Learn about Pilates

Pilates is a physical fitness system that was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Pilates wrote two books about the Pilates method: Return to Life through Contrology and Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education.

Pilates called his method Contrology, which refers to the way the method encourages the use of the mind to control the muscles. It is an exercise program that focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and strengthen the deep torso muscles, which are important to help alleviate and prevent back pain.

Instead of performing many repetitions of each exercise, Pilates preferred fewer, more precise movements, requiring control and form. He designed more than 500 specific exercises. The most frequent form, called “matwork,” involves a series of calisthenic motions performed without weight or apparatus on a padded mat. He believed that mental health and physical health were essential to one another.

Pilates created what is claimed to be a method of total body conditioning that emphasizes proper alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement (The Pilates Principles) that results in increased flexibility, strength, muscle tone, body awareness, energy, and improved mental concentration. Pilates also designed five major pieces of unique exercise equipment that he claimed should be used for best results. Although the two components are often taught separately now, the method was always meant to combine both matwork and equipment exercises. In all forms, the “powerhouse” (abdomen, lower back, and buttocks) is supported and strengthened, enabling the rest of the body to move freely.

Pilates is not designed to be a complete physical fitness discipline. For example, in its more original forms, it does not supply effective cardiovascular training.

Pilates largely avoids high impact, high power output, and heavy muscular and skeletal loading. As a result, Pilates is not as effective as other training methods at building muscle mass.

Some doctors have suggested that medical advice be sought by those who have, or who have risk factors for, conditions such as osteogenesis imperfecta, Osteomalacia, osteoporosis, and Paget’s disease, before choosing Pilates over other strength exercises.