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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 186 ( 2015 ) 544 – 548
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
1877-0428 © 2015 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of Academic World Education and Research Center
doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.04.009
ScienceDirect
5th World Conference on Learning, Teaching and Educational Leadership, WCLTA 2014
Impact of Pilates on Anxiety Attention, Motivation, Cognitive
function and Achievement of Students: Structural Modeling
Konul Memmedova
a
*
a
Department of Psychological Counseling and Guidance, Near East University (North Cyprus)
Abstract
Few studies in psychology and medical researchs have studied effect of pilates on students anxiety, attention, motivation and
cognitive function. Pilates has many physical and mental benefits. This study examined the association between pitates exercises
and students anxiety, attention, motivation and cognitive functions that are very important parameters affecting on academic
performance. The first time is represented the structural model of the problem. The ways that pilates affects on anxiety, attention,
m
otivation, and cognitive function are established.
© 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Peer-review under responsibility of Academic World Education and Research Center.
Keywords: medical researchs, Pilates, structural model, pilates affects
1. Introduction
In developing his method, Pilates (founder of Pilates exerci
ses) combines both eastern and the western concepts
(Pilates and Robbins, 2012) by including mental focus and specific breathing of yoga with the ancient Greek and
Roman exercise systems.
Pilates provides complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.
Pilates is based on six principles which enable
to increase attention, motivation and enhance cognitive functions while minimizing stress on the body (Ungaro,
2002).
* Konul Memmedova. Tel.: +90 (392) 223 64 64; fax: +90 (392) 223 64 61.
E-mail address: konul.memmedova@neu.edu.tr
© 2015 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of Academic World Education and Research Center
545
Konul Memmedova / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 186 ( 2015 ) 544 – 548
1.1 Principle of pilates
Centering: Physically bringing the focus to the center of the body, which include the abdominals, pelvis, buttocks
and back.
Concentration: Bringing one's full atte
ntion to the form and execution of each exercise.
Control: Engaging the mind to unite with the body to economize movement (i.e. learning to use only the muscles
n
ecessary to perform a task, while the rest of the body relaxes).
Precision: Employing the notion that every movement has a pu
rpose, resulting in a "less is more," and "quality
over quantity" philosophy. When a movement is performed well a few times, there is no need to do more.
Breath: Moving in tandem with the breath, resulting in enh
anced lung capacity, overall coordination and
facilitating a stronger mind-body connection.
Flow: Fluidity, grace, and ease are g
oals applied to all exercises. The energy of an exercise connects all body
parts and flows through the body in an even way.
1.2 Benefits of pilates
The mind–body approach has many physical, psychological and social impacts (Hillman, Erickson, Kramer,
2008; Un
garo, 2002) given below:
• Increase flexibility, strength and vitality
• Strengthen the immune system.
• Improve balance.
• Help manage chronic health conditions such as asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, back pain,
osteo
arthritis and osteoporosis.
• Improve concentration and focus.
• Reduce stress and anxiety and , relieve tension and boost energy
• Encourage the connection of our physical, mental and spiritual selves.
• Help us maintain a strong, flexible spine and P
rovide a greater awareness of our posture.
• Strengthen deep abdominal muscles.
• Help with motivation by engaging our mind and enhancing body awareness.
• Promote recovery from strain or injury.
• Increase the range of motion of joints.
• Improve circulation.
• Offer relief from back pain and joint stress.
• Compliment sports training and develop functional fitness for daily life.
• Improve the way our body looks and feels.
• The medical community also recognizes Pilates as a modality that assists with physical therapy. Pilates
w
ork is often incorporated into conventional therapy to facilitate healing an protect clients from future injury.
2. Structural Model of impact of pilates on psychological factors
Impact of pilates on attention, motivation and cognitive fun
ctions factors can be represented by the following
structure:
546 Konul Memmedova / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 186 ( 2015 ) 544 – 548
Figure 1. Structural Model of impact of pilates on psychological factors
Pilates affect on above mentioned psychological factors through several ways.
Consider each cases separately.
