The simple answer to this is any age.
I have people in class and 1-1 clients that range from 20 to 88 years old, age is definitely not a barrier if you want to do Pilates.
Staying fit and healthy is really important, no matter what age you are. Here are 12 reasons to ‘get into’ it.
A question I get asked a lot is what if I’m over 40 – can I still do it?
Of course you can, as we increase in age it’s so important to keep fit & healthy because of what is going on in our bodies, such as losing muscle year on year & we are much more likely to suffer from osteoporosis (brittle bones).
Losing muscle
Yep unfortunately it’s a thing especially for women as we start out with less muscle than our male counterparts.
We need our muscles as they keep us strong, able, moving well & independent.
Around age 30 we start to lose muscle, at about 3 {16d13fd70413c4a6a6ad23dd302b5c19c29a12dadea36322813e38d23061cd1e} every ten years, while our strength declines around 30{16d13fd70413c4a6a6ad23dd302b5c19c29a12dadea36322813e38d23061cd1e} between the ages of 50 & 70.
But we can do something about it (see below).
Bones
Half of women over 50 will break a bone at some point due to brittle bones (osteoporosis).
Every movement is due to muscles pulling on bones, the more active you are the greater the strain put on the bone, which in turn makes your bones stronger & denser.
Regular exercise can prevent bone loss and can help with replacement as you age.
Your bones are constantly remodeling , getting rid of the old & creating new until hitting their peak for men & women at about 30-35 years. In women our bones then start to break down quicker than they rebuild, which links to our hormones.
After Menopause bone loss is about 2 to 3 {16d13fd70413c4a6a6ad23dd302b5c19c29a12dadea36322813e38d23061cd1e} per year.
But it’s not all gloom & doom. It’s never too late to take action to promote healthy bones & maintain the muscle you’ve got.
The best activities are those that are weight bearing and adding in strength training (resistance with weights/ small equipment) is extremely beneficial for your bones & muscles.
It’s inevitable to have some muscle & bone loss with age, but doing the right type of exercises, together with a healthy diet & lifestyle can help you hang on to what you’ve got.
Pilates will help you to build & maintain your muscles, bone density & strength, improving posture, balance, flexibility & stability and it’s not too tough on the joints or muscles, though done properly it’s challenging ( & fun of course!).
It can help with certain conditions as we get older like arthritis, back aches & pains. And it does wonders for your mental health – who ever regretted going to a Pilates class?
Start now and get moving. Don’t put it off until next week because you’ll keep putting it off – there’s never a good time !
Email me Claire@fitfantasticand40.com to find out about working 1-1 with me
Or press the button to book a class – we always use small equipment in classes which adds in that all important resistance
Can’t wait to meet you
Claire x
