About Pilates
Pilates – In a Nutshell
Pilates is a method of exercise that aims to develop the body as well as the mind in a balanced way. It places a particular emphasis on body awareness to teach healthy breathing, postural alignment and retrain the deep core muscles for spinal health and effective strengthening and lengthening of the body’s larger muscle groups. Focussing on deliberate and mindful movement, Pilates is a safe way of exercising for everybody wanting to experience more ease of movement, suppleness and zest in daily life and prevent or recover from injuries.
Pilates Modalities – Mat and Studio
Traditionally, Pilates consists of strength and flexibility exercises either performed on the mat using only your body weight for resistance or on spring-loaded studio equipment unique to the Pilates method. Today many common pieces of fitness equipment like resistance bands, foam rollers or massage balls etc. have been adopted to vary or modify the exercises. While mat and often reformer classes are taught in larger groups and are repertoire-based, studio instruction is usually personalised and limited to a maximum of 3 participants per session.
Joseph Pilates - His Approach and Mission
The Pilates method of exercise was developed by German-born Joseph Pilates in the first half of the 20th century. His work was influenced by many other movement modalities such as yoga, martial arts, gymnastics, boxing and dance. Joseph Pilates considered "physical fitness the first requisite of happiness"
and recognised already more than half a century ago that
"civilisation impairs physical fitness".
With his body conditioning method, Joseph Pilates not only aimed at attaining and maintaining a balanced body but also a sound mind and spiritual well-being to be capable of
"naturally, easily and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure".
He, therefore, considered body awareness and mindful exercising to achieve good body control and correct movement more beneficial than "hours of sloppy callisthenics" or exercise regimes designed to produce bulging muscles.
Joseph Pilates placed a great emphasis on the core as the body's powerhouse, correct postural alignment, breathing fully and deeply and maintaining spinal flexibility. He acknowledged that to properly master some of the techniques takes patience and persistence and that
"physical fitness can neither be achieved by wishful thinking nor outright purchase".
"Everyone is the architect of their own happiness,
every moment of our life can be the beginning of great things."
-Joseph Pilates