PILATES
Understanding the Practice
Created in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates and originally
called “Contrology,” Pilates is a method of whole body exercise
designed to improve daily activities and livelihood. It is a low impact
exercise that creates optimal strength through muscle balance and
fine-tuning neuromuscular patterns.
The Pilates repertoire, which includes mat and specialized
equipment exercises, is made up of over 600 exercises and variations.
Pilates is for everybody, regardless of gender, age, race,
size, ability, or current fitness level. There’s something for everyone,
whether you have a sedentary lifestyle, are a weekend warrior, are
pregnant, are undergoing rehab, have anxiety, or if you’re a
professional athlete.
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CENTERING
In Pilates, all movements originate from the center of the body, which is located in the pelvis, just bellow the navel. Anatomically, our center connects several large muscle groups and refers to the musculature located deep within the abdominal area. From our center we support our spine and major organs, strengthen the back and improve alignment and posture. With a properly developed center we are less vulnerable to fatigue and lower-back pain. During Pilates exercises you and your participants want to maintain this contraction without holding your breath. -
CONTROL
Control is essential to the quality of every movement. Overexertion of the muscles in not a principle of Pilates. The underlying assumption is that exercise motions and movements performed without control can lead to injury, but exercises performed with control produce positive results. -
CONCENTATION
The mind-body connection is at the very core of Pilates, and the key to coordinating mind and body is concentration. In this discipline, the focus is on careful, precise and slow foundation work. During each movement, you must stay aware, not only of the moving body part, but also of what the rest of the body is doing. -
PRECISION
Movement precision builds on concentration. Precision is achieved by clearly moving, directing and placing the body and its parts. Realize that every movement has a purpose and every cue or instruction is important to the success of the movement. -
BREATHING
Pilates, like yoga, calls for complete, thorough and purposeful inhalation and exhalation. But in Pilates, unlike in yoga, inhalation is through the nose and exhalation through the mouth. Conscious breathing and specific breathing patterns assist movement by focusing the attention and direction of the body and by delivering oxygen to the muscles being used. Full breathing also assists in removing nonbeneficial chemicals that may be stored in the muscles. -
FLOWING MOVEMENT
Dynamic fluid movement makes Pilates different from other exercise techniques. Smoothness and evenly flowing movement go hand in hand, assisting the connections (or transitions) between movements. An exercise should have a specific place where it begins and ends, with a seamless middle of precise motion emphasizing grace and control.
