Will Pilates Give Me a Six-Pack?

Um… no, but having a six pack probably shouldn’t be a body goal anyway.

Genetics plays a big part in whether or not you can actually attain that look to begin with not to mention needing to have an extremely low body fat percentage which in fact is not actually very healthy, especially if sustained for any length of time. Unless you’re a fitness model getting ready for a photoshoot or about to step on stage flexing all you got, why do you even need to have abs that pop? Attaining the low levels of body fat to get those bad boys to reveal themselves is painstakingly hard to achieve and the sort of sacrifice involved in making that happen is really not worth it. Life is too short. Will a six-pack really make you happier? Probably not, but it will definitely make you hungrier and that’s no fun.

Aesthetics should not, for most people, be a priority. Of course we all want to look good, however, if we prioritize good nutrition and training our body in a way that makes it function well, aesthetic changes will be a welcomed side effect. True fact.

What Pilates will definitely do (for your tummy) is strengthen your transversus abdominis (TVA) which lies underneath the rectus abdominis (your six-pack). This will help to pull your tummy in and help to flatten it. Now there is WAY more to Pilates than this.

Pilates targets every single muscle in your body (even in your feet and ankles!) and is all about your performance. Pilates will help you tune into your body, not just on the mat or reformer but the knowledge you gain in your practice will transfer into how you sit or move as you go about your daily life. You will feel better and look better. Let your performance be the measure of your success, not the visibility of your abs.

Now let’s talk a little about what good nutrition is. Real food. Fresh produce, none of that processed crap that has extended use by dates. You need a balance of protein, carbs and fats. Stay away from faddy diets. Diets don’t work long-term and in fact studies show that diets can lead to disordered eating and poor mental health. Now if you’re reading this and you’re thinking, ‘Well Slim Fast worked for me’, let me now ask you whether or not you were able to keep the weight off long-term once you stopped counting those points? And if the answer is ‘Yes’ then I say well done, I stand corrected in this instance. You are a rare individual indeed!

Fresh produce is key to good nutrition. There are a million recipes that anyone with an internet connection can access. If you don’t know how to cook, learn to cook, it will serve you well. And what if you are too busy? There are always ways you can fit preparing a nutritious meal into your busy life. The key is preparation, and honestly, nutritious meals don’t need to take long to make. But only you can make that happen. If you want something bad enough, you will find a way of making it happen.

For there to be a well-rounded approach to your general well-being there needs to a combination of good nutrition and a fitness programme that includes strengthening both your musculoskeletal and cardiovascular system. Pilates will certainly take care of strengthening your musculoskeletal system as the focus is not just on your core. As said before, it’s a whole body approach that builds strength, endurance and flexibility. What it lacks is the ability to train your cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular exercise is the kind of exercise that gets us out of breath. Incorporate this type of exercise into your training programme for the health of your heart. We only have one heart, look after it well. And there isn’t a type of cardiovascular exercise that is superior to another in terms of strengthening your cardiovascular system. If it gets you out of breath and you enjoy that particular exercise then it’s the best one for you to do. No point doing something if you don’t enjoy it. Why run if you hate it? Go for a swim. Or cycle. You don’t need a gym membership to go for a brisk walk.

Certain types of exercise, however, are superior in terms of your bone health. Many of you may not have ever considered the health of your bones but let me assure you that it’s wise not to neglect this aspect of your physical health, but more on this in another post. This was really just a post about your six-pack, remember? So the take home message of this post is that having a six-pack should not be your primary focus. If you take on a well-rounded approach to your health, incorporating good nutrition, training your cardiovascular system and training your musculoskeletal system by practicing a form of exercise such as Pilates, not only will you feel better, you will look better as a result. You never know, that six-pack may even make an appearance without you specifically trying to achieve it!