Pilates History
Pilates is a series of more than 500 movements and exercises developed to create strength and flexibility without adding unnecessary bulk to the body. The concept was created by a man named Joseph H. Pilates. Born in 1880 in Germany, Joseph Pilates was considered a frail child and prone to illness.
Determined to overcome his physical limitations, he studied yoga, meditation, boxing and other physical disciplines. During World War I he used his knowledge to create a form of exercise that would be utilized as a type of physical therapy to rehabilitate injured soldiers. He later brought these exercises to the United States where he opened his first Pilates studio and began training dance legends George Ballanchine and Martha Graham. This method of body conditioning has been practiced for decades. However, it has just recently gained momentum in the mainstream fitness industry as more people are seeking a safer and natural total body workout. One of the most important aspects of Pilates is that it starts with the fundamentals of posture and breathing. The exercises progress into a series of more than 500 movements that:
- increase abdominal strength
- improve flexibility and postural alignment
- enhance breathing capacity and energy
- improve coordination and balance
- improve the range of motion in your joints
- assist in the recovery from injuries
- create the ability to move with more grace
- increase circulation
- increase body awareness
Rather than isolating large individualized muscles or muscle groups with different weight machines, Pilates works the entire limb or most of the body while getting at the core stability muscles. The Pilates system uses specialized spring resistant equipment or for the mat workout, no equipment at all. This creates longer, leaner and more limber muscles.
