Pilates is renowned as being one of the most difficult exercises out there. 

Not only does it require an incredible amount of flexibility and core strength that is pretty difficult to build up in the first place, but it also needs a lot of patience and effort from all participants.

In some instances, it can also be modified to become a gentle strength training program rather than a very challenging workout. Because of this, Pilates is a great form of exercise for people of all ages and abilities.

As hard as Pilates may sometimes be, it’s equally rewarding for the mind and the body. But there’s one potential question you may not have considered when it comes time to take part in Pilates: can it make you gassy?

Truthfully, it all depends on the individual and the movement that is occurring. Yet if you’d like to know a bit more about whether Pilates can make you gassy or not, this article contains the necessary information.

What Is Pilates?

In its simplest definition, Pilates is a system of repeated exercises that are performed on a piece of equipment to promote body stability, strength, and flexibility.

Pilates is also a type of exercise that concentrates energy on strengthening the body with the main emphasis remaining on the muscular effort that stems from your total core strength. 

Due to the overall intensity of this form of exercise, Pilates not only improves general well-being and general fitness but also increases flexibility, balance, and posture, much like yoga.

What Does It Do For Your Body?

Pilates encourages you to identify and then work within the physical limits of your body. It also involves a lot of mindfulness and careful breath work which does wonders to release built-up stress and tension from the body.

The main goal is to control every move that you make which requires stability from your core muscles. It’s not easy to accomplish which is why Pilates is considered one of the best ways to build stamina and strength.

Although Pilates can be used by everyone regardless of age, gender, or current fitness level, it is a common form of exercise that is typically used by dancers and older individuals to strengthen the muscles in their bodies.

Is Pilates Right For You?

Truthfully, you must consider what it is that you are wanting to achieve. 

Pilates is all about focusing on a total package of vitality and health, which naturally results in abs, balanced muscles, and much greater posture. It is about prioritizing your mental and physical health to achieve a better sense of mindfulness and balance within your body. 

If you want a low-impact exercise that promotes overall health, weight management, and weight loss, Pilates might be the type of exercise that you need.

In these circumstances, it will help you to become more aware of your body and how it moves around, you will become stronger, and your balance will improve significantly. 

Strengthening your core with Pilates will also help to alleviate lower back discomfort if that is something you struggle with.

Can Pilates Make You Gassy?

We now move on to that all-important question that you may be dying to know: can Pilates make you gassy?

The short answer is yes, Pilates can make you gassy!

With such a huge variety of positions and striking twisting movements involved in this particular exercise, there is a lot of pushing and severe compression on the intestinal tract and muscles.

This is an effective way to relieve trapped gas, and might also result in burping in certain situations. In simpler terms, this is the reason Pilates is often seen to make people gassy.

However, the same concept of compression on the muscles and intestinal tract applies to just about any exercise that creates any form of abdominal pressure. This then forces the gas out.

Reasons Why Pilates May Make You Gassy

Although it can be pretty embarrassing if a fart slips out in a Pilates class, it is a completely normal reaction. There are also a couple of core reasons why Pilates may make you gassy in the first place. Here are the most common reasons:

• Pelvic Pressure: gas can occur at just about any time that excess pressure is placed onto the pelvic floor. 
• Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: along the same lines, f you already have a form of pelvic floor dysfunction then you are far more susceptible to becoming gassy, especially if you have suffered trauma to the area throughout your life. 
• Food and Drink: the things that you eat before and after a Pilates class, and the exact time that you do so, are huge factors in why the exercise may make you gassy. Such an intense form of exercise can help to significantly stimulate the movement of gas in the interesting, resulting in extreme gas in particular situations.
• Overexertion: gas may build up when doing Pilates as the exertion caused by specific exercises may create extra abdominal pressure. This can force the gas to come out, especially if you strain to do the move in the first place. Plus, if you already suffer from trapped wind, overexertion, or straining can make you very gassy.
• Breathing: inefficient breathing while you partake in Pilates can make it more likely that you will be gassy. If you limit your ability to inhale and exhale properly it may cause flatulence at a much higher rate. This is because breathing forces additional air into the stomach and intestines, which then comes out as gas.

Something To Remember

Remember: being gassy when doing Pilates is completely natural and is nothing to be ashamed of! It is a great indicator to any reputable Pilates instructor that you have lost direct contact with your breathing and need to re-focus before continuing. 

This means you are bearing down lots of pressure onto the pelvic floor and abdominal wall to finish the movement rather than controlling a contraction.

Why Does This Matter?

To put it in simple terms, bearing excess pressure on the pelvic floor can lead to very poor core mechanics and may even exacerbate any existing weaknesses if it is repeated over a set period. 

As a result of this, it’s super important for any Pilates instructor to speak out about the truth behind why gas occurs so frequently during this form of strenuous exercise. 

After all, the more it is spoken about, and the quicker the action is taken, the less taboo being gassy during Pilates will become.

Pilates instructors will help others to synchronize the diaphragm with the pelvic floor, spinal muscles, and abdominal wall muscles whilst also doing the exercise mindfully. This will help clients to rediscover a strong connection with their core.

Summary

As an exercise, Pilates does have the potential to make you gassy. There are a couple of reasons why this occurs which range from inefficient breathing techniques to overexertion while taking part in this specific form of exercise. 

Provided you practice the proper breathing techniques and take care not to push your body past its limits when you are doing Pilates, you’ll likely find that this form of exercise doesn’t always make you extremely gassy.