The springboard is a Pilates wall unit, which is designed for home use and for studios with limited floor space. Its creation in 2005 makes it a newer addition to the traditional line of Pilates equipment. Many of the springboard exercises can be performed from a standing position.
History
Professional dancer and Pilates instructor Ellie Herman is the creator of the springboard. She discovered Pilates in the 1980s, when she owned a professional dance troupe in San Francisco. Herman took up professional wrestling as a means of supplementing her meager dancer's income. A wrestling injury landed her in St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco, where she worked with Pilates instructor and physical therapist Elizabeth Larkham. Herman became a certified Pilates instructor. After years of practice, she became interested in the ways that the method can help correct problems with gait. The standing exercises performed on the springboard may assist in correcting upright posture and gait mechanics.
Features
Herman's springboard consists of a 5-foot rectangular wooden board, which can be mounted to the wall. There are eyelets at 6-inch increments on both sides of the board. The springboard has a dowel at the bottom to use for arm or foot support. It comes with two arm springs with neoprene handles, two leg springs with cotton loops, and a wooden rolling bar. The apparatus comes with a 40-minute DVD, which features core work, as well as upper and lower body exercises.
Types
You can perform both upper and lower body exercises on the springboard. Upper body exercises may include the chest fly, the row, bicep curls and triceps extensions. Some exercises may combine simultaneous use of the upper and lower body. For example, an arabesque--which is a rear leg kick--can be performed while using the rolling bar to perform a lat pull-down exercise.
Benefits
In 2009, the springboard was priced at $395. This is far less expensive than the other types of Pilates equipment, which can cost thousands of dollars. The ability to provide standing exercises in an important benefit. Pilates has been criticized for having an inadequate number of standing, weight-bearing exercises, which can help prevent osteoporosis.
Considerations
The springboard has some obvious benefits, and is definitely more affordable than traditional Pilates equipment. The $400 price tag may still keep it out of reach of all but the most avid Pilates fans. When looking at the various videos of the springboard exercises, it's easy to see how heavy resistance tubes can provide the same benefits at an affordable price. Many bands come with devices that allow them to be secured to a stable object. This can provide similar and more affordable alternatives to the Pilates springboard.
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