Five Reasons Why Pilates Or Yoga Are The Best Workouts For This Hot Weather
You want to continue your workouts throughout the summer, but the gym is hot and sweaty. You’ve tried taking your workout outdoors, but the heat is exhausting! So, you’re ready to throw in the towel and wait till the weather cools down so you can go back to the gym.
Exercising in hot temperatures is quite stressful for the body. Your core temperature rises, your heart rate rises more than ever, and you can feel weak, dizzy, or exhausted. So instead of ditching your workouts altogether or risking your well-being, here are five reasons why you should get yourself to a morning Pilates class or a sunset Yoga!
- They Are Low-Impact Workouts. Pilates & Yoga are more than a workout of course; Pilates is a movement philosophy, Yoga is a complete mind-body and spiritual practice. But if you think they are just stretching, you are very wrong. I love seeing the look on my client’s faces when they realise how challenging a Pilates or Yoga class can be. You build lean muscles and get stronger without putting strain on your joints.
- They Use Cooling, Calming Breathing Techniques. Although very different purposes for each, the breathing in Yoga and Pilates is designed to keep the body and the mind “cool”. You breathe deeper, and you maintain your heart rate steady while increasing the safety of your movement. Plus, the breath clarifies and calms the mind and reduces stress. Who does not want to be less stressed in summer?
- They Improve Your Balance And Stability. Pilates, in particular, works on the deep core muscles (the stabilisers) which we desperately need for everything in life, especially as we age. You’ve seen people balancing on one leg, in a tree pose, while they seem to be staring into nowhere. If you cannot do that now, you’re likely to have some balance issues later in life.
- They Get You Out Of Your Shoes, And That’s A Great Thing! For most workouts, the gym, for walking or running, you need your trainers. But we’re so used to wearing cushioned trainers that our feet have forgotten how to properly walk. I work with many clients who suffer from hip, knee or back pain. Most of the time, their bad posture is caused by having weak feet muscles or tight ankles. Your feet have over 100 muscles and getting out of your shoes for an hour of exercising can improve your foot strength and ankle mobility.
- You’re On Holiday? No Problem. Pilates Or Yoga Can Be Done Anywhere. You can’t bring your gym with you, but you can open a pilates class on your phone and get moving first thing in the morning by the pool or the last thing in the evening after your hike. No equipment, no props, no fuss.
I always feel energised after a Yoga or Pilates class, and we could all do with that little bit of extra energy on holiday! Ok, Ana, but I’ve tried Pilates and it was too slow for me. I’ve tried Yoga and we just sat down with our legs crossed and talked about the moon. I get you, I tried a few classes and a few teachers before falling in love with Yoga and Pilates.
When it comes to choosing the best class for you, the best thing to do is speak to someone about your needs, your goals and most importantly about your aches and injuries. Make sure you walk into the right class, and you train with the right people.
Will you give Pilates or Yoga a go this summer?
About The Author
Ana is a Posture Coach helping people correct their posture and find strength, ease and joy in movement. She has trained in different styles of Yoga, Pilates, Reformer Pilates, Science of Stretching and Myofascial Movement. She is based in Dublin (Ireland) but works mainly online with clients from all over Europe.
Her website is currently getting a revamp but this is how you can get in touch:
Via email: info@anastefan.ie
On WhatsApp or Telegram (+353) 083 446 8548