Pilates - Origins, Benefits and Principles
Pilates Origins
Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates who originally called in Contrology. He developed the principles during World War I in a German internment camp. He taught his students using minimal equipment after studying yoga and how animals move. He has been given credit for helping his fellow inmates survive the 1918 flu pandemic because they were in such good physical condition.
Joseph Pilates remained in Germany after the war teaching his methods to police officers and fitness experts including dancers. He and his wife opened a studio in New York after he immigrated to the US in 1925. They established a very devout following in the dance and performing arts community. He died in 1967 at age 83.
Benefits of Pilates
The central theory they developed involves a focus on breathing and aligning the spine as well as strengthening the torso and abdominal muscles. By doing slow controlled movements, Pilates resembles yoga. Benefits include:
- A significant increase in core strength
- Better mobility of the spine and the whole body in general
- Increased balance and stability
- Greater coordination skills
- A stronger mind-body connection
- Improved posture
- More toned legs, abs and butt
Following a given set of principles will help those using pilates to get a maximum effect from every movement performed. Each instructor will have their own twist on the principles Joseph taught but the SIX listed below cover the basics.
Control
Much as the original name Contrology suggests, staying in complete control of the movements in each exercise is critical. Avoid jerky moves and stay relaxed. Faster motion can cause injury and make the exercises less effective.
Concentration
Athletes call it focus, others call it concentration. Regardless of what you call it, feel in tune with your body. Not having all body parts in the correct position will make the exercises less effective and out of alignment. You will learn a lot about your body and gain excellent control over repeated practice.
Centering
Using your core muscles during Pilates (abs, butt, back and hips) puts emphasis on the "center" of your body. A critical piece of this principle is at mid-movement: your abs should be pulled in and up. Your gut should not bulge out at any time in Pilates if done properly.
Precision
Joseph Pilates was a perfectionist by nature so this principle make sense. He stressed that each body part needs to be in the right place at the right time. Follow the step by step process of each exercise exactly. Hold each movement for an appropriate amount of time for you. The time needed will vary from one person to the next due to fitness level, flexibility and other factors. Each exercise should not cause pain or discomfort. It does not have to hurt to help.
Breathe
Each breath should be slow and deep. Each movement should be coordinated with your breathing to give a sense of harmony between mind and body. Always inhale before the movement and exhale when performing it. Deep breathing has been found to effectively empty stale air and intake fresh oxygen to feed the muscles properly.
Flow
Each exercise should be smooth and flow from one movement to the next. Moving from one exercise to the next should happen without a pause or rest period. Keep a steady pace and avoid unneeded movements.
Pilates is a fantastic way to increase strength, flexibility and body control. Even for the most seasoned fitness buff, Pilates has been proven to help develop over all body fitness.
My name is Jacques Delorme and I run a youth nutrition blog at http://fuelthehunger.com where you can get all sorts of information on nutrition, exercise and motivation for youth athletes. Visit my site and feel free to leave comments and questions if you need more information.
By Jacques Delorme
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