We know the powerful benefits of Pilates on both the mind and body–regular practice has the ability to not only transform our strength, flexibility and mobility, but improve our emotional wellbeing, stress management, energy levels and mood. So, what happens when we apply this method to support the health and wellbeing of our tweens and teenagers?
Pilates is unique in that no matter your fitness level or physical ability, the exercises we practise will challenge you and support your day-to-day function. Pilates is safe and supportive for those entering their fitness journey, while highly challenging and effective for more advanced movers or elite athletes. And the same applies for your tween or teen.
There are some alarming statistics around young girls and physical activity. By the age of 14 years, 43% of young girls who once considered themselves ‘sporty’ disengaged from sport after primary school for reasons including a fear of feeling judged by others, lack of confidence, pressure of schoolwork and not feeling safe outside (womeninsport.org).
As we move through different ages and stages of life, we are faced with various imbalances, circumstances and challenges which impact our posture, balance, strength, physical performance and emotional wellbeing. Consider your tween or teenager – managing social and academic pressures, carrying oversized school bags with textbooks and laptops and spending far more time hunched over a computer or engrossed by their phone. Compulsory team sports and physical education slowly decline in older years of high school, which results in a decline of overall physical activity, postural alignment and body awareness. Coupled with screen time and hyper-stimulation from a social and educational perspective, this impacts your teenager’s sleep patterns, posture, body image, energy levels and confidence. The implications caused by the overuse of technology is evident both physically and emotionally. The short term impacts of poor posture include neck, shoulder, back pain and headaches, and overtime can have long-lasting impacts on spinal health, placing stress and tension across all areas of the body, resulting in ongoing injuries. Not to mention the exposure to unsolicited health fads, unrealistic aesthetic expectations and social pressures on social media.
The pandemic expedited time spent on screens, with physical classrooms becoming virtual, taking all in-person classes, events and workshops online, and restricting in-person sports and social activities. The result of an increase in screen time and decrease in physical activity has resulted in the underuse and overuse of certain muscle groups, creating imbalances in the body which overtime, will result in pain and injuries. Social media has become a platform for sharing, communicating and generating health and wellness trends. And despite a positive shift towards improving our health and wellbeing, this content is diluted with unsolicited, uneducated and sometimes dangerous trends which can do more harm than good, particularly in the hands of a teen or young adult.
So, why Pilates?
Pilates offers a safe and effective movement method which supports our day-to-day function. Which means the exercises we teach are designed to improve our balance, stability, mobility and strength to perform day-to-day tasks with ease, free of pain and imbalances. Our teenagers are sponges for education and knowledge, building the foundations to set them up for adulthood. By integrating functional movement into their lives from a young age, they are building the foundations for strong, balanced bodies with positive body awareness, stress management tools and a healthy emotional wellbeing.
“In childhood, habits are easily formed – good and bad. Why not then concentrate on the formation of only good habits and thus avoid the necessity later on in life of attempting to correct bad habits and substituting them for good habits.” Joseph H. Pilates, 1934.
What are the benefits of Pilates for teens?
- Foundational strength and balance to prevent pain and injuries
- Positive body awareness to maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Improved balance and coordination to support physical performance
- Strong muscles and bones
- Improved flexibility and stability
- Postural awareness and maintenance to counteract physical strains of technology
- Increased self-esteem and confidence
- Reduced stress and tension
- Improved focus, energy levels and mood
Pilates for physical performance
For active teenagers who engage with social or competitive sport, Pilates complements different forms of exercise by strengthening our slow-twitch fibres and local muscle groups. Competitive sports can place physical and emotional pressures on teens, overusing certain muscle groups which can in time lead to injuries and imbalances. Pilates works to balance the body and improve total body strength, stability and control, minimising the risk of pain and injuries. Research supports complementing physical activity with functional movement to avoid overuse of muscles and support muscle recovery.
Pilates for emotional wellbeing
Pilates requires deep concentration and focus, encouraging a mind–body connection through breathing and the flow of considered movements. Consistent practice will help to improve focus, energy and concentration, all of which contribute to a healthier and more engaged mind of a teenager.
Pilates offers a balanced and considered approach to movement and wellbeing, creating a positive mindset for teenagers dealing with the pressures of body image and social media exposure.
The nature of Pilates in small group classes provides a social environment, without the pressures of competitive sports. The encouragement from the instructor is supportive and motivational, essential for young adults to experience and engage with, eliminating the fears of insecurities or self-consciousness.
Practising Pilates as a young adult going through puberty allows for a better understanding of the body and body awareness through different stages of the month, and how the body is impacted by our hormones, energy levels, sleep, stress and emotional wellbeing.
Fluidform for Tweens/Teens
The Fluidform movement method is based on Kirsten King’s experience over 20 years rehabilitating, rebalancing and strengthening thousands of bodies. As a mother to three girls, two in early years of highschool, Kirsten understands the physical and emotional pressures of the tween/teen years and the transformative power of Pilates. She has witnessed the derailing of physical activity while the pressures from social media, social circles and navigating life as a teenager go up–understanding the importance of functional movement for young adults and the lack of education, accessible and effective options within the wellness market.
Thanks to social media, young adults are becoming more aware and conscious of their health and wellbeing. However, the lack of education and accessibility to reputable resources can often result in young adults engaging with trends which do more harm than good.
Fluidform provides a dedicated Tween/Teen program which focuses on balance, strength and mobility for young and growing bodies. The classes focus on body awareness, functional movements and dynamic movements for young adults to gain a better understanding of their bodies, discover a better mind–body connection and set them up with the foundations to feel strong and move with confidence. The exercise program focuses on areas such as poor posture from carrying school bags, abdominal and glute activation, and strength and stability to support team sports.
If you are a parent with teenagers interested to learn more, please contact us by emailing admin@fluidform.com.au
We offer Tween/Teen classes at Fluidform Clovelly. You can book via link below.