Anxiety is one of the major psychological variables which is considered as an important part of personality
development. Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by somatic, emotional, cognitive, and
behavioral components.. However, when anxiety becomes overwhelming, it may fall under the classification of
anxiety disorder pilates reduce stress, anxiety, fatigue and improve mood. Pilates helps an individual to deal with a
demanding situation by prompting them to cope with it. American and European studies are found a negative
correlation between anxiety and academic achievement (Taruna Malhotra, Sheena Sabharwal, 2013). Pilates reduces
the anxiety by following mechanism:
Figure 2. Impact of pilates on anxiety
x Increases body energy
x Increase sleep quality
x Release negatively thinking
x Body become more comfortable
x Breathing exercises decrease anxiety
x Increase attention and concentration
x Improve blood and oxygen circulation
flow to the brain
x Muscles are relaxed
Pilates
Anxiety
Anxiety
Motivation
Achievment
Pilates
Attention
Cognitive
function
547
Konul Memmedova / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 186 ( 2015 ) 544 – 548
Attention was originally defined by the psychologist, William James, over a hundred years ago, as processing
‘one out of what seem several simultaneously possible objects or trains of thought. It implies withdrawal from some
things in order to deal effectively with others’ . You might think of attention as a filter or funnel, in which many
pieces of information come into the brain, but only one of these pieces of information is processed. Pilates by
following ways increases attention.
Figure 3. Impact of pilates on attention
Motivation is defined as the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. In other words
motivation refers to factors that activate, direct, and sustain goal-directed behavior
(http://psychology.about.com/od/mindex/g/motivation-definition.htm). In educational perspective motivation is
student’s willingness, need, desire, and compulsion to participate in, and be successful in, the learning process
Particularly with respect to students, motivation for academic achievement is of great importance. By such
motivation people are stimulated to successfully complete an assignment, achieving a goal or a degree of
qualification in their professions (Amrai , Motlagh, Zalani & Parhon, 2011). Motivated behaviors are energetic,
oriented and permanent.
Figure 4. Impact of pilates on motivation
x Concentration and precision are
two main principles of pilates
x Body mouvement is controled
by the brain
x Attention and concentration increased
x Sleep qualiy is increased
x Release negatively thinking
x Body becomes relax
x Memory processing speed
is increased .
Pilates
Attention
x Improvements total mood
x increase vitality and body energy
x
Satisfaction of the basic psychological needs as
competence, autonomy, and relatedness.
x Improuve psychological well-being
x
Attain ego and self determination enhancements
x Improvement in self-esteem
x Reduce stress and anxiety
x
Release certain transmitter alivating physical
and mental pain
x
Enjoyment and affect is component of instrinc
motivation
Pilates
Motivation
548 Konul Memmedova / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 186 ( 2015 ) 544 – 548
Pilates exercise improves muscular strength, balance, posture; flexibility, bone density, and decrease back pain.
The development of musculoskeletal fitness with long term resistance training is associated with enhanced
cardiovascular function and musculoskeletal metabolism. Pilates increases a cognitive function – pilates is different
than many other forms of exercise because it requires the mind to pay attention to what you are doing. Research
shows that when required to think about how you are moving, your brain cells grow at a faster rate and your nervous
system creates better connections throughout your body.
Figure 5. Impact of pilates on cognitive functions
Pilates reduce stress, anxiety, fatigue and improve mood, motivation and achievement.
Beyond academic achievement many researchers connects pilates to absenteeism, drop-out rate, and social
communications of students (Aladro-Gonzalvo, et all. 2012).
References
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Caldwell, K., Harrison, M., Adams, M., Triplett, N. T. (2009). Effect of Pilates and taiji quan training on self-efficacy, sleep quality, mood, and
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Chapell, Mark S., et all.., (2005). Test Anxiety and Academic Performance in Undergraduate and Graduate Students . Journal of Educational
Psychology, Vol. 97(2), May 2005, 268-274.
Hillman, C.H., Erickson, K.I., Kramer, A.F., (2008). Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nat. Rev.
Neuroscience. 9, 58–65.
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Joseph Pilates in 1945), Kindle Edition.
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academic achievement students. Available online at www. sciencedirect. com. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 15,399–402.
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59.
x Pilates increases blood and oxygen flow to
the brain
x BDNT support neuronal survival in the
developpng brain
x Generate new neurons
x Provides mood enhancement
x Increases neurotransmitters
x Neurotrophins assure the survival of neurons
in areas responsible for learning, memory
and higher thinking
Pilates
Achivement