Standing Pilates is a contemporary form of Pilates that modifies the original mat exercises to a standing position. It emphasizes balance, weight shifting, and weight-bearing exercises for the hips and legs, providing additional challenges to the body. It is suitable for people with limited mobility, flexibility, or injuries. Many standing Pilates moves are influenced by dancing and other dance-related exercise programs.
Standing Pilates is a series of Pilates and Pilates-like exercises performed while standing instead of on the floor or mat as is more traditional. Pilates is a series of exercises developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century. The focus of all types of Pilates is fundamental core strength, controlled movement from that core, proper musculoskeletal alignment, and focused breathing. Standing Pilates is a contemporary form of Pilates that modifies the original mat exercises to a standing position.
The benefits of standing Pilates, as opposed to mat Pilates, arise from the emphasis on balance and shifting body weight. Standing Pilates stays true to the focus on core strength and alignment that exists in matt Pilates. However, building movement from the core during standing Pilates helps train the body to remember proper alignment while upright during other activities. Standing Pilates’ focus on balance and weight shifting naturally improves those life skills, which can prevent many types of injuries.
Another benefit of standing Pilates is that it becomes a series of weight-bearing exercises for the hips and legs. Weight-bearing exercise is known to help prevent osteoporosis, and while all types of resistance training are beneficial, increasing weight helps build strong bones. Weight gain, and therefore the work done by the large leg muscles, can also increase calories burned during exercise, which can help with weight loss.
Standing Pilates can be done as a supplement to a more diverse Pilates program and will provide different and additional challenges to the body. People who cannot do pilates on the floor can also do standing pilates. For example, people with limited mobility, flexibility, or injuries that prevent floor work can still achieve many of the benefits of Pilates while standing.
Many standing Pilates moves are influenced by dancing and other dance-related exercise programs. This is not surprising, as Pilates was discovered and embraced by dancers soon after its development. Long before Pilates became a mainstream and popular form of exercise, dancers used it as a system for strengthening, conditioning, and injury prevention. Much of contemporary Pilates has evolved alongside dance and dancer-created exercise programs.
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