The word Pilates has become a household term. The method is taught at health clubs, community centers and private Pilates studios. Physical therapists use Pilates-evolved exercises to treat their clients and athletic teams practice Pilates as a means of enhancing technique. Pilates is either practiced on the mat, or with specially-designed equipment. The technique involves actively engaging what Joseph Pilates called the "power house." Today, we refer to this area as the deep core musculature.
History
The Pilates story unfolds in early 20th-century Germany. Joseph Pilates, a sickly child, decided to take matters into his own hands. He developed an exercise method to overcome his physical limitations, but surpassed them and metamorphosed into a super athlete. Pilates traveled to England with a circus troupe before World War I. When the war broke out, he was sent to a British internment camp. Pilates enhanced his method during his internment. He rigged springs to the hospital beds, which enabled fellow internees to perform resistance exercise. This innovative idea inspired the reformer, a signature Pilates machine. When the influenza epidemic killed thousands of people in England, none of Pilates' trainees succumbed to the virus.
Time Frame
Pilates emigrated to America in 1926. He opened a studio in New York City and attracted an elite following of professional dancers and athletes. The technique, at the time, was not practiced in mainstream fitness centers, but many common floor exercises, such as side leg raises, resemble those performed in the Pilates method. The Pilates technique became obsolete in the 1980s, when fitness participants favored aggressive, high-impact aerobic exercise. It reemerged, with a vengeance, in the 1990s and hit the mainstream fitness community by a proverbial storm.
Principles
Pilates called his method "Contrology." His choice of name illustrates the essence of his technique, which is defined by a distinct set of principles. These include concentration, control, fluidity of movement, postural alignment, centering and precise movements. Some Pilates schools have variations on the principles, but the philosophy remains the same.
Significance
The evolution of Pilates practice is significant for a number of reasons. Consider his experience at the internment camp. The body/mind connection was not, at the time, a popular concept in health and wellness, but internees that practiced an integrated fitness method showed an almost uncanny resistance to disease. The timing of Pilates exercise sudden popularity is also interesting. The fitness-craze of the 1970s and 1980s inspired an over-zealous approach to exercise. Pilates practice was the antidote. Fitness enthusiasts learned to control their movements, engage their core muscles and prevent injuries.
Benefits
Pilates exercise enhances postural alignment, core strength, balance and flexibility. Its emphasis on fluidity improves movement quality, which in turn prevents fatigue. The coordination of breath with movement aids athletic performance.
Expert Insight
An article in the April, 2008 edition of "US News & World Report" compared the benefits of Pilates and yoga. The author interviewed Debra Rose, co-director of the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence at the University of Southern California. Rose alleges that the Pilates emphasis on strengthening the hip and leg muscles and improving movement quality is more efficient than yoga for enhancing balance and preventing falls.
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