Pilates, a low-impact exercise method, has gained popularity among mature men and women in the UK for its numerous health benefits.
UK pilates instructors and experts say this exercise form can significantly improve fitness levels and help individuals look younger.
Gemma Folkard, Founder of Shape Pilates, claims it can even help people “age in reverse”; all it takes is a few short home sessions a week.
The Pilates expert said: “If you want it to be, Pilates can be more than an exercise class you take. It can be a fountain of youth in workout form!
“There is no solution for ageing skin or reversing the clock; however, feeling energetic and physically capable from the inside out will radiate youth – you might even appear to look younger.”
How to look younger with pilates
As we age, we tend to lose some flexibility, making us feel and look stiff. This, in itself, is ageing.
Gemma claims that practising a series of easy moves every week stretches and strengthens your muscles in a balanced way, allowing you to maintain or even improve your flexibility.
She explained that this helps you move more gracefully and keeps those joints happy and healthy. Of course, it takes time to see results, but improved posture is one benefit that may come sooner.
The Shape Pilates founder elaborated: “Nothing screams old age like a hunched back and slumped shoulders. Pilates is big on aligning your spine and strengthening the muscles around it, so regular sessions can seriously improve your posture, making you look taller, slimmer and more confident.”
Unlike some forms of fitness, pilates isn’t about bulking up but rather creating a balanced body with strong muscles that work as they should.
This low-impact exercise also targets smaller, deeper muscles and the powerhouse or core (abdominals, pelvic floor, hips), which help to stabilise the body while moving through life.
Gemma added: “Tripping and falling happen too often as we age, so we need to train our muscles as regularly as possible in functional ways.”
You don’t have to be on the younger side of 40 to see results. “Consistent training at any age will also produce aesthetically pleasing results”, says the pilates expert.
Those who commit to practising pilates weekly can expect a more toned physique. What’s more, moving your body gives you more energy.
Gemma suggests that those who practice Pilates have more of “a pep in their step” and feel less fatigued. She added: “It’s like tapping into a subtle energy reserve that helps you power through your day with the vitality of someone much younger.”
