The Pilates Principle

Exercise plays a very important role in maintaining overall wellness. It’s difficult to maintain overall health long term without eating right and being active. A great way to be active if your time is limited is with an exercise routine.

When you think exercise what comes to mind? Most of us think of strenuous activity. We do it to stay fit and burn extra pounds so we lift weights, run, pant and perspire. The notion exists that anything good for us cannot be easy. If a woman believes this, then she probably does not know about Pilates.

A Bit of History

Pilates is a system of exercise that was developed during the First World War. Its name was coined from its developer, Joseph Pilates who is said to have created it to help injured war veterans get back in shape.

He proposed that Pilates be part of the rehabilitation program for the soldiers injured the war. Joseph Pilates believed it’s necessary for the entire body to be conditioned through correct posture, balance, graceful movement, and focused breathing. The set of controlled movements in this exercise technique combines the system of yoga and aerobics. A mat or other tools to help tone and strengthen the body are typically used in Pilates. Today Pilates is no longer just for rehabilitation, but is widely used by all types of people who want to achieve physical fitness.

The Pilates method is said to be safe, can be used by most anyone, and can be adapted to a person’s needs and present condition. The popularity of the Pilates exercise can be attributed to the fact that it is perfect for athletes, for dancers, for old people, for pregnant women and others.

The Benefits of Doing Pilates

People who practice Pilates report the wonderful benefits. Their bodies become stronger and leaner. They say that doing Pilates makes their movements more graceful so everything they do seem easy and light.

The ultimate goal of the Pilates exercise is to develop the core muscles of the body – the muscles in the abdominal and back area. Apparently when these muscles are functioning well, other body muscles are also strengthened.

Pilates offer a lot of benefits which includes:
• The exercises are not terribly strenuous
• Body muscles are developed and toned but not enlarged
• Improves body posture
• Makes one less clumsy and accident prone
• Improves balance and coordination
• The performance of athletes is enhanced

The Principles of Pilates

Pilates is more than just a set of exercises. What makes it unique and different from other types of workouts is the deep philosophy that lies behind its techniques and movements. According to its founder, the Pilates approach is the product of over 85 years of searching and observing the perfect movements that would give ultimate benefits for people who are in the process of physical rehabilitation.

Pilates promotes holistic wellness. It adheres to the principle that one cannot separate mental and physical health. People who practice Pilates claim the exercises do more than just tone the core muscles of their body. It also relaxes and clears their mind so the whole technique creates a harmony between the mind and the body. This describes the ultimate goal of Pilates- to make the mind and the body work together effectively. The end result is a body that is accustomed to moving with great precision and grace even without conscious effort. This makes the Pilates approach very suitable for those who are undergoing physical therapy.

People who want to get the most out of Pilates should be aware of its six main principles namely: centering, control, flow, concentration, breathing and precision. Taken together these principles shape the Pilates approach and make it effective.

The most important of these principles is said to be control. A practitioner should be able to control his or her movements and it should be in accordance with his or her level of strength. Without control, users may develop strains or injuries.

Focus and concentration is a must. It is important that the practitioners mind is intently focused on each and every exercise method he or she is doing. The principle of concentration is also the reason why Pilates become an almost effortless physical activity for many.

Centering is another important concept in Pilates and it deals with proper alignment, balance and placement. Remember that the main goal of Pilates is to develop the core or center of the body.

Precision means Pilate’s movements are designed to be done in a meticulous and defined manner. However this doesn’t mean that there is no room for mistake in Pilates. Pilates simply encourages practitioners to do the best they can in imitating a certain movement. This principle ultimately leads to perfection of the moves through routine and ultimately attaining the benefit one is supposed to get from it.

Breathing is an important principle in any exercise. Pilates practitioners are taught how to breathe properly. Deep and full breathing as one inhales and exhales during exercise is a must because it increases the amount of oxygen in the blood thus improving health and increasing energy.

The last principle of Pilates is Flow. In Pilates, there is a flow that one observes as the movements in Pilates are done smoothly but in a steady and non-stop manner. In a Pilate’s session, an instructor would usually command one movement after another to keep a smooth flow of routine exercises.

Unlike other forms of exercise, Pilates values the quality of the workout more than the quantity. This means that the whole approach does not include too many repetitions. A single movement that is completed and done correctly will give greater results and in a shorter period of time than doing a movement carelessly over and over again.

To get the most benefit from this exercise approach, it is necessary to initially do it under the supervision of a professional instructor. They can inquire at a gym or fitness school that offers this approach. A number of home course and equipment is also available online.