Although Joseph Pilates developed his innovative technique in the early part of the 20th century, "Pilates exercise" did not become a household phrase until the early 1990s. Technique evolved through the years. While the mat series and specialized Pilates apparatus were once the ways to practice Pilates, enthusiasts now have more equipment options.
History
As a child growing up in early 20th century Germany, Joseph Pilates suffered from illnesses such as rickets, rheumatic fever and asthma. When the family doctor gave him an anatomy book, Pilates studied it in detail. Fascinated with the human body's movement mechanisms, he also studied a variety of Eastern and Western fitness systems. He created his own exercise system, and by the time he was 14 years old, his defined muscle tone landed him a job as a model for anatomy charts. Pilates moved to England in 1912, where he worked as a circus performer. When World War I broke out in 1914, the English government sent him to an internment camp, where he became a nurse for fellow internees. Pilates rigged the hospital bedsprings and attached them to the bedposts, thereby creating a makeshift resistance exercise machine.
Time Frame
Pilates moved to New York City in the 1920s. He opened s studio and became a fitness guru for dancers and professional athletes. Pilates continued to develop his line of exercise machines. Just as his hospital bedspring contraction inspired a Pilates machine called the Cadillac, other everyday objects inspired other types of apparatus. A beer keg inspired the Pilates barrel, and the keg hoops inspired the fitness circle. The technique became obscure in the 1980s but regained popularity in the early 1990s. "Core exercise" had become a fitness industry buzz phrase, and innovative instructors were experimenting with stability balls, foam rollers, bosu and other types of balance workouts. They soon discovered that Pilates exercise lent itself to these training tools. A new type of Pilates workout was born.
Theories/Speculation
The timing of the Pilates renaissance is significant for a number of reasons. In the 1980s, high-impact aerobics and high- repetition toning exercises were the most widely practiced workouts. The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine lists the various injuries associated with these activities. These included shin splints, tendinitis and stress fractures. Fitness enthusiasts were ready for a more mindful form of exercise. The evolution of Pilates ball, bosu and foam roller workouts was in line with the Pilates spirit of innovation. These simple objects inspired a multitude of exercises that adhered to the Pilates principles.
Types
Examples of traditional Pilates workouts include mat, resistance band, reformer, Cadillac, barrel and chair. Ron Fletcher, one of Joseph Pilates' original students, developed a towel work Pilates-based series, which mobilizes the muscles of the upper body.
Function
The mat is the simplest form of Pilates workout. Most of the mat exercises involve spinal extension and flexion, but some use side-bending and rotary movements. Many Pilates instructors add elastic resistance bands to the mat series. The bands provide the closest simulation of the spring-based apparatus. The form of each Pilates equipment workout follows its specially designed function. The reformer, for example, features a gliding carriage. A spring-controlled pulley system adds resistance to the leg, abdominal and upper body exercises. The spring and pulley system of the Cadillac is on a metal frame above a stable platform. It's an effective machine for hanging movements and gymnastic-inspired exercise. The pedals on the Pilates chair enhance wrist and ankle strength, and the barrel increases the range of motion of the flexion, extension and side-bending exercises. Core activation is crucial to the Pilates technique. The ball, the bosu, which is a half ball, and the foam roller impose a balance challenge, which requires you to engage your core in order to maintain stability.
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