Joseph Pilates

Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born near Düsseldorf, Germany in 1880. As a child, he suffered from a number of physical ailments including rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever.

As a youth Pilates began a lifetime dedication to physical fitness studying a diverse array of arts including gymnastics, body building, skiing, yoga, martial arts and boxing, all in with the singular determination to become healthy. Pilates constantly developed mind and body together By the age of fourteen Pilates had achieved the goal of his youth, boasting a body exemplary of perfect fitness which he modeled for German medical anatomy charts. 

Through his own physical transformation, he came to realize that movement heals.

Pilates left his native Germany for England in 1912, where he earned a living in various ways - as a professional boxer, circus performer, and teaching self-defence to members of the police force at Scotland Yard. He continued to develop the system of exercise he called Controlology whilst interned during World War 1.

After the war ended he returned to his native Germany. But, unhappy with the political direction, he left for the United States. Pilates opened his first dedicated 'Pilates' studio in New York in 1926. From the beginning, his greatest fans were drawn from the world of the performing arts. Leading lights of the dance world such as Martha Graham, George Balanchine and Hanya Holm used The Method to improve performance and prevent injury.

Pilates continued to teach and develop equipment and exercises with his beloved wife Clara until his death in 1967. He was fond of speculating that he was 50 years before the times in his theories and ideas. Given the universal popularity of Pilates training across the world at the start of the new millennium, he seems to have been right!

The Pilates Method

The Pilates Method comprises a non-impact system of more than 500 exercises, performed as a mat-based workout or using special resistance equipment developed by Joseph Pilates. The exercises are deceptively simple, even minimal, and yet strangely taxing, the repetitions are low, but the benefits are great. 

One fundamental principle of the Pilates Method is that, before working the peripheral parts of the body, the core needs to be strong and stable.  The core or so-called "Powerhouse" comprises the deep abdominal, gluteal (buttock) and lower back muscles. A training program based on Pilates will strengthen these muscles to stabilize the pelvis as well as working with the shoulder girdle, stretching and strengthening the entire body with movement initiating from "the center".

Mental focus and concentration during Pilates is as important as the physical discipline.  When clients learn to concentrate fully while executing each exercise with precision and control, the body improves dramatically.  Pilates is as much for the mind as it is for the body. 

Only in recent years has the growing interest in "mind/body" exercise brought the concepts of Pilates to the forefront of fitness training.

The "mind/body" connection

"It is the mind itself which builds the body" was one of Joseph Pilates favorite quotes from Schiller.  Pilates formulated 6 basic principles for his exercise technique:

1. Breathing  - The pattern of breathing is connected with the pattern of movement. It ensures a free flow of cleansing oxygen throughout the body, improves circulation and helps to avoid unnecessary tension in the muscles.  For beginners, the only wrong breath is no breath.  Over time, you gain a deeper understanding of how exhalation stimulates breathing, facilitates core support and intensifies movement.  In the end, breath is life.

2. Precision - Pilates is rich with details and the Method emphasizes quality of movement over quantity.  Executing each exercise with correct technique and precision will provide more dramatic results.  It's all in the details.

3. Centering - Centering refers to the practice of initiating and controlling movement from the center or "Powerhouse" - abdominals, buttocks and back muscles. This concept lies at the heart of Pilates work.

4. Flowing Movement - In combination with deep and relaxed breathing, the flowing movements in Pilates reduce stress on the body and the risk of injury whilst maximizing the efforts and results of every session.

5. Control - Control is vital! Controlling each movement and paying full attention to all details in positioning and sequencing provide the route to the best results. Momentum has no place in this method of training.

6. Concentration - In Pilates, the mind controls the body and yet they work as a team. Every exercise requires your full attention. Being aware of your body as it works and thinking about each stage of movement will deepen your awareness of the movement and intention.

What is so special about the Pilates method?

Traditional methods of training and developing the body tend to produce short, bulky muscles - precisely the type of musculature most prone to injury. Pilates aims to elongate the spine, returning muscles to their optimal rest length and increasing the mobility of joints. This balance between strength and flexibility drastically reduces the potential for injury.

Pilates emphasizes flowing movements requiring the use of multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Controlled breathing and concentration are essential, making Pilates truly a workout for the body and the mind. It avoids the tendency of many exercise forms to emphasize the muscles which are stronger and to neglect those which are already weaker.

In this way Pilates can help your body to regain efficient patterns of motion - a great benefit to those recovering from injury, professional athletes and performers, or anyone seeking good posture and optimal health.

Who can do Pilates

Pilates is suitable for:

- Anyone wishing to improve his or her total fitness, posture and appearance.
- Professional sportspersons using advanced conditioning programmes to enhance performance
- Any athlete can be given an extra edge.
- Performers (actors, dancers, musicians, etc.)
- Chronic back pain sufferers
- R.S.I. sufferers
- First-time exercisers
- The elderly
- Those wishing to prevent and treat osteoporosis (some exercises use light weights)
- Those with stress-related illnesses, eating disorders, weight disorders
- M.E. sufferers

Basically, for all!

Benefits

Whether you’re an elite athlete or a pure beginner, you can benefit. As Pilates is a non-impact resistance workout, it allows you to exercise whilst minimising stress on your joints, thus making Pilates safe, versatile, and effective for a range of fitness goals.

While each person will have different needs to fulfill their personal goals, Pilates can:

- Improve posture and flexibility
- Enhance energy and vigor
- Improve balance and coordination
- Mitigates compensatory weaknesses that contribute to chronic injuries
- Enhanced self-awareness and self-confidence
- Improved concentration and focus
- Increased mind/body awareness and connection
- Increase and create a balance between strength and flexibility
- Reduce stress
- Assist with injury prevention remedial and rehabilitation work
- Relieve pain due to muscle imbalance, including back problems, shoulder and neck tension.