Many blogs (including our own) suggest that Pilates is good for this and good for that and good for pretty much everything. Well, the truth is that Pilates is good, actually great, for almost everything and is beneficial for everyone, particularly older clients. At MOSIC we have been absolutely privileged to work with several clients into their late 80’s whose weekly Pilates sessions have allowed them to live independently and with a self-reported increase in daily confidence.
As we get older the once buoyant human body begins to becomes brittle, unstable and progressively more unreliable. Enter the Pilates method, our expert team and a fully equipped studio.
The supremacy of the Pilates method for older clients lies in the concept of centring, one of the six principles of Pilates. During a Pilates session, the client works thoughtfully from the inside out, connecting with the body before each movement. With a plethora of legitimate research, television advertisements on brain training and anecdotal evidence, Pilates has been shown to provide cognitive training to help keep those neurons firing!
From a movement and musculo-skeletal perspective, the argument for Pilates is also impressive. Here are just some of the many benefits:
- low-impact yet weight-bearing exercises help maintain or increase bone mineral density (and are safe for those with Osteopenia or Osteoporosis)
- purpose-built equipment provides non-jarring resistance training that helps maintain or increase muscle strength and joint integrity
- balance and proprioception training help combat the age-related deterioration of the vestibular system – the sensory system contributing to balance, spatial orientation and coordinating movement
- postural intervention helps to extend the upper back, strengthen the hands and feet and assists the motion of walking.
In addition to these physical improvements, there are also important psycho-social benefits that both older and younger clients experience during Pilates sessions. The simple act of interacting and chatting with a diverse range of other clients in the class is, in itself, an incredibly beneficial practice. The chance for young professionals to mix and chat with often brilliant retired professionals each week enables discussions ranging from important life advice to poking fun at whatever difficult exercises they are aiming to master.
While it maybe clichéd, our instructors experience a huge amount of satisfaction from supporting the older members of our community in the Pilates method. Pilates helps enable our older clients to live independently, reduce pain, continue driving or simply walk with confidence.
Our work today continues to extend what Joe Pilates proposed when he formulated this practice:
Pilates will keep you agile at 80.
If you would like any more information about how Pilates can help you as a senior, or in any other aspect of your life, please feel free to contact any of our expert Pilates team at MOSIC.
- Phone: (03) 9939 1289
- Email: info@melbourneosteopathycentre.com.au
