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Pilates Benefits for Kids: Should I Bring Them for Pilates?

Pilates, Blog, / By Koh Peh Chia

Are you worried about your kid who is always addicted to video games for hours? Are you looking for some fun workout that can help him or her be physical fit and mentally alert? Well, I’m talking about Pilates here. A safe and low Impact workout like Pilates can work effectively for your kid’s fitness and be more focused in the class. This article is going to the benefits of pilates for kids.

Benefits of Pilates for Kids

1. It is not competition

Through my clinical experiences, I have seen many children joining different competitive sports activitities, such as gymnastics, judo, ballet, taekwondo etc. It is quite rare to see them to be encouraged to get up and move without having a competitive goal of beating another team, or enjoing their personal time. Pilates then becomes more common for children lately to allow them to enjoy movement for the sake of the movement. It can also help to build their confidence and self-esteem levels.

 

2. Improve Concerntration

Pilates teaches kids how to use their muscles in a controlled way and make their bodies stronger and more flexible. This enhances their mind and body connection. While encouraging a focus on breath and pose, Pilates can help your kid improve his concentration and calmness. Nevertheless it will boost his performance in both academics and sports.

3. Increase Flexibility

No matter your kid is active in sports or he is having sedentary lifestyle, children need to be flexible to promote their health grow. The poses in Pilates help to keep a kid’s muscle and tendons limber. 

4. Strengthen Muscles

The controlled movements in Pilates improve blood circulation and strengthen the body’s core muscles. A strong core or trunk helps kid conserve his energy and be more attentive to his school work. Pilates also helps tone the body and improve athletic performance.

5. Correct Posture

Kids these days are glued to their television and video games for long hours, which adversely affect their posture. It also leads to recurrent back problems during adulthood. However, kids who do Pilates regularly have a better posture and are less prone to injury. Moreover, they also have better spinal alignment.

What Type of Pilates Exercise is Suitable for my Kid?

Generally, Pilates is suitable for kids eight years and up under adult supervision. Mat-based Pilates is more encouraged for kids. The classes use different props often including stability balls, which are easy for them to use.

We hope this article has been useful for you. Should you have any questions, as always, our therapists will be more than happy to help you here. Do check out our other blog posts on various topics. Below is a pilates exercise demonstrated by our therapist, Peh Chia, which is an excellent workout for children. If you are interested in other useful tips and simple exercises, check out our YouTube channel.https://youtu.be/lVi38pC7ogA