Is Pilates for Me?

What is Pilates:
Pilates is a form of exercise which concentrates on strengthening the body with an emphasis on core strength. Pilates also focuses on the mind-body connection. While doing the various exercises your mind needs to be constantly aware of your breathing and the way your body moves. This form of exercise was developed by Joseph Pilates in Germany where he was a carpenter and gymnast. He invented Pilates as an exercise program for injured dancers and soldiers while living in the UK. Joseph Pilates believed that physical and mental health were closely connected. In the 1920’s he immigrated to the US and opened a Pilates studio in New York. Originally this form of exercise was called Contrology. Today it is widely practiced by many in all aspects of life and its key principles are transferred into our everyday life.

• Concentration – During Pilates practice we focus and concentrate very much on maintaining our neutral spine position and engaging the core muscles properly so we are able to perform the correct movement effectively. One of the main core muscles is our Transverse Abdominus which has its own separate control centre in our brain. During Pilates the brain works hard to maintain concentration. Pilates helps to train our brain and improve our focus. We can then apply this to other areas of our life which require our deep concentration such as work activities, sports, hobbies and household chores.

 

• Breathing – Pilates encourages Thoracic breathing. While carrying out Pilates moves, the breath out should be on the effort or movement that is most challenging for us. Controlling our breathing has a huge impact on everyday life. It aids relaxation, helps us stay calm and helps us focus and concentrate on daily tasks. Breathing control is also part of mindfulness which can be applied to all aspects of our life and can make a positive contribution to our mental health.

 

• Centering – We encourage a slow, gentle, continuous activation of the deep core muscles from a neutral spine position (Known in Pilates as ‘centering’). Training our neutral spine has a huge impact on our spinal health and spinal posture. As a society many of us spend time a lot of time in sedentary sitting postures either at work, or when traveling or when relaxing at home. Long periods of sitting is not healthy for the spine. If we transfer the principles of centering into everyday postures and consciously try to maintain neutral spine throughout, we will maintain a much healthier spine. Stress and strain on the lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine will be reduced and this will reduce the risk of posture related injuries for those with sedentary jobs.

 

• Control & Precision – Pilates practice focuses on controlled movements and being precise with our movements. We can apply this to other daily postures, movements and activities. Good control and precision is a transferable skill to many other aspects of our life. It can improve our gait pattern, improve our function and improve our performance in other sports or activities. It helps to promote flowing movements and could even reduce the risk of injury.

 

• Integrated isolation & Routine – The beneficial effects of Pilates can be enhanced if we integrate what we learn and associate this with everyday activities. Activating the core regularly during the day not just when practicing Pilates can be achieved in so many daily activities such as, brushing our teeth, picking up objects or whilst waiting at traffic lights. Not only does this build routine to help reinforce core activation regularly in everyday life but it also helps to stabilise the spine making it safer and stronger to manage heavy loads and stressful postures. Our muscles have memory so the more we integrate activating the core ‘little and often’ in everyday life the stronger our core becomes.

There are so many elements in Pilates that can be linked to the way we live and that can carry over into our normal everyday life. Pilates is much, much more than a method of exercising. It has huge impacts on our physical and mental well-being.