How Can Yoga and Pilates Help Me?
Premier Academy’s Yoga and Pilates classes have many of the same goals and even share some similar exercises. The main goal of Yoga is to unite the mind, body and spirit. This is why Yoga is considered to be a therapeutic activity – it makes your body more flexibility and promotes relaxation even in the most stressful of times. Reducing stress is often one of the main reasons people start taking Yoga classes.
In Premier Academy ‘s Perth Yoga classes, movements are performed on an exercise mat and the weight of the body is used as a resistance for the exercise. This takes a great amount of focus, with the aim to flow in and out of each position in a fluid motion. The movements are not what you would call workout moves; they are more like poses that are designed for different needs and purposes such as strength, flexibility or relaxation.
The major difference between Yoga and Pilates at Perth’s Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy is that in addition to floor work, Pilates often utilises different pieces of equipment to target specific muscles. The fundamental principles of Pilates focus on balance, concentration, control, centred awareness, fluid movements, and breath. Pilates enhances core strength that increases flexibility, coordination and spatial awareness.
Many people see the value in Yoga and Pilates – this is why many people training at Perth’s Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy choose to incorporate both Yoga and Pilates into their lives.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Doing Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient practice that has become increasingly popular in today’s busy society. With many forms of exercise coming and going, Yoga is one that has stood the test of time, having been around for more than 5,000 years. Yoga brings your body and mind together, and is built on three main elements – exercise, breathing and meditation. The benefits of practicing Yoga at Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy go beyond burning calories and toning muscles, with many other physical and mental benefits gained from the total mind-body workout.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Doing Pilates?
“Pilates is designed to give you suppleness, natural grace, and skill that will be unmistakably reflected in the way you walk, in the way you play, and in the way you work.” – Joseph Pilates, founder of the Pilates Method.
The fundamental principles of Pilates focus on balance, concentration, control, centered awareness, fluid movements, and breath. Pilates classes at Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy enhance core strength, increasing your flexibility, coordination and spatial awareness. Pilates involves over 500 exercises, which will help you gain muscle strength, improve flexibility, and build a stronger core. These exercises can be performed as a mat class or by using specialized equipment for more resistance. Training in Pilates at Premier Academy engages the whole person, not just the muscles. For everybody from an athlete to a mother, Premier Martial Arts classes and Fitness Academy’s Pilates classes will develop and enhance.
The Pilates Method uses specifically designed equipment and floor exercises to promote uniform development of the body. This allows weaker muscles to develop instead of the body continuously relying on the stronger muscles to do the work. Pilates focuses on the core muscles first, specifically stomach, butt and back, in a sense, working the muscles from the inside out. This achieves and maintains a balanced aligned body.
“In ten sessions you can feel the difference, in twenty you can see the difference, and in thirty sessions you can have a whole new body” – Joseph Pilates, founder of the Pilates Method.
Should I Practice Yoga And Pilates Everyday?
Incorporating Yoga and Pilates into your daily workout routine at Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy will not only see you reaping the rewards from the workout itself, but will also complement any other weight, cardio, and/or sport specific training you are doing.
The seven biggest health benefits of regular Yoga and Pilates practice at Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy are:
Improves Flexibility
Whether your goal is to touch your toes, reduce the tightness in your hamstrings, or to simply feel less stiff, the stretches and poses performed during Yoga and Pilates will help with this. Developing greater strength and flexibility in your muscles will consequently reduce your risk of injury and will allow greater movement in your body to help you perform better physically.
Improves Posture
Yoga and Pilates exercises help improve bad posture. Posture is an important dimension in staying healthy throughout life. The spine is the central channel of the nervous system, so when your spine is healthy, pathways of the nervous system are strong and clear and vital energy flows more freely.
Increases Strength
Spend a few seconds in a Yoga pose or Pilates exercise and you’ll realise how much strength Yoga and Pilates require. The benefit of building strength through Yoga and Pilates at Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy is that you balance it with flexibility.
Improves Sleep Quality
Incorporating Yoga and Pilates into your routine at Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy can help promote better sleep. Yoga and Pilates can help you relax and unwind, helping you to fall asleep faster, sleep longer, and feel more rested when you wake up. Yoga and Pilates has also been shown to increase the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep and wakefulness.
Reduce Stress And Anxiety
Regular exercise has a positive influence on mental health and can help reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. Yoga and Pilates classes at Premier Martial Arts and Fitness Academy have been shown to act as self-soothing techniques, and can help to manage stress response systems by reducing the heart rate, lowering blood pressure and easing respiration.
Improves Concentration and Focus
The practice of Yoga and Pilates requires physical concentration as you learn to bring your focus to your breath as you move through a sequence of poses. Bringing in an awareness of your body and breath is a useful tool that can be used to increase your concentration in your day-to-day activities.
Improves Cardiovascular Health
Yoga and Pilates poses/exercises rely on holding muscle tension for a short period of time, helping to improve cardiovascular fitness and circulation. This can help to reduce blood pressure and decrease risk factors for heart disease.
Why not give it a go!
If you would like to experience the benefits of Yoga and Pilates at Premier Academy, we invite you to come in and visit our school for a your FREE Introductory lesson. You will have the opportunity to speak with the instructors and meet our friendly, professional staff. Through this free introductory lesson, you will get a first-hand understanding of the excitement, energy, empowerment, and life changing benefits of Yoga and Pilates at our Perth Academy.