If you've been looking at all the different types of and feeling a little overwhelmed, you're not alone. There are over 70,000 Google searches for Pilates every month in the UK alone, and many more searches for explainers about what some of the key Pilates trends - like - are. If you're wondering why there's all the hype, let us explain a bit about and further, the many .
The practice was designed by Joseph Pilates who used strengthening and stretching exercises to rehabilitate soldiers during the First World War. Since then, it's been used to support injury rehab, general strength and mobility for all sorts of people. Studies support its benefits: a found that Pilates can lead to a notable increase in muscle mass in the trunk and abdomen.
There was also an increase in the bone density of the spine, which researchers said was important given Pilates' accessibility for menopausal and sedentary women who are at risk of osteoporosis. And these benefits and more can be seen across multiple types of Pilates. For example, a found that eight weeks of Reformer Pilates had positive effects on flexibility, heart rate and glucose measurements in women.
So if you're scrolling your class booking app and wondering which type of Pilates to go for - Classical or Stott? or Reformer? - know that all of them pack benefits. But if you want to get specific with your training to meet your goals, then picking the correct could do wonders. Keen to read more about Pilates while you're here? Don't mis.