What Is Pilates?

Pilates is a body conditioning method that seeks to build
strength, coordination, flexibility and endurance without
adding any muscle bulk.

Pilates also helps increase the circulation which gets the
blood flowing to every cell of your body.

It also helps to sculpt the body as well as strengthen the
body’s -powerhouse- or -core-.

People who faithfully do Pilates feel that they are less
prone to injury, have better posture and experience better
overall health.

Joseph H. Pilates who founded the Pilates method was born
in Germany. He was especially frail as a child as he had
asthma along with other childhood conditions.

In order to grow stronger and to build up his body, he took
up a variety of sports and even became an accomplished
athlete. He served as a nurse during the First World War in
Great Britain.

It was here that he designed exercise methods as well as
equipment for soldiers and other immobilized patients.

Pilates also developed a series of exercises that used a
mat which focused on the torso. These exercises were based
upon different exercise methods from all over the world
including the mind-body formats of Chinese martial arts and
yoga.

Joseph Pilates believed that our mental and physical health
are all intertwined. His exercise program was designed
around principles that support his philosophy.

These include concentration, control, flowing movements,
precision and breathing.

There are two basic ways to exercise doing Pilates. You can
either focus on mat exercises or you can use a variety of
machines to strengthen and tone the body using the
principle of resistance.