Martha Stewart is showing off her pilates moves at 82. In a recent social media post, the lifestyle and kitchen guru shows off her amazing body in exercise clothes during a grueling workout on the reformer. "Harder and more effective than it looks!!" she captioned the Instagram video, tagging Bedford Pilates, a studio near her home in Bedford, New York.
In 2023, Stewart revealed to People that she used Pilates to prepare for her May 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover shoot. "I did Pilates three, maybe four times a week and did not have a drink — no alcohol whatsoever for two months," she said.
She also told Yahoo Life's Unapologetically series that Pilates herlps her maintain a "healthy lifestyle" and stay active. "It's about being aware of things around you and leading a good healthy life," she said. "And, going to Pilates at 6:30 in the morning, which I did this morning. I try to go to Pilates as many times a week as I possibly can."
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Joseph Pilates, a dancer, created the workout in the early 20th century as a recovery method for dancers, as they are prone to injuries. However, over the last several decades Pilates transitioned into a mainstream method.
"Some of the principles that guide the Pilates method include concentration on each movement, use of the abdomen and low back muscles, flowing, precise movement patterns and controlled breathing," explains the Cleveland Clinic. Pilates can be done on both a mat and a reformer.
Pilates is considered a form of strength training, but instead of building muscle, it helpsimprove muscle tone and help with stability and endurance. "Pilates isn't going to bulk you up — if anything, it's designed to cultivate a longer, leaner look," explains the Cleveland Clinic. "Still, it can lay a strong physical foundation for muscle-building activities — and may even reduce your likelihood of injury."
Pilates "strengthens the body's inner core while increasing its flexibility resulting in improved overall health," says the Mayo Clinic. It can also promote longer, leaner muscles, injury prevention, relief from stress and back pain, enhanced athletic performance, and heightened mind-body awareness.
Pilates is one of the most research-backed workouts, Pilates exercises are designed to increase muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility, and to improve posture and balance, according to science.
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