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It was not until he
and his wife Clara, a nurse, moved and started their
studio in New York did Pilate’s ideas become integrated
into American physical fitness. From ballet dancers to
Hollywood actors, Pilates is rapidly becoming the fastest
growing exercise regimen exploding in gyms, schools,
videos, books, and studios everywhere.
What makes Pilates unique?
Pilates, or
Contrology as Pilates named it, is movement therapy
designed to focus the mind and strengthen your entire
body, with particular emphasis on the lumbar-pelvic spine.
Whereas most of our common workout programs are designed
specifically for region, i.e. buns, abs, legs, cardio,
etc, where the focus is on repetitions, increasing weight,
or endurance, the Pilates Method is focused primarily on
the process first. Pilates often said he’d rather see one
proper abdominal exercise done properly rather than 100
done incorrectly. However, this is not to say that you
can’t enjoy the results and enormous benefits that Pilates
brings: leaner figure, increased endurance, greater
flexibility, mental concentration and focus, and even
sexual stamina! Compared often to yoga, Pilate exercises
are a dynamic interaction between mental visualization and
physical movement. Unlike the many fad exercise workouts
we see that emphasize reps and weights that often lead to
injury, the Pilates Method is focused on quality and
efficiency of movement, not muscling your way to abs of
steel or developing bulky muscles.
TOP
Is Pilates similar to yoga?
Pilates is a form
of movement therapy. This means that it can be used for
rehabilitation purposes, fitness purposes, or athletic
training. Whereas Pilates is disciplined movement therapy,
yoga is a disciplined meditative art form, derived from
the Indian healing arts called Ayurveda.
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However, there
are some philosophic similarities. Though Pilates is
movement based and Yoga is meditative based, they both
focus on concentration and breathing as integral parts
of their respective disciplines. They also both have
healing and rehabilitation qualities, but from
opposite spectrums. Although methodically different,
they are philosophically very similar and can
synergistically be combined for improvement in all
areas of your physical, mental, and emotional health
maintenance.
TOP Is Pilates for
everyone?
Of course! Whether
you’re an Olympic athlete training for gold, a weekend runner
through the local park, or an 80-year-old grandmother, the
Pilates Method is able to bring all the benefits of strength,
flexibility, and mental focus and clarity to everybody. From
Sasha Cohen, an Olympic skater who utilized Pilates to
rehabilitate from back surgery in less than a year to David
Duval, who in July’s “Golf Digest” discussed how integrating
Pilates-based exercises was able to enhance the level of his
playing to finally winning the British Open, athletes of all
sports and caliber have been taking their game to the next
level. It’s no secret that this has been a godsend for
athletes; Pilates himself was a gymnast, bodybuilder and skier
himself.
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What if I have
health problems…is it still for me?
Absolutely!
Pilates,
himself having to grow up with an assortment of illnesses,
utilized his knowledge of biomechanics and Eastern wisdom to
develop this method which he used to help sick army men,
rehabilitate dancers, and improve the lives and health of all
those that have come into contact with it. There is a whole
field of Pilates that is being utilized in physical therapy
clinics and rehabilitation centers. We are now beginning to
realize the importance of the “core”, or “powerhouse” muscles
in the pelvic-abdominal region that are so vital for posture,
back stability, bone stability, (read: osteoporosis), joint
health, and even sexual health.
TOP
First discuss with your physician and
therapists about incorporating Pilates into your fitness
and/or rehab workout. Many practitioners welcome an intuitive
and active patient, it only makes their job that much more
interesting and educational. Doctors have to stay on top of so
much information these days, so a good physician will be open
to new forms of treatment and therapy, as long as they believe
it is safe and will do no harm. NEXT |
