The Neuroplastic Benefits of Pilates

By Lindy Irwin

Contrology entails both the art and science of using one’s mind to control movements of the body to become a naturally sophisticated, refined mover and structure for optimal whole health. The science behind Contrology is referred to as neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity involves the process of creating new connections between individual neurons and neural pathways (to form and restructure synaptic connections) and reorganize neural networks in the brain. In very basic terms, it means “rewiring the brain.” It is evident Joseph Pilates innately understood the science of waking up dormant neurons and creating healthier motor neural connections, because he designed Pilates as a mind-body conditioning method of exercise where one uses the mind to completely control the body’s motor movements with focus and precision.

It is within the learning process and practice of using the brain to precisely control movements and activate connections within the musculoskeletal system that neurons in the brain are stimulated, awakened, and new neural connections and pathways are developed and restructured. The resulting health benefits of this process include a more neurally plastic brain and long lasting adaptive structural and functional changes to the overall nervous system. In essence, a person becomes a smarter, natural, coordinated, agile embodied mover throughout daily life functions, as well as, capable of being more mindfully present with enhanced awareness.

Pilates Offers Uniques Benefits for Cognitive and Physiological Health and Wellbeing

Contrology has proven the test of time since its inception over one hundred years ago for providing these neurological health benefits. Scientific health studies have proven general exercise to enhance memory, processing speed, and decrease age-related atrophy sections of the brain helping to maintain and protect the longevity of cognitive health and ward off cognitive decline, such as dementia. This is because the movement of the body enhances the circulation of rich oxygenated blood flow to the brain tissue at the cellular level.

Joseph Pilates coined the phrase, internal shower, to describe the physiological principle of robust vascular circulation nourishing all the body’s cells with oxygen, and this is a main fundamental goal for his conditioning method. In addition, he included the strengthening of the lungs and the activation of the full core to be a unified pump to enhance and drive the blood flow for the purpose of cellular oxygenation for optimal health of all the organ systems. The cellular oxygenation of the brain paired with the direct, unique neuroplastic benefits of Pilates for the brain and overall nervous system makes it arguably one of the most beneficial exercise formats one can practice for cognitive and physiological health and wellbeing.

Pilates is an Intelligent  Form of Exercise

Joseph Pilates strongly believed that a human’s movements should be as naturally intelligent and organic as an animal. His understanding of how to reprogram neural networks to make people more efficient, functional, connected, healthier movers in their daily lives is seen in the intelligent design and structure of his method. This includes the design of each exercise, the order the exercises are meant to be done and followed, and the designated leveling of the exercises.

1. Pilates Exercises and Level Progressions Develop Neural Connections

He created it as one integrated system with over five hundred exercises within the method organized into five levels ranging from Beginner to Super Advanced including all of the apparatus: Reformer, Mat, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, High Chair, Ladder Barrel, Small Barrel, Spine Corrector, Guillotine, and Small Accessories, such as the Magic Circle, Foot Corrector, Toe Corrector, etc.

The Super Advanced works entail and resemble acrobatic qualities. However, the Advanced and Super Advanced exercises are really just combined, larger, fuller expressions of all of the Beginner level exercises and skill sets layered upon one another. 

By the time a person arrives at the Advanced level of work in his or her Pilates practice, the neural connections required to physically do the exercises have been so hardily programmed and solidified within the individual’s motor nervous system in all the preceding levels of exercises that the Advanced exercises do not feel daunting.

2. Unique Design of the Pilates Equipment Helps Ignite and Reorganize Neural Pathways

The engineering of the equipment Joseph Pilates created and built to serve the process of igniting and reorganizing neural pathways within the brain and body is equally as imperative for the process to be effective from both a physics and sensory standpoint. This is why classical Pilates teachers are committed, passionate, and unwavering about utilizing a particular brand of classical equipment. No other design of equipment makes the same level of connections within a person’s nervous system.

