Pilates

The Pilates Method (sometimes simply Pilates) is a physical fitness system that was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Pilates wrote at least 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. The program 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.

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Joseph Pilates in his studio in NYC with his wife Clara and niece Mary.

History

Born in 1880 in Düsseldorf, Germany, Joseph Pilates, a German national of Greek descent,[1] became an avid exercise enthusiast (skier, gymnast, diver, martial arts student) and developed his body into superb condition. In his teens, he was used as a model for fitness charts. Traveling to England before the First World War, he worked as a boxer and circus performer. During WWI, he was interned in the Isle of Man with other German nationals and POWs. A trained nurse in his native Germany, he was investigating ways that he could rehabilitate bed-ridden victims of the 1918 influenza epidemic. Thus he created a series of movements that could be practiced within the confines of this controlled environment. The Pilates Reformer (a piece of Pilates apparatus) is based on an old hospital bed. Returning to Germany briefly after the war, he then began training professional boxers, notably heavyweight champion Max Schmeling, and police officers. He then moved to the United States and opened his own training studio in New York City in 1926 with his wife Clara.

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, 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 practitioners use their own bodies as weights in training to build strength and flexibility. This is targeted without a focus on high-powered cardiovascular exercise. Today, Pilates is used in the rehabilitation process by many physical therapists. Pilates is an old approach to movement re-education that is becoming popular in the field of fitness and rehabilitation. The Pilates environment can be used as an assistive environment that optimizes the acquisition of movement with a reduction of destructive forces and can be used to progress individuals through more challenging movements that represent their day-to-day activities. Pilates' focus on building core muscles and postural awareness are especially well indicated for the alleviation and prevention of back pain. Research and theories in motor learning, biomechanics, and musculoskeletal physiology help support the phenomena experienced by many Pilates-based practitioners.

Pilates has been used to train dancers and many professional athletes in flexibility and physical strength. Joseph Pilates died in 1967, with Clara running the studio for another 11 years. In recent years it has become a popular fitness modality, with many stars attributing their lithe bodies to Pilates.

During the 1990's an attempt to trademark the name Pilates was initiated by a man named Sean Gallagher on behalf of Pilates Studio, Inc. This trademark was challenged in Federal court by the Pilates equipment company Balanced Body along with a Pilates teacher named Deborah Lessen. In October of 2000 Federal Judge Miriam Cederbaum declared that Pilates was a generic term for a form of exercise, and further it was determined that a form of exercise may not be legally trademarked in the United States.

In more recent years Pilates has been the subject of peer review research articles and is now gaining acceptance amongst the medical profession, even for conditions previously contra-indicated such as pregnancy[2]. Adi Balogh wrote a substantial review article in the Journal of the Royal College of Midwives[3].

Pilates was designed to be a complete physical fitness discipline. Perhaps, for a beginner, it can seem to not supply enough cardiovascular training. However, once mastered, Pilates trains, strengthens and realigns the entire body.

Pilates largely avoids high impact, high power output, and heavy muscular and skeletal loading. The emphasis is not simply building muscle mass. Its focus is unique in its emphasis on lengthening and alignment, and it can successfully train muscles which bodybuilding and conventional gym aerobics can just as easily avoid, thus preventing injury.

Some doctors have suggested that medical advice be sought by those who have, or who have risk factors for, medical conditions such as osteogenesis imperfecta, Osteomalacia, osteoporosis, and Paget's disease, before choosing Pilates over other strength exercises. However, there are Pilates practitioners who specialise in medical and clinical rehab. One Pilates certification method which utilises this approach is the Polestar method, but there are other methods and schools just as safe and effective. If you have a condition which needs medical attention it is best to work in consultation with an Orthopedic doctor or Physical Therapist in conjunction with the Pilates method in addition to finding an experienced Pilates practitioner.

Instructor Certification

Pilates instructor certification began with Joseph himself, and then moved on to a group of first generation teachers (those trained by Mrