 What is Pilates?
The Pilates method of body conditioning is a unique system
of stretching and strengthening exercises developed over
100 years ago by Joseph H Pilates. He called his method CONTROLOGY.
Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born on December 8, 1880 in
the German town of Monchengladbach , not far from Dusseldorf
. A sickly child he was determined to overcome his various
afflictions. He studied body building, gymnastics, skiing,
yoga, Zen meditations, and rigorous exercise regimens of
ancient Greeks and Romans. By age 14, he had gained enough
strength to become an accomplished skin diver, skier, gymnast,
and was posing for anatomy charts. In 1912 he went to England
and became a boxer, worked as a circus performer, and trained
detectives in self-defense. Mr. Pilates was interned, along
with other Germans, at the outbreak of World War I. He taught
his fellow prisoners a series of exercises combining physical
fitness with breath control and mental acuity to increase
strength and flexibility. He spent the later part of the
war on the Isle of Man working as a hospital orderly. He
helped rehabilitate patients through resistance exercise
using equipment fashioned from bed springs, among other things.
After the war he returned to Germany and continued pioneering
his unique approach to physical fitness. When the government
insisted he train the new German army, he immigrated to the
United States and established the Pilates studio in New York
City with his wife Clara.
 Mr. Pilates designed a series of more than 500 mind-body
movements or exercises to develop strong, flexible muscles
without adding bulk. An emphasis on breathing and torso strength
ensured improved posture and reduced stress and risk of injury.
Early devotees of Joseph Pilates included such dance legends
as George Balanchine, Hanya Holm, and Martha Graham. You
can see Mr. Pilates influence in the techniques each of these
choreographers developed. Today's followers include dancers,
athletes, physical therapists, fitness trainers, health care
professionals, and those interested in optimal health and
fitness. It is said that Mr. Pilates believed we are only
as old as our spines are flexible.
Mr. Pilates Died in 1967 at the ripe old age of 87. His
principles he developed and are taught in the Pilates technique
are as follows:
Whole Body Movement
Balanced Muscle Development
Breathing - a strong emphasis on continuous
breath.
Centering - working from the center of
the body's "power house" - the abdominals, gluteus, and hamstrings
Control - every moment is controlled from
beginning to end
Precision - performing less repetitions
but with more concentration to ensure the correct muscles
are performing the exercise.
Fluidity - maintaining a smooth movement
pattern, not jerking or jarring
Concentration - the mind- body connection,
complete focus on your body, he did his work in silence to
eliminate distraction and encourage ultimate concentration
on the breath.
Rhythm - stimulates muscles to greater
activity
To learn more about the Pilates Method visit http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/pmapositionpaper_on_pilates.pdf
What can you expect to gain from Pilates?
- Body Awareness
- Longer, leaner muscles
- Corrected postural alignments
- Injury prevention
- Balance
- Concentration and control
- Neuromuscular efficient strength and flexibility
- Anatomical Knowledge
- Stress reduction
- Shoulder girdle stability
- Self-esteem
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