Pilates enthusiasts, it’s time to take your workouts to the next level! Adding weights to your Pilates exercises can do wonders for increased strength and a more engaging fitness routine.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into this new trend of adding weights to your workouts and explore six key benefits of incorporating weights into your workout routine.
Here are some benefits of adding weight to your Pilates exercises
1. Improved strength
The main benefit of mixing weights into your Pilates workout is to strengthen your core muscles, especially your back, abdomen, shoulders, and chest. The great thing about adding weight to your workouts is that you can build strength and look toned without gaining weight.
2. Adaptability
No matter where you are in your fitness journey, gaining weight can cover you. Whether you’re a beginner or a Pilates pro, you can switch up the exercises to suit your style by using lighter or heavier weights as needed.
Small dumbbells or weighted balls weighing around 1-2 kg are great for keeping your form in the correct position and controlling joint movement.
3. Improved stability
Incorporating weights into Pilates exercises allows you to explore and recognize your body’s individual range of motion and develop stabilizing muscles. By following exercise principles and paying close attention to your body’s feedback mechanisms, you can safely and effectively improve stability and muscle coordination.
4. Improved accuracy
Incorporating weights into your Pilates routine requires more emphasis on body positioning, which in turn improves the precision of each movement. The added challenge of weights keeps you fully engaged and focused on the accuracy of each movement, allowing you to be aware of your body and posture throughout the session.
5. Increased energy consumption
Adding weight to your workout forces your body to work harder, increasing energy expenditure and burning more calories. This additional challenge will further improve your fitness level and contribute to more efficient and effective training.
6. Keep your training fresh
Variety is the spice of life, and that applies to your fitness routine as well. Weighted Pilates continually introduces new variations to traditional exercises by using different weights and small equipment.
Adding variety to your Pilates sessions will help you stay motivated, stay alert, prevent boredom, and increase overall engagement.
Weighted Pilates is a good way to enhance the effectiveness of your workout and reap all its benefits. You’ll develop muscle strength, become more flexible, stabilize yourself, move with precision, and enhance your energy game.
If you want to take your exercise to the next level and try weighted Pilates, don’t forget to talk to a certified coach or join a local class that emphasizes weights. And as with any new fitness endeavor, always get professional tips and advice to do it correctly and safely.