Pilates Promotes FITNESS While Easing STRESS

by Angie Kay Dilmore

Step through the door at EPIC Pilates and you might sense your muscles begin to relax.

Your thoughts calm. Your heart rate slows a bit. Dimmed lights and music create a safe space where you can leave your worries and stress in the parking lot and focus on your physical and mental health. Owner Kellee Shaheen Powell teaches Reformer Pilates and encourages clients to put their phones aside and simply take an hour for themselves to improve their wellbeing.

Any form of movement or physical activity is beneficial to both your mind and body and can help relieve tension, but Pilates takes stress management to a higher level in several ways:

Intentional breathing. Pilates incorporates deep, controlled breathing techniques. This helps calm the nervous system, lowers blood pressure, and promotes relaxation. Powell adds that a focus on breathing forces you to slow down and be aware of every part of your body. “Engaging your core can be tricky for some people. Paying attention to your breathing can help you pull everything in and engage your core like no other exercise.”

Mindful movement and body awareness. Pilates helps you focus on your body’s movements and posture, encouraging you to become more in tune to your physical sensations. This approach reduces mental chatter and promotes a sense of peace and in-the-moment awareness. “Afterwards, you feel restored and rejuvenated,” Powell says.

Emotional wellbeing. Like other forms of exercise, Pilates releases endorphins—the feel-good, mood-boosting hormones.

Regulation of the stress-inducing hormone cortisol. More intense forms of exercise, such as running and spin classes, can release high levels of cortisol. Powell says Pilates puts your body in a more controlled state. “To build muscle, time under tension is important. It’s a slower movement with lower impact, controlling resistance with your muscles.”

Powell incorporates hand weights into her routines to combine strength training with Reformer Pilates in what she calls contemporary Pilates. “It’s the perfect mix for women of all ages to gain strength and flexibility and restore their pelvic floor. As we age and our hormones shift, it becomes much harder to hold onto muscle. Combining weights and Pilates improves balance and makes you less prone to injury and falls.”

Powell recommends clients do Pilates two to three times a week, depending on a client’s goals. She and her trained staff offer group sessions or one-on-one training. Powell says she strives to not only instruct Pilates classes, but also to promote a community of women. Working out in a group lends a sense of accountability and belonging, all while becoming stronger and more confident. “You’re not alone,” she adds.

Kellee Shaheen Powell and her twin sister, Emmalee Shaheen LeBlanc are co-owners of both Epic Pilates and Epic Health. They have two locations at 2503 Ryan St., Lake Charles, and
271 N. Hwy. 171 in Moss Bluff. For more information, see their website, discoverepichealth.com.