Why Pilates is perfect for mid-life women
You’d love to find a form of movement that is FUN. And you want to meet new friends who you can walk the dog and have coffee dates with now that the kids are more independent. Could a movement routine really do that for you?
You want to be strong but you struggle with motivation on your own. You’ve not been managing to prioritise movement at home and you’re not keen on the idea of group exercise at a leisure centre. That’s just not your cup of tea.
You’re keen to discover a new way of approaching movement and you’ve been scouring the internet for the right kind of exercise for women of a certain age. What you used to do when you were in your 30s just doesn’t inspire you now you’ve reached mid-life.
If this is all sounding familiar then you’re in the right place. I think you’re here because you believe in a different version of mid-life. One that’s energising, inspiring and full of joy. Mid-life to you isn’t the end of youth, instead it’s a whole new beginning for you; it’s the time for you to focus on you.
“A mid-life its not a cul de sac, it’s a crossroads, where you can choose to carry on as you are or spark a desire to learn new things about yourself.” - Pilates -
And a new, bolder, brighter you is keen to emerge. In this blog post you’re going to find out why Pilates is perfect as your mid-life feel-good movement of choice - and how it ticks all the boxes.
How Pilates supports women in mid-life
This is a time of change and transition and getting the right movement in place to support that transition is so important. Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise that helps you get stronger, without putting extra strain on your body.
“Change happens through movement and movement heals”
Joseph Pilates
There are so many reasons why Pilates is the perfect movement routine for mid-life women:
1. It helps with bone strength
As you’re probably aware, mid-life sees a drop off of oestrogen levels and as this hormone is heavily involved in building and sustaining bone strength, you need to factor this in to your mid-life movement. This is especially true as women in mid-life are more prone to experiencing osteoporosis.
2. It increases your ability to keep up (or get back to) your favourite hobbies
Women in mid-life also tend to suffer more with lower back pain, having spent more time sitting down or not prioritising movement, and their balance starts to become an issue. Moving is so good for you and if you don’t keep moving your body, you lose the ability to extend, twist and turn - which means a reduced ability to get up from a chair/fall/car etc. Movement is what your body is meant for.
Pilates helps with feeling stronger, gives more body awareness and empowers you to feel more open and more relaxed. It also helps increase flexibility - so you don’t have to put those long waited for hobbies on pause due to injuries. Pilates also incorporates weight bearing, resistance work which builds muscle.
3. It keeps you happy and calm
This can be quite a stress-inducing time of life, with Menopause symptoms, demands from kids, work busyness and ageing parents - and you need a way of managing that. Pilates increases your sense of wellbeing; the combination of movement and breathing gives you more clarity and calm. Concentration, control, being centred, flow, precision and breathing are fundamental to Pilates. And investing in your own body is extremely powerful; giving yourself permission to enjoy time away from all those pulls on your time and energy. It’s so important for you to prioritise relaxation at this point in your life. Remember: it’s hard to have a strong body without a strong mind.
Those happy hormones are virtually guaranteed with the right class. Plus, with some approaches to Pilates (like my own Feel-good Movement) you come for the class but you get so much more - the community and social aspect of group classes is so important.
There’s also the added bonus that Pilates can boost toning, especially around the mid-section, which you’re more likely to be aware of at this point as those pesky hormonal fluctuations tend to bring on some undesired changes in your body such as weight gain and loss of muscle mass around that all important “cake tummy”.
Pilates is a lot like “layering”, it’s important to take time to learn the basics and get a solid foundation in place to get the most out of this powerful movement routine. For mid-life women, Pilates is the perfect way of investing in yourself. It ticks so many boxes, from strength building and flexibility to mental health and more, you’ve got it all wrapped up in a bow with Pilates.
Put a plan in place and make your weekly Pilates sessions a non-negotiable - play around with times, days, location, instructor to find the most joyful fit for you - it’s time to prioiritise YOU through mid-life and beyond.