Pilates method as a kind of mind body practice: women practitioners’ opinions on their physical and psychological wellbeing

Date

2019

Author

Öztürk, Filiz

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As a mind-body practice, Pilates is a method of strengthening and stretching the body with mental focus and controlled breathing according to basics of anatomy and body mechanics, consists of exercises on mat and with machines. J. H. Pilates developed it at the beginning of 1900s favoured for physical rehabilitation, performance enhancement, and positive psychological effects. The purpose of this study was to determine women Pilates practitioners’ opinions on their physical and psychological wellbeing. Qualitative research method was used to reveal those opinions. Systematic steps of basic qualitative research design were applied. 32 women Pilates method mat practitioners living in Ankara were selected through purposive and convenience-sampling methods. Data was collected through a semistructured interview method. One-to-one meetings of face-to-face and telephone interviewing were conducted by tape recording. According to generic form of qualitative content analysis approach, qualitative data was collected, analyzed for themes, themes were reported, reports were written, and interpretations were v made. The findings showed that Pilates method had positive effects on participants’ well-being on physical and psychological health parameters, awareness of their self on personality properties, overcoming negative thoughts and coping with stress, improving mindfulness and concentration, efficiency at work and daily tasks, and satisfaction regarding interpersonal relationships. From these effects, physical benefits seemed in a wide range and more influential. This may suggest that Pilates method is mostly considered with its physical benefits results in more action oriented effects created psychological contributions besides behavioral and social ones.

Subject Keywords

Exercise., Pilates Method, Mind-Body Practice, Physical Benefits, Psychological Benefits, Social Benefits.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12623218/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/43382

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis