The benefits to Pilates are extraordinarily broad. There are benefits to be found for every individual with every circumstance. Just like choosing the style of Pilates which best fits you, it is also important to consider the benefits you will be receiving when making Pilates a part of your life.

Pilates offers a refreshing mind-body workout. Pilates helps to get your mind in tune with your body. By emphasizing proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and complete concentration on smooth, flowing movement, you become acutely aware of how your body feels, where it is in space, and how to control its movement. Pilates emphasis’ quality over quantity. Proper breathing is essential, and helps you execute movements with maximum power and efficiency. Especially important, learning to breath can relieve stress.

Pilates allows you to build inner strength without bulk. Conventional workouts often build short bulky muscles, which unfortunately are the most prone to injury. Pilates will help you build a balanced body, elongated and strengthened muscles, improved muscle elasticity and joint mobility. A body focused on overall strength with long lean muscles and flexibility is much less likely to be injured.

Pilates helps to develop a strong core. Pilates help to strengthen the center of your body. The core consists of deep abdominal and spinal muscles. Control of the core is achieved by integrating the trunk, pelvis, and shoulder girdle. Not only will your core be strong, you will also develop flat abdominals and a strong back. Pilates helps to create an evenly conditioned body and prevent sport injuries. In conventional workouts, weak muscles tend to get weaker and strong muscles tend to get stronger. The result is muscular imbalance - a primary cause of injury and chronic back pain. Pilates conditions the whole body, even the ankles and feet. No muscle group is over trained or under trained. Your entire musculature is evenly balanced and conditioned, helping you enjoy daily activities and sports with greater ease and less chance of injury. Pilates teaches efficient patterns of motion. Pilates train several muscle groups at once using smooth, continuous movements. When developing a proper technique your body is re-trained to move in a safer, more efficient pattern. These movements are invaluable for injury recovery, good posture, and over all good health.

Pilates will help you be confident and safe during a challenging workout. Pilates is gentle yet challenging, and many exercises can be performed while sitting or reclining. Most exercises merely use low impact or are partially weight bearing. Your body uses its own weight to help you strengthen your body in an optimum fashion. Pilates is so safe, it is used in physical therapy facilities to rehabilitate injuries.

Pilates is also safe during pregnancy. During pregnancy Pilates can be adjusted so that it is safe for both mother and baby, improving circulation and relieving stress from painful points on the body. Pilates is also helpful post pregnancy helping to re-align the spine and to lose pregnancy weight.

Pilates is an engaging program. Pilates promotes a feeling of physical and mental well-being and also develops inner awareness. Pilates creates a program that people want to do, and are engaged in. Pilates can change for growth or to continue to engage the user. Pilates is beneficial to all from the greatest athlete, to actors, to every person on the street. Pilates is helpful because no matter your circumstance it can prevent and rehabilitate, increase flexibility and improve posture. “Although Pilates is often associated with dancers, athletes, and younger people in general who are interested in improving their physical strength and flexibility, a simplified version of some Pilates exercises is also being used as of 2003 to lower the risk of hospital-related deconditioning in older adults. A Canadian study of hospitalized patients over the age of 70 found that those who were given a set of Pilates exercises that could be performed in bed recovered more rapidly than a control group given a set of passive range-of-motion exercises.”

Pilates is an extremely flexible system. Because there are so many modifications possible, the benefits per person are barely able to be defined they are so numerous. Pilates can help you find the workout that suits you now, and evolve to a workout that will suit you later.

According to Joseph Pilates, "You will feel better in 10 sessions, look better in 20 sessions and have a completely new body in 30 sessions."