When Clara and Joseph Pilates developed their eponymous practice in the 1920s, it was mainly used to help people  rehabilitate from injuries . Today, some people use some Pilates tenets for physical therapy, but others strap themselves onto their reformers for a full-body workout. No matter your motivations for learning the practice, though,  the way Pilates affects your brain  is a good reason to spend more time on the mat. A central idea of Pilates is that by  strengthening your core  (AKA ,  the muscles in your trunk that keep your body stable), you're better able to connect to the rest of your body and keep it safe. By paying close attention to  limiting muscular imbalances  (which develop from things like sitting at your computer all day), Pilates encourages you to pay attention to your body and the ways you move in the world. "This non-judgmental noticing of habitual patterns and making small incremental changes" is central to Pilates practice, says choreographer and resear…
