without building bulk or stressing joints. The reformer offers as much or as little tension during your workout by adjusting the springs. The apparatus also offers complete comfort and support to your spine and joints.
3. Targeted exercises
Reformer pilates executes a huge range of targeted exercises, all that work on improving your fitness, health and flexibility. You will feel revitalised and move with ease during and after your workout. It is always important to concentrate on the quality of movement over quantity in reformer pilates to achieve best results.
4. Executing Proprioception
When executing proprioception, it’s scientifically proven that your flexibility is significantly increased. So what’s proprioception? It’s the sense of the relative position of one’s own parts of the body and the strength of effort being employed in movement. It is sometimes described as the “sixth sense”. Pilates is recognised as one of the most effective ways to improve your Proprioception.
After reading how important flexibility is to improve your quality of movement and reduction of injury and pain, you’re probably wishing you worked on your flexibility sooner!
Reformer Pilates can help in all stages of life, with an array of fitness and health goals, including improving your flexibility. Contact our team to book your free ‘Pilates Body Assessment’ to see if Reformer Pilates is right for you.
