The Trifecta: Pilates, Strength Training, and Chiropractic Care for Life!

WARNING! This is written for those who are young, young at heart, and anyone in between as it is never too late or too soon to begin….

Once upon a time, I was weak.  I knew I was weak when I was no longer able to hoist myself up into the boat after a day of water skiing and tubing.  I knew I was weak when I was not able to comfortably walk without extreme hip pain leading me to endless doctor and physical therapy visits, MRI’s, nerve testing, and eventually pain medication, which I only took for three whole days and felt horrible.  It was 1999 and I was only 26 years old.

Through the process of elimination and still in pain, it forced me to investigate other healing resources and all I knew was I wanted to be strong.  I started with a chiropractor just from the standpoint that maybe I have alignment issues, fearful of my first visit but quite pleasantly surprised by the outcome, I chose this path as a lifelong maintenance program.  Yes, my diagnosis was spinal misalignment and muscular imbalances due to overtraining of larger muscle groups creating smaller muscles to become weaker……. My practitioner told me “Young lady start Pilates and don’t ever stop.” 

Off to find a Pilates studio which in the late 90’s and early 2000’s was rare to find…. but I was fortunate to find a group of amazing women instructors who I admired for how strong and fit they were ages spreading from 25 – 55 years old at the time. I started Pilates in combination with strength training and I never stopped.  My Pilates built core was unrecognizably strong, I stood tall, felt confident, used the Pilates principles to help with technique in the weight room. Finally, I was comfortable training with weights.  

Today I’m 51 years young, strong, in menopause, and no chronic pain.  Listen to your body it will let you know when it is starting to become stressed, overworked, and imbalanced, use the Trifecta as a lifelong maintenance plan and a preventative measure to navigate a smoother transition into the perimenopause and menopause phases of life.  If you are already in menopause and just starting, I applaud you, as a stronger you is in your path provided you remain consistent, patient, and persevere.

The Trifecta….. a sustainable lifelong systems maintenance plan:

Pilates

Pilates is a form of low-impact exercise that focuses on strengthening the core muscles, improving flexibility, spinal lengthening, and promoting overall body alignment. Starting Pilates at any age will provide lifelong benefits. I suggest scheduling private instruction sessions with a classically trained Pilates instructor, such as a Power Pilates certified instructor, to learn the core principles and techniques of this discipline. During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes can lead to a decrease in bone density and muscle mass, as well as an increase in joint stiffness. Pilates can help combat these changes by improving muscle tone, enhancing flexibility, lengthening, and better posture. Additionally, Pilates can help relieve stress and anxiety, which are common symptoms during this time. By incorporating Pilates into your routine, you will improve your physical strength and mental clarity. A recommended book on this topic “The Pilates Body” by Brooke Siler.

Strength Training

In my opinion, strength training is the fountain of youth and using Pilates principles in the weight room can be preventative of injury by ensuring proper form and technique. The metabolic benefits of strength training are astounding as it impacts all systems including the circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, digestive, and nervous. As estrogen levels decline during midlife, women may experience a loss of muscle mass and strength, decrease in bone density, insulin spikes, weight gain, gut health issues, brain fog, and many other symptoms. Strength training exercises, such as lifting weights, using resistance bands, calisthenics, etc. will challenge the body and help counteract these effects by building muscle, increasing bone density, increase flexibility, improve gut health, and build overall strength. Hire a qualified trainer to learn the basics of strength training, proper form, and become comfortable and more confident in the weight room. Always remember the physically stronger you are the less likely you will become injured and persevere when emotional and physical traumas occur. A recommended book on this topic is “Outlive” by Peter Attia, MD

Chiropractor Care

Chiropractic care focuses on the relationship between the spine and nervous system and aims to promote overall health and well-being through spinal adjustments and manipulations. Use chiropractic care as a maintenance program (which may change weekly, monthly, or yearly based on your body’s needs) and a means to realign, adjust, and alleviate pain as stress and stored trauma will ebb and flow throughout life and shift in your body.  During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal fluctuations can lead to changes in the musculoskeletal system, such as joint pain, stiffness, and decreased mobility. Chiropractic care can help alleviate these symptoms by improving spinal alignment and flexibility, reducing inflammation, and restoring proper function to the nervous system. By incorporating chiropractic care into your routine body maintenance, you can improve joint health, reduce pain and stress responses leading to an optimally aligned and balanced body.