August 17, 2023

Combining strength & Pilates. Here’s how & why.

So you’re a Pilates person but you’re really into your strength training too. We get it! The good news is, you CAN do both! In fact, we’re spilling the tea on why it’s the perfect complementary combo and how you can create your ultimate routine by doing Kic’s strength & Pilates based programs.

WHY IS STRENGTH & PILATES THE PERFECT DUO?

We recently asked our partnered physiotherapist team from Upwell Health Collective on exactly why strength & Pilates is a great workout combo to start integrating into your routine. They gave us 5 key reasons, so let’s break them down.

  • Great Posture = Great Form

Barre Pilates focuses on opening and strengthening the muscles of the chest and back which can significantly improve your posture, especially if you work at a computer or desk. Paired with a lot of glute work Barre Pilates can help you maintain and improve your technique when you switch to strength training.

  • Release your happy hormones

Strength training, Barre Pilates and other forms of exercise can help to increase feelings of wellbeing by releasing endorphins, AKA our happy hormones! Feeling strong can help improve feelings of resilience and help you to cope better with adversity – which gets a big tick from us!

  • Gentle on your joints

If your joints struggle with high impact exercises or burpees just aren’t your vibe, Strength and Barre Pilates are great alternatives. These low impact exercises reduce the overall load on your knees and pelvic floor and actually work to build strength in areas like your hips, knees and ankles to make high impact workouts more achievable and enjoyable.

  • Motivate your mind

Bored of doing the same workout over and over again? We’ve all been there! It can be really challenging to maintain motivation and keep your mind engaged, and most importantly, excited when you’re not mixing up your movements. Incorporating Pilates with strength training means you’re more likely to stay engaged, both mentally and physically!

  • Reduce your risk of injury

Having variety in your workouts means you’re challenging your body and working your muscles in different ways which can help reduce the risk of injury. Developing a routine which keeps your muscles guessing will help you continue to reap these benefits long-term. On top of this, strength training helps to maintain joint and bone strength, maintaining the integrity of our joints as well as bone density and structure.

THAT ALL SOUNDS GREAT! BUT HOW DO I ACTUALLY COMBINE THE TWO PROGRAMS?

Simple! Head into the Kic app, tap on ‘You’ and take your fitness journey to the next level by enrolling in a Kic program of your choice.

If you have a gym membership, or you’re thinking about signing up to a gym, then we recommend enrolling in our new gym program, Lift. Our KICSTART, KICFIT & KICPRO Programs also include plenty of strength sessions that can be done at home or in the gym.

You can then enrol in a second program – Barre Burn – our new Pilates Program, to get the best of both worlds! Personalise your workout schedule by choosing the days you want to work out, and find your Program workouts automatically uploaded in your planner.

Whether you thrive off a strength session or prefer that iconic Pilates burn, both workout types are SO good for us, and we’re here to help build a routine that works for you!

 

 

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