Pilates
Pilates originated as a body building regime which incorporated mental focus, breathing and relaxation. Originally used to rehabilitate the injured, Pilates has evolved over the past century and is now one of the fastest growing and most respected disciples in the fitness industry.
A sickly child born in Germany, Joseph Pilates dedicated his life to improving his own strength and developed an exercise system that encourages functional movement. His method, which he and wife Clara originally called "Contrology", relates to encouraging the use of the mind to control muscles. It focuses attention on core postural muscles that help keep the human body balanced and provide support for the spine.
Core strength is the foundation of Pilates exercise. These are the deep, internal muscles of the abdomen and back. When the core muscles are strong and doing their job, as they are trained to do in Pilates, they work in tandem with the more superficial muscles of the trunk to support the spine and movement.
The Six Pilates Principles:
- Centering
- Control
- Flow
- Breath
- Precision
- Concentration
These six Pilates principles are essential ingredients in a high quality Pilates program. The Pilates method has always emphasized quality over quantity, and with precision and controlled execution, Pilates exercises yield significant results for the elite athlete, the rehabilitating injured and every client in between.