3. Importance of the Order to Build New Motor Neural Connections

As a person begins a traditional classical Pilates practice, she/he will typically begin with the Level I System of exercises on the Reformer and/or Mat apparatus following the traditional order of the exercises. Towards the end of the session, designated Beginner Exercises on the auxiliary apparatus will be selected and given based on the individual’s unique needs and goals for overall conditioning. This order is important for warming up the body properly, getting connected and organized around one’s center powerhouse, and taking the spine through all the healthy ranges of motion it is designed to do. The repetition and practice over time is what allows for establishing new connections between neurons and synaptic connections. Dormant cells in the brain are awakened as one has to think and concentrate on how to execute movements precisely.

As an instructor, this is why it is so vital to follow the order and intelligent design of the Method as Joseph Pilates created it and it was carried and passed on by his successors, Romana Kryzanowka and other noted direct lineage teachers. A beginning level Pilates client’s nervous system needs a substantial amount of exposure to and repetition of the same exercises over a period of time to inform and build new motor neural connections at the most basic level. The process is similar to the way a refined athlete starts developing fundamental skills and advances the skills to an elite level over time and practice to the point it is woven into the body as a natural language.

4. Repetition and Consistency Solidify Neural Pathways and Bring Improvement in Physical Strength, Flexibility, and Uniform Development of the Body

Each person’s nervous system adapts, processes, and develops at an individual rate, and this is why progressing or advancing a client to the next level of difficulty within the Method cannot be quantified to a specific number of sessions. This is where the artistry of teaching Pilates comes into play, as it is important to be able to adapt and communicate the Method to clients in a way their nervous system can understand and respond. Having the capability to communicate and adapt cues in a variety of styles and contexts is important for all the differing types of clients and their varying neurological comprehension styles. Also, a responsible and informed Pilates instructor knows how to adapt, make modifications, support, and progress a client based on the individual’s needs and considerations both in the physical and mental realm.

As an individual starts to demonstrate more control, connection, coordination, proficiency, and flow while doing their Pilates exercises, it means that one’s brain is laying down new neural pathways. The point can not be reiterated enough that the key to solidifying the new pathways and making long-lasting change is in the repetition and consistency of doing these exercises over a period of time to the point they become the nervous system’s new baseline and can be called upon at will. Also, the repetition and consistency of practice allow the person to explore the movements/exercises at a deeper analytic level, which will only reinforce and enhance the new neural networks. Improvement in skeletal alignment and an increase in physical strength, flexibility, and uniform development of the body is a direct effect of the new internal neural programming.

5. Pilates is a Form of Movement Meditation that Promotes Neural Health

Meditation is also known to have positive effects on neural network arrangements leading to overall healthier neurobiology by promoting feelings of groundedness, calm, and wellbeing. Pilates is classified as a movement meditation for the following reasons:

• It requires and improves mental focus and concentration which creates the capability to be present in the moment. 
• Encompasses specific breath work and patterning. 
• Every exercise initiates from the center core flowing outward and returns back to the center of the body. 
• It involves the continual repetition of a method of exercises. 
• Practicing and progressing through the system of exercises building deeper and heightened awareness that translates to greater life awareness.

Example of the Process of Building Neural Connections: The Swan

A connection my clients hear me cue repeatedly in a variety of ways refers to dynamic shoulder blade stability, such as “Anchor the shoulder blades on the back” or “Glide the shoulder blades down the back.” This creates the connection of dynamic shoulder blade stability on the back, which allows for the following:

• Activates the smaller synergistic muscles around the shoulder blades, creating dynamic stability in relation to the back and keeping the stubborn upper Trapezius muscles from overworking and hunching the shoulders causing unnecessary tension and fatigue in the body. 
• Shoulder blade dynamic stability creates a direct channel to engaging the full center powerhouse including the deep abdominals.
• The spine will more readily do what the exercise is asking of it whether that is flexing (bending), extending (arching), sidebending, or rotating (twisting) the spine. 
• The breath moves through the body for more perfusion and circulation.

