The Pilates method of body conditioning began with Joseph Pilates, who formalized his exercise system, called Contrology, in the 1930s. His book, "Return to Life Through Contrology," was published in 1945 and contained a series of 34 exercises plus several chapters explaining the key concepts that make his system work. These Pilates principals still guide Pilates training programs and exercise explanations.
History
Joseph Pilates was born in Germany, and during World War I he was moved to an internment camp in England where he worked at a soldiers' hospital. He applied a fresh approach to exercise on the soldiers as they recovered from wartime diseases. Using bedsprings for variable resistance and specialized instruction, Pilates taught the first students of his method there in the hospital. The staff and the wounded both noted the results. Several years later he was asked to train German police and then the Army before he moved to New York in 1926.
The Powerhouse
The powerhouse is a term used in Pilates classes to refer to the core of your body. Centering, or initiating movement from the powerhouse, is a principal that, according to author and master instructor Brooke Siler, includes more than just the abdominal muscles. The powerhouse also includes deep spinal stabilizers like psoas, the gluteus muscles, the muscles of the back and the shoulder stabilizers. This core unit is used in all Pilates exercises to either move or stabilize your body.
Breathing
Pilates exercises start by addressing the breathing techniques set forth by Pilates in his earliest work. As instructed in his 1945 book and carried on by devotees of his method today, full exhalation encourages engagement of the abdominal muscles. Engaging the abdominal muscles in turn supports your spine, a critical element during exertion. Deep inhalation enhances extension in a Pilates exercise. Specific breath patterns help you make the most of every move.
Flow
Pilates exercises move rather than being held statically like yoga poses, yet they still qualify as mind-body exercise, largely because of the flow of the practice. Control and precision guide the movements and determine the range of motion for every exercise. No portion of a Pilates exercise stops and starts because each element connects to the next. As practice progresses, each exercise connects to the next with a movement transition as well.
Concentration
Although not strictly meditative in nature, Pilates exercises do feature mind-body qualities that deliver energy renewal, stress relief and calm focus to you as a participant. Concentrate on the way the body feels in each movement to create a practice environment that is internally directed. This level of concentration helps you to establish a connection with yourself that benefits exercise and, Pilates believed, the human spirit.
References
- "Return to Life Through Contrology"; Joseph H. Pilates and William J. Miller; 1945
- "The Pilates Body"; Brooke Siler; 2000
- "PMA Pilates Certification Exam Study Guide"; Pilates Method Alliance, Inc.; 2005
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