Pilates, Pulates, Pilots….What is it, really?
Open up any fitness magazine and you will find the latest celebrity claiming she “owes her body to Pilates.” On a recent episode of the new show “The Bionic Woman” a woman threatened her physical prowess by stating that she “didn’t do Pilates for fun.”
With all the buzz about this fitness trend it might help to understand what it is why it helps and why ALL women should incorporate some aspect of Pilates into their fitness regime.
History of Pilates
Pilates was developed by a man from Germany named Joseph Hubertus Pilates dating back to 1912. Joseph originally called his system “Contrology” not “Pilates.” He developed this system of movement after being a sickly child, plagued with rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever. His drive to overcome these ailments led him to explore and practice body building, gymnastics and boxing. He studied Eastern and Western philosophies and forms of exercise, being greatly influenced by Greek and Roman regimens. When World War I broke out, Joseph was interned in a military camp. It is believed that he used the hospital beds to rehabilitate the injured and sick using his movement system. The use of the hospital bed to enhance his exercise system is considered to be the framework for today’s modern day “Reformer.” After the war, Joseph immigrated to the United States. It was on the trip over that he met his wife, Clara. They opened the first studio in New York City, which attracted a wide range of clientele, most notably, the members of the dance community. It was the influx of many famous members of the dance community that helped Joseph’s movement system expand.
What is the Pilates system?
Much of the media promotes Pilates as a gentle form of exercise, which is true, but that does not mean it is easy! The Pilates system consists of floor exercises which can be performed on mats, as well as exercises performed on a variety of specialized equipment.
The focus on the exercises is on recruiting the deep “core” muscles that surround the spine – the abdominals, buttocks, hips, shoulder blades and pelvic floor. Every exercise is performed in a controlled manner with emphasis on “drawing the abdominals in and up.” The result is a tighter, more toned mid section. But Pilates is also more than just an abdominal exercise series. All the exercises promote deep full breathing for relaxation and increasing energy but also focus and concentration for optimal body alignment. Pilates claimed that if you followed his system of movement for 20 sessions you would completely transform your body as well as your mind. Pilates’ theory was that “movement heals” so as you train your body to move correctly and with control, you can undo the bad effects of poor posture, injuries and emotional issues. As your body heals physically it also heals emotionally, promoting the optimal “mind – body” exercise. He was truly ahead of his time!
Who can benefit from Pilates?
Women and men have equal, but different benefits from Pilates. Women especially reap the benefits that Pilates offers by toning the lower abdominal area, as well as the hips and thighs. Pilates exercises are done with resistance so you can do forms of strength training to add muscle and improve bone density. Pilates can balance out your workout program to prevent overuse injuries and improve flexibility.
The month of October is Pilates for Pink – classes will be offered to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Fund. Contact Jill Vonderhaar Nader for more information.