Dynamic shoulder blade stability is a specific skill/key connection in the Swan exercise, which can be done in a variety of formats on varying apparatus around the studio. When a person can properly demonstrate this skill paired with shoulder joint integration, (basically, not hunch the shoulders), it allows for more extension in the upper thoracic spine by support of the abdominals, as well as, a more uniform spinal extension/arching of the entire spine if the exercise calls for full spinal extension.

This is an example of how one has created a new neural connection between the mind and the body. Now, in future sessions when an instructor cues, “Swan your chest” during a completely different exercise, the client will instinctively and reflexively respond by anchoring the shoulder blades to more fully extend the upper back and chest while drawing the abdominals inward and upward. This is an example of how these skill sets have been linked as one neural connection and hardwired as part of the innate motor intelligence.

One can see the practical application of how the skill sets learned in the Swan exercise layer into fuller bigger expressions in the following exercise examples -Thigh Stretch with Arch, Rocking, Backbend on the Reformer, Grasshopper on Long Box II, High Bridge, etc.

5 Benefits of Pilates for Neuroplasticity

In summary, the art and science of practicing Contrology promotes neuroplasticity in a number of ways including: 

• Maintaining the health of the neurons and synapses to keep the brain acuity.
• Creating and restructuring neural connections between the brain and body for building physical and mental conditioning and health into the whole being. 
• Refining the nervous system to become better, more functionally efficient movers in activities of daily life. 
• Practicing Pilates as a movement meditation, which positively reinforces new neural configurations and supports overall mental health and wellbeing. 

Here’s to the wonders Pilates does for our cognition and overall brain health. Now, let’s do The Hundred Beats!

About the Author

Lindy Irwin
Lindy has been a passionate, classical Pilates professional for over twenty years. She was introduced to Pilates in her youth as supplemental strength conditioning for ballet dancers. Lindy pursued her passion for ballet at Texas Christian University where she majored in ballet and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Pilates was a part of the classical dance major curriculum.

She currently holds over 1,500 hours of comprehensive teacher training in the classical Pilates Method. She trained extensively at The Pilates Center in Boulder, Colorado, formerly known in the industry as The Harvard of Pilates Education, graduating from their Advanced Bridge Teacher Training Comprehensive Program and Master’s Program. Her early instructor classical training includes The Pilates System in Dallas, TX in 2002. Lindy graduated from The Classical Syllabus by Mejo Wiggin, world-renowned teacher of teachers, in 2019. Lindy was also invited by Mejo Wiggin to an invitation only instructor workshop Beyond the Syllabus in 2023 for instructors from across the nation based on advanced capability, comprehensive knowledge, and dedication to the traditional/classical Pilates Method. 

Lindy graduated with honors from Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing in 2010. Witnessing the devastating effects of disease and illness on our country’s population throughout her clinical rotations combined with her experience as an operating room nurse in vascular surgery renewed Lindy’s commitment and passion for helping people reap the physiological health benefits Pilates offers as it pertains to their whole health and quality of life. Lindy has vast experience working with clients of all ages, conditions, and physical capabilities ranging from the professional athlete to those with systemic disease. 

She has worked with children as young as age four to seniors in their nineties. 

Lindy developed and grew her own studio business, Authentic Pilates of Austin, when she lived in Austin. In 2019, Lindy received the designation of Who’s Who in America for her expertise in her field and contributions to humanity through the service of health. Lindy is most noted by her Pilates industry colleagues for her in-depth and detailed eye for the body’s musculoskeletal link system and how to develop mind-body connections and awareness within her clients through the Pilates system of movement to make transformative changes for their health and wellbeing. Lindy thoroughly enjoys mentoring instructors and helping them deepen their understanding of the Pilates Method as well. In 2020, Lindy brought Authentic Pilates to the Aledo/Fort Worth community when she and her son moved to the local area. 

Her teaching mission is to lead and empower people to greater health for a peaceful, centered, and joyful life.