Pilates Benefit #6: Mind-Body Awareness

Pilates helps you become aware of Mind-Body Connection

Whether you’re an athlete in training, a weekend fitness fanatic, or living a sedentary lifestyle, being aware of your body and your movement can help you to move through daily activities with minimal pain or discomfort.

In our everyday lives, being aware of something as simple as a small postural adjustment or flow of movement can make the difference between risking an injury and moving freely.

When you walk, are you aware of your gait? Do you know whether you have an ankle that rolls in, or a knee that twists when weight is placed onto the foot? This may be exactly why you have that hip discomfort after every ParkRun! Next time you’re running a weekend race, strolling about in a shopping centre, or simply walking down the hallway, take note of how your hips, knees and ankles are moving.

It’s vital to know how your body moves, in order to know how to correct your imbalances.

Pilates exercises greatly assist with mind-body awareness, since alignment needs to be noted in your movement and exercises. Often, Pilates beginners will notice how, when adjusted into a correction, their body alignment will feel “off”, even though they have been assisted to work within correct technique and alignment. This is because the body gets so used to being in the incorrect position, that the muscles now need to be re-trained and strengthened to work within the correct posture and alignment.

By focusing our mind to our movement, we also strengthen the mind’s ability to focus. Life can be quite overwhelming at times, and multitasking has been proven to be bad for memory and productivity. A focused mind will produce far more effective results.

“It all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to has power over you.”

Try this now:

Next time you’re walking anywhere, whether it’s a stroll around the neighbourhood or simply walking to your car, focus on your movement. Take note of your hips, your knees, your torso, the placement of your feet.

To assist, you can place your hands on your hips while walking, and take note: 

• Are your hips moving forward evenly as you walk, or is one hip leading the way?
• Perhaps one hip hitches up a little higher than the other?
• Or do you have a slight limp on one side?
• Drop your arms to your sides and focus on your shoulders – does one arm sway more than the other as you walk?

You can also try this in a stationary position. Take note of how you’re sitting or standing during a daily activity.

You may have to repeat this a few times to truly become aware of your alignment and movement. If possible, also try it out infront of a mirror.

The more you focus on your movement, the more you’ll be able to recognise and improve minor imbalances, strengthen your focus, and improve overall mind-body awareness.