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Introduction
Pilates is a body conditioning routine that requires no bulk and only makes the use of low-intensity exercises to improve mobility, posture and muscle endurance in kids. It has gained a lot of popularity in recent years due to its easy home workouts and multiple health benefits.
Pilates is an exercise regimen created by German-American gymnast cum entrepreneur Joseph H. Pilates in the middle of the 20th century. It promotes the strength and mobility of all major muscle groups while enhancing core power and body balance. It involves a series of exercises, including calisthenics, yoga, and ballet.
This exercise regimen involves using the body’s weight against it to improve muscle endurance and strength. Pilates is an ideal form of exercise for kids as it will be highly beneficial for their growing bones and muscles and lower the risk of injuries in them. Here is a quick guide to the benefits of Pilates for kids, along with exercises to get them started.
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Benefits Of Pilates For Children
Gets Kids Physically Active
Keeping the popular maxim prevention is better than cure in mind, it is ideal for getting kids active and engaged in Pilates from a young age to lower the incidence of lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
Boost Muscle Strength And Endurance
Pilates is a great way to teach kids how to move well, with proper posture, by engaging the right group of muscles. It utilizes low-intensity exercises by doing repetitions and sets to improve muscle endurance and strength in growing kids. It also helps lower the risk of sports injuries.
Improves Balance And Coordination
As kids grow and adapt to their bodies, they still haven't found the perfect response to balance and coordination problems and assessment. Pilates exercises like the lying down Superman help kids find their center of gravity and improve core abdominal strength along with hand eye coordination.
Improves Physique
Pilates is ideal for honing and developing a stream-lined, toned physique, which is ideal for swimming or running. As kids focus more on balance, coordination, and endurance instead of how they look or how much they weigh, it also improves their mental health and self-confidence.
Helps Manage Stress
Pilates is a wonderful exercise to inculcate mindfulness and manage stress. As it involves easy activities with swift repetitions and small breaks, it helps kids focus on every muscle they move and every breath they take. This automatically dispels anxiety and stress from the mind in that moment.
Enhances Academic And Sporty Performance
Pilates works like cross-training for your kids’ mind and body. It improves their focus and attention span as they learn to concentrate on one muscle or muscle group at a time. This also improves their problem-solving capacity and stamina, enhancing their performances both in sports and academics.
Easy Exercises To Initiate Kids Into Pilates
1. Bridge
For this exercise, your child needs to lie on their back with their arms by their side. Then, they must lift their hips and stand their lower body on their feet. The upper half remains on the ground, resting on the arm and shoulder muscles in a normal position. This exercise is excellent for improving spine health and toning thigh muscles.
2. Plank
For this exercise, your kid must get on the ground in the push-up pose. But then they need to balance their weight on their elbows and keep their body and spine straight. Their tummies should not be touching the ground. This is the ultimate Pilates exercise to build immense core strength in kids of all ages.
3. Superman
For this classic Pilates exercise, your kid must go down on all fours. Then, keeping their hips steady and head facing forward, they need to raise their legs straight backward and the opposite arm forward. Hold for a couple of seconds before alternating hands and feet. This exercise is essential for building hand-foot coordination and proper balance in kids while engaging in some soothing stretching.
4. Ball Roll
For this exercise, your child needs to sit upright, with their knees bent and arms resting on their shins. Keeping the upper body steady makes them roll over on their own, on their pelvis, with their legs lifted off the floor. From that position, roll down to a fully lying supine position before rolling back up. Throughout the process, no external help or arm aid can be taken by kids as they need to roll over their backs and develop core strength and balance to return.
Conclusion
Pilates is a wonderful workout regime for kids aged 8 and above. It helps them gain proper balance and coordination skills at the right age while ensuring their joints, bones, and muscles remain healthy. So, try this guide and engage your kids in Pilates today with these easy workouts.
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
