If you’re an older adult, it can be challenging to find the right workout routine that keeps you fit without causing you injury. You may also be looking for an effective way to increase your mobility, build strength, or even improve your balance.
Opting for the workout routines on offer from the reformer Pilates Frankston locals rely on to stay in shape. Have you wondered if you’d be able to work on an exercise machine? If so, then this post is a must-read as we explore the benefits the Pilates Reformer can have for seniors.
Understanding the Reformer Pilates Machine
Contents
- Understanding the Reformer Pilates Machine
- 1. Significantly Boosts Your Immunity
- 2. Can Improve Mobility, Posture, and Joint Stability
- 3. Creates Body Awareness and Boosts Balance
- 4. Improves Your Circulation and Breathing
- 5. Can Increase Your Overall Strength
- 6. Improves Memory and General Cognitive Function Support
- 7. Supports a Full Body Workout
- Final Thoughts
At its core, reformer Pilates combines the traditional principles of Pilates movement with those offered by a Reformer exercise machine. This means you’ll be making use of a series of ropes, a foot bar, pulleys, tension springs, and a carriage to help you do a wide range of exercises.
With Reformer Pilates, the machine does all the hard work for you. Our experts have compiled a list of the top ways that the Reformer machine will benefit anyone of all ages.
1. Significantly Boosts Your Immunity
Older adults, individuals with autoimmune disease, and those recovering from injury or illness often suffer from low immunity. Continuously dealing with this may see you regularly fighting infections and inflammation. This may leave you with little energy to take part in a high-intensity workout. Luckily, a few sessions on the Pilates Reformer machine will help to improve your overall immunity.
2. Can Improve Mobility, Posture, and Joint Stability
As individuals age, their posture changes and becomes more stooped and rounded. This hunched posture has been known to place more strain and pressure on joints, which can, in turn, limit mobility. In some cases, this can also lead to imbalanced and tight muscles, which can also cause some organs to become compressed.
These conditions can make it difficult for seniors or anyone dealing with mobility issues to take part in normal daily activities. Fortunately, both floor and Reformer Pilates focus on making your muscles and spine more aligned. Since Pilates is a low-impact exercise, this alignment is achieved by a series of stretches which will result in a stronger body, no matter how old you are.
3. Creates Body Awareness and Boosts Balance
Body awareness and balance both decrease as we age. This makes falling more common in elderly people. You can avoid this by using the functional movements of the Reformer machine to regain and maintain balance.
The exercises that go along with this focus on purposeful breathing, which helps to improve self-awareness, which goes a long way toward making you more aware of your surroundings. You’ll also learn to keep your balance and coordination.
4. Improves Your Circulation and Breathing
When your posture starts becoming more hunched with age, you are also likely to develop breathing problems. This, in turn, leads to a lack of oxygen and reduced blood circulation. Working out on the Reformer Pilates machine can improve circulation and breathing in the following ways:
- Lengthens a tight rib cage
- Counteracts poor posture
- Strengthens core muscles
- Promotes a stronger respiratory system
- Strengthens the muscles responsible for breathing
5. Can Increase Your Overall Strength
Flexibility and strength deteriorate with age, especially when you’re dealing with mobility issues or inactivity. This causes a decrease in your overall muscle mass and hurts your ability to perform daily activities.
Floor and Reformer Pilates is a gentle and effective way to help counter age-related strength and muscle loss. Joining a Pilates class will also help to promote flexibility, which keeps muscles supple by overcoming rigidity with mild, mid-range movements.
6. Improves Memory and General Cognitive Function Support
If you find yourself feeling as though you’re experiencing a mental fog more often than not, it could be that you’re struggling with your overall cognitive function. Pilates workouts are designed to increase blood flow to the brain. This helps support the development of new neurons, which can boost memory, learning, and thinking. Pilates, therefore, supports clearer thinking and allows for a sharper memory.
7. Supports a Full Body Workout
Another major plus with Reformer Pilates is that it provides a full-body workout. Your Pilates instructor will be able to tailor your movement routine to create a full-body workout at a pace that you can easily achieve.
A range of different spring settings on the machine work to strengthen your muscles, neck, and joints throughout your body. Gentle stretch-like movements help to improve your spine’s alignment. The intensity of your exercises can be adjusted as you get stronger to ensure you always get a workout that benefits you.
Final Thoughts
The good news is that just because you’re older or suffer from mobility issues, it doesn’t mean that there’s no way for you to work out. Opting to use the Reformer Pilates machine has many benefits for people of all age groups.
You can look forward to improved body awareness and balance, better mobility, and even an increase in your overall immunity. In addition to getting a full body workout, you will also enjoy an increase in bone strength. If you’re looking for the most effective way to work out, it may be time to sign up for Pilates!