Pilates is a physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century
by Joseph Pilates in Germany.
Pilates called his method Contrology
(from control and Greek -λογία, -logia), because he believed his method
uses the mind to control the muscles.The program focuses on the core
postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and which are
essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates
exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and aim
to strengthen the deep torso muscles.
Pilates claimed that his
method contains both philosophical and theoretical foundations. He
claimed that his system is not merely a collection of exercises, but a
method developed and refined over more than eighty-five years of use and
observation.
According to practitioners, the central aim of
Pilates is to attempt to create a fusion of mind and body, so that
without even engaging the mind, the body will move with economy, grace,
and balance.
Alignment
Correct postural alignment of the
skeletal structure is crucial to the practice of Pilates, not only to
get the best out of the exercise, but also to prevent injury. Achieving
optimal alignment starts with positioning the pelvis, ribcage, shoulder
girdle, and head in a neutral alignment with respect to each other, and
then utilizing all the stabilization muscles to maintain that alignment
while performing the exercises. Correct alignment in Pilates also means
limiting range of motion of the appendages so as to not push the joints
beyond where the ligaments and connective tissue are strained.
Breathing
Joseph
Pilates believed in circulating the blood so that it could awaken all
the cells in the body and carry away the wastes related to fatigue. For
the blood to do its work properly, he maintained, it has to be charged
with oxygen and purged of waste gases through proper breathing. By this
standard, if you stop breathing during exercise, there is an error in
your practice. Full and thorough inhalation and exhalation are
purportedly a part of every Pilates exercise. Pilates saw forced
exhalation as the key to full inhalation. “Squeeze out the lungs as you
would wring a wet towel dry,” he is reputed to have said.Pilates
breathing should be done with concentration, control, and precision.
Proper and effective breathing, practitioners assert, not only
oxygenates the muscles, but also reduces tension in the upper neck and
shoulders. Pilates breathing is described as a posterior lateral
breathing, meaning that the practitioner is instructed to breathe deep
into the back and sides of his or her rib cage. When practitioners
exhale, they are instructed to note the engagement of their deep
abdominal and pelvic floor muscles and maintain this engagement as they
inhale. Pilates attempts to properly coordinate this breathing practice
with movement, including breathing instructions with every exercise.
Joseph Pilates stated, “Even if you follow no other instructions, learn
to breathe correctly.”
Centering
Pilates called the very
large group of muscles in the center of the body – encompassing the
abdomen, lower back, hips, and buttocks – the “powerhouse." All energy
for Pilates exercises is said to begin from the powerhouse and flow
outward to the limbs. In other words, the Pilates technique asserts that
physical energy exerted from the center should coordinate movements of
the extremities. Pilates felt that it was important to build a strong
powerhouse in order to rely on it in daily living. Modern instructors
call the powerhouse "The Core."
Concentration
Pilates demands
intense focus. For instance, the inner thighs and pelvic floor may be
assessed when doing a standing exercise that tones the triceps.
Beginners are instructed to pay careful attention to their bodies,
building on very small, delicate fundamental movements and controlled
breathing.[citation needed] In 2006, at the Parkinson Center of the
Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, the
concentration factor of the Pilates method was being studied in
providing relief from the degenerative symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Control
Joseph
Pilates built his method on the idea of muscle control. To him, that
meant no sloppy, uncontrolled movements.
Precision
Practitioners
assert that every movement in the Pilates method has a purpose. Every
instruction is considered vitally important to the success of the whole.
To leave out any detail is believed to forsake the intrinsic value of
the exercise. The focus is on doing one precise and perfect movement,
rather than many halfhearted ones. The goal is for this precision to
eventually become second nature, and carry over into everyday life as
grace and economy of movement.
A qualified Pilates instructor is
expected to understand the technique well enough to adapt it to the
real-world capabilities of his or her students. Students with physical
disabilities, for example, should be given a Pilates regimen intended to
improve their methods of physically compensating for their ailment.
Flow
or efficiency of movement
Movement is expected to be kept continuous
between exercises through the use of appropriate transitions. Once
precision has been achieved, the exercises are intended to flow within
and into each other in order to build strength and stamina.
Flexibility
A
controlled experiment gives some support to claims that pilates
enhances flexibility.
Use and apparatus
The original Pilates
repertoire was 34 exercises done on the floor on a padded mat, but
Joseph Pilates later invented several pieces of apparatus, each with its
own repertoire of exercises. Most of the repertoire done on the various
pieces of Pilates apparatus is resistance training since it makes use
of springs to provide additional resistance. Using springs results in
"progressive resistance", meaning the resistance increases as the spring
is stretched.
The most common piece of apparatus is the
Reformer, but other apparatus used in a modern Pilates studio includes
the Cadillac (also called the Trapeze Table), the Wunda Chair, and the
Ladder Barrel. Lesser used apparatus includes the Spine Corrector (Step
Barrel), the Guillotine Tower, the Arm Chair, the Ped-a-Pul (Pedi-Pole),
and the Foot Corrector.
There are also many props used in
Pilates including the Magic Circle, invented by Joseph Pilates, small
weighted balls, foam rollers, large exercise balls, rotating disks, and
resistance bands. However, some in the Pilates community, particularly
the Pilates Method Alliance, maintains that exercises done on any piece
of apparatus not designed by Joseph Pilates, such as large or small
exercise balls, should not be called Pilates.
Whether using the
additional resistance of springs on Pilates apparatus, or the constant
resistance of gravity in mat work, the Pilates repertoire builds
strength, develops proper alignment and posture, and increases
flexibility.
