Pilates is a full body conditioning programme suitable for people of all ages and abilities. It builds strength without excess bulk, creating a sleek, toned body and flat abdomen. It teaches body awareness, good posture and easy, graceful movement whilst improving flexibility, strength and core endurance.
Pilates can train several muscle groups all at once in smooth, continuous movements.
No other exercise system is so gentle to the body whilst giving it a challenging workout.
Better posture
Assistance with injury rehabilitation
Relief from neck, shoulder and back pain
Improved body shape
Developing more efficient breathing and circulation
Stress release and calming the mind
Increased sports performance
Achieving long, lean-toned muscles
Improvement in strength and flexibility
Correction of muscle imbalances
Joseph Pilates
Joseph Pilates was born near Dusseldorf, Germany in 1880. By all accounts he was a sickly child but his determination to overcome his ailments led him to become competent in a range of sports. In 1912 he moved to England, working as a boxer and circus entertainer among other things. During the First World War he was interned and it was while serving as an orderly in a hospital on the Isle of Man that he devised a series of exercises that helped patients recover their health. These exercises were the basis for his method.
After the war he moved back to Germany and then on to the USA. On the journey over he met his wife, Clara, a trained nurse. In 1926 they opened their first studio in New York and began to gain a reputation in the dance community, which realised the value of his method in recovering from injuries and improving technique. He continued to teach until his death at the age of 87.
Pilates was initially popular among dancers, and increasingly among actors, sportsmen and women, and other celebrities. This brought the method considerable media attention. It also began to develop a reputation among physiotherapists, osteopaths and other health professionals as an exercise which could help the body rehabilitate after injury as long as it was taught with care.
Pilates can give you a balanced body. It can improve general fitness and well-being and improve posture. It can improve flexibility and is kind to joints. It engages the mind and can reduce stress.
Pilates works all the muscles of the body, including many small, deep ones that are frequently underused. It concentrates much attention on strengthening the core muscles of the trunk. It can take the strain off the shoulders and protect the spine. Pilates can change your body subtly and gently.
