Developed by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates in the early 1900s, Pilates is a series of movements that are specially designed to strengthen the muscles, enhance flexibility, and promote good posture. Over time, it's been recognized to help with physical rehabilitation, weight loss, core strength and back issues.

Barre has been a newer emergence in the fitness scene and stems from a hybrid of ballet barre exercises blended with elements from Yoga and Pilates. It focuses on high-intensity exercises designed to increase stamina and endurance through targeted isometric movements that activate and strengthen specific muscle groups.

Aerial Yoga is a more recent development in the Yoga community and incorporates the same mindset and poses, or "asanas" as traditional Yoga, with a twist: the addition of silk hammocks. This enables a person to push the limits of the body to achieve greater flexibility, strength and mobility, while also decompressing the joins, thanks to its suspended nature.

Due to their nature and more holistic approach to physical fitness, Pilates, Barre and Aerial Yoga come with a multitude of benefits that can enhance your existing fitness routine or become your new go-to approach.

1) Improvement of flexibility, which can lead to fewer injuries

All three of these types of exercise focus on building more flexibility, which allows for greater compliance in the tendons and ligaments, preventing injury in occurrences of sudden movements that may push the boundaries of mobility.

2) Increased muscle strength and tone

All three of these physical activities also focus on gradually strengthening the body through body weight and equipment like Reformer machines, barres, and hammocks, which can lead to greater physical strength and stamina and enhance muscle tone.

3) Boost for mental health

Exercising is already known for its effects on mental health by releasing "feel-good" hormones like serotonin and endorphins, which can boost your mood. Additionally, working towards specific goals and seeing your progress can help to build confidence and promote a better mindset.

4) Greater bone density

For women especially, bone density tends to diminish as we age. By strengthening our muscles, we are also stimulating the body to fortify our bones, which can increase bone density, preventing our susceptibility to injury and conditions like osteoporosis.

5) Better posture

All three of these forms of fitness activities emphasize the importance of the core (which includes the back) and proper alignment and technique. Because of this, you may notice that over time your posture will begin to improve, which can also have benefits on your ability to take deep breaths and on the health of your back.

6) Deeper cultivation of a positive mind-body connection

A mind-body connection is defined as how our attitudes, beliefs, thoughts and feelings can affect our body's natural biological processes. With Pilates, Barre and Aerial Yoga, there is a more holistic approach taken that specifically focuses on mindset and breathwork in addition to physical efforts. As such, this builds a stronger mind-body connection and can help to cultivate more positive feelings about your body's capabilities, possibly leading to reduced anxiety, better digestion, higher quality rest, and improved cognitive function.

If you're looking to incorporate Pilates, Barre and/or Aerial Yoga into your wellness routine, Skin Society Studio offers all of these options with our experienced, knowledgeable and motivating instructors. Our schedule includes a selection of AM and PM classes from Mat and Reformer Pilates, to Aerial Yoga for adults AND children!