What is pilates?

Answer 1

The Pilates Method follows carefully laid-out principles based on a well-constructed philosophical and theoretical foundation (one without mysticism or appeals to unseen forces, divine or otherwise). It is not merely a collection of exercises but a method, developed and refined over more than eighty years of use and observation. While Pilates draws from many diverse exercise styles, running the gamut from yoga to Greek ideals to Chinese acrobatics, there are certain inherent ruling principles that bring all these elements together under the Pilates name. These are the Pilates Principles: Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breathing, and Flowing Movement.

The central element of the Pilates Method is also its most paradoxical. The method’s goal (beyond slimming and strengthening) is to create a fusion of mind and body, so that without thinking about it you will move with economy, grace, and balance; you will hold yourself regally; and you will use your body to the greatest advantage, making the most of its strengths, counteracting its weaknesses, and correcting its imbalances. The paradox is this: to produce an attention-free union of mind and body, the method requires that you constantly pay attention to your body while you are doing the movements. This attention-paying is so vital that it is more important than any other single aspect of the movements or the method.

Joseph Pilates believed in getting the blood pumping so that it could awaken all the cells in the body and carry away the wastes that are related to fatigue. For the blood to do its work properly, it has to be charged with oxygen and purged of waste gases through proper breathing. Full and thorough inhalation and exhalation are part of every Pilates exercise. Pilates saw forced exhalation as the key to full inhalation. “Squeeze out the lungs as you would wring a wet towel dry,” he is reputed to have said. “Soon the entire body is charged with fresh oxygen from toes to fingertips, just as the head of steam in a boiler rushes to every radiator in the house.” Breathing, too, should be done with concentration, control, and precision. It should be properly coordinated with movement. Each exercise is accompanied by breathing instructions. In addition, there are a few general principles that will help when you’re doing something that doesn’t come with breathing instructions attached. And always remember the words of Uncle Joe: “Even if you follow no other instructions, learn to breathe correctly”

Pilates called the very large group of muscles in our center – encompassing our abdomen, lower back, hips, and buttocks – the “powerhouse.” All energy for Pilates exercises begins from the powerhouse and flows outward to the extremities. Physical energy is exerted from the center to coordinate one's movements. In this way a strong foundation is built upon which to rely in daily living.

You have to concentrate on what you are doing. All the time. And you must concentrate on your entire body. This is not something you’ll be able to do when you start, because it’s harder than you think. Once you begin really to pay attention to your body, you will find that a movement which may have seemed simple is actually quite complex.

Joseph Pilates built his method on the idea of muscle control. That meant no sloppy, haphazard movements. Every Pilates exercise must be performed with the utmost control, including all body parts, to avoid injury and produce positive results. It´s not about intensity or multiple repetitions of a movement, it´s more about proper form for safe, effective results.

Every movement in the Pilates method has a purpose. Every instruction is vitally important to the success of the whole. To leave out any detail is to forsake the intrinsic value of the exercise. The focus is on doing one precise and perfect movement, rather than many halfhearted ones. Eventually this precision becomes second nature, and carries over into everyday life as grace and economy of movement.



The Pilates Method (sometimes simply Pilates) is a physical fitness system that was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Pilates wrote at least two books about the Pilates method: Return to Life through Contrology and Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education.

Pilates called his method Contrology, which refers to the way the method encourages the use of the mind to control the muscles. The program focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and strengthen the deep torso muscles, which are important to help alleviate and prevent back pain.

athing, and flowing movement (The Pilates Principles) that results in increased flexibility, strength, body awareness, energy, and improved mental concentration. Pilates also designed five major pieces of unique exercise equipment that he claimed should be used for best results. Although the two components are often taught separately now, the method was always meant to combine both matwork and equipment exercises. In all forms, the "powerhouse" (abdomen, lower back, and buttocks) is supported and strengthened, enabling the rest of the body to move freely.

Pilates practitioners use their own bodies as weights in training to build strength and flexibility. This is targeted without a focus on high-powered cardiovascular exercise. Today, Pilates is used in the rehabilitation process by many physical therapists. Pilates is an old approach to movement re-education that is becoming popular in the field of fitness and rehabilitation. The Pilates environment can be used as an assistive environment that optimizes the acquisition of movement with a reduction of destructive forces and can be used to progress individuals through more challenging movements that represent their day-to-day activities. Pilates' focus on building core muscles and postural awareness are especially well indicated for the alleviation and prevention of back pain. Research and theories in motor learning, biomechanics, and musculoskeletal physiology help support the phenomena experienced by many Pilates-based practitioners.

Pilates has been used to train dancers and many professional athletes in flexibility and physical strength. Joseph Pilates died in 1967, with Clara running the studio for another 11 years. In recent years it has become a popular fitness modality, with many stars attributing their lithe bodies to Pilates.

During the 1990's an attempt to trademark the name Pilates was initiated by a man named Sean Gallagher on behalf of Pilates Studio, Inc. This trademark was challenged in Federal court by the Pilates equipment company Balanced Body along with a Pilates teacher named Deborah Lessen. In October of 2000 Federal Judge Miriam Cederbaum declared that Pilates was a generic term for a form of exercise, and further it was determined that a form of exercise may not be legally trademarked in the United States.

In more recent years Pilates has been the subject of peer review research articles and is now gaining acceptance amongst the medical profession, even for conditions previously contra-indicated such as pregnancy[2]. Adi Balogh wrote a substantial review article in the Journal of the Royal College of Midwives[3].

Pilates was designed to be a complete physical fitness discipline. Perhaps, for a beginner, it can seem to not supply enough cardiovascular training. However, once mastered, Pilates trains, strengthens and realigns the entire body.

Pilates largely avoids high impact, high power output, and heavy muscular and skeletal loading. The emphasis is not simply building muscle mass. Its focus is unique in its emphasis on lengthening and alignment, and it can successfully train muscles which bodybuilding and conventional gym aerobics can just as easily avoid, thus preventing injury.

Some doctors have suggested that medical advice be sought by those who have, or who have risk factors for, medical conditions such as osteogenesis imperfecta, Osteomalacia, osteoporosis, and Paget's disease, before choosing Pilates over other strength exercises. However, there are Pilates practitioners who specialise in medical and clinical rehab. One Pilates certification method which utilises this approach is the Polestar method, but there are other methods and schools just as safe and effective. If you have a condition which needs medical attention it is best to work in consultation with an Orthopedic doctor or Physical Therapist in conjunction with the Pilates method in addition to finding an experienced Pilates practitioner.

Pilates instructor certification began with Joseph himself, and then moved on to a group of first generation teachers (those trained by Mrs. Pilates) which include, Mary Bowen, Kathleen Standford Grant, Romana Kryzanowska, Ron Fletcher, Lolita San Miguel, Bruce King, Eve Gentry, Nadja Corey, Jay Grimes and Bob Seed. Traditionally Pilates selected ex-dancers as future teachers, often because they experienced rehabilitative Pilates exercises during their career as well as their ability to physically perform all exercises and last not least because a dancer's figure attracts aspiring customers. Usually a student would spend significant time with a teacher and learn the skills of a Pilates teacher similar to an apprenticeship schema, often lasting between a year and even five years. Many training programs, such as Romana Kryzanowska's (Romana's Pilates), Polestar, Stott Pilates and the Australian Pilates & Physiotherapy Institute have introduced a more modular approach.

Today, instructors of the Pilates method are not yet licensed by governmental agencies. While there are no governmental standards for Pilates education (except in Britain), there are various teacher training centers throughout the world. Organizations other than the government, such as the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), do provide accreditation for various professions not licensed by government agencies. In the United Kingdom senior Pilates authority Alan Herdman is responsible for introducing certified independent accreditation now recognized by the UK independent exercise authority, the Register of Exercise Professionals (REP). Similar moves are expected within the European Union following the British model.

Many Pilates teachers do not recognise the PMA's attempt for universal authority. In fact, several Pilates instructor training programs are exclusively focused on preserving and teaching the method as Joe did in an "unaltered" manner that has proven effective for decades, while others claim to have advanced beyond Joseph Pilates original teachings. Many organizations promote they've moved "beyond" the teachings of Joseph Pilates by introducing current medical research and clinical knowledge into the Pilates system, although none of this research included instructors recommended directly by Romana Kryzanowska or even Romana herself, the undisputed protege of Joesph Pilates. For instance, many instructors believe that Joseph Pilates taught the spine was supposed to be completely straight, but current research indicates the curves of the spine are essential for both physical and neurological reasons. However, this is a misleading concept as the instructors involved in this research were not recommended directly by Romana Kryzanowska, nor was Romana involved in any capacity. It is also known that some of the classical exercises in their unmodified form can actually cause more harm than good when taught or applied incorrectly. This is why it remains critical that instructors maintain direct linkage to the true Pilates method. Other teachers have introduced aspects of other sports training. In fact Pilates does not induce this without simultaneous weight loss. A Pilates teacher can be influenced by aspects of dance, Tai Chi Chuan, Yoga, the Alexander technique, Feldenkrais and other therapy training. It is known that now many leading professional athletes have used some Pilates in their training routine.

Answer 2

The Pilates Method (sometimes simply Pilates) is a physical fitness system that was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Pilates wrote at least two books about the Pilates method: Return to Life through Contrology and Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education.

Answer 3

Joseph Pilates core strength program focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and strengthen the deep torso muscles, which are important to help alleviate and prevent back pain.

Joseph Pilates built his method on the idea of muscle control. That meant no sloppy, haphazard movements. Every Pilates exercise must be performed with the utmost control, including all body parts, to avoid injury and produce positive results. It´s not about intensity or multiple repetitions of a movement, it´s more about proper form for safe, effective results.

Answer 4

Apart from Joseph pilates himself, the whole system is geared towards stetching gently from the inside - there is no vigorous aerobic exercise - it is like yoga in some respects, but not all - it involves equipment such as floor mats, balls, and specially invented pilates machines - used for stretching - a bit like a combination of a bed and a rowing machine. you start off with clenching your inner abdominal and pelvic muscles and learning breathing and body posture and proper alignment - it's powerful stuff and it really works!

Answer 5

Also include 10 grams regarding fiber to satiate hunger longer and forestall bloating from constipation.

Answer 6

Stay with a slim protein/green plant diet regime

Answer 7

Aim for a 300- to 400-calorie meal.

Answer 8

Take time once a week to plan out and go shopping for meals and snacks so you will be prepared whenever hunger strikes.

Answer 9

Keep a food journal in addition to email it every night to a family member. The accountability will keep a person honest.

Answer 10

Follow the 80/20 rule, which means eating clean 80 percent of that time period and indulging a little 20 percent of that time period.

Answer 11

Take time once a week to plan out and purchase meals and snacks so you might be prepared whenever hunger strikes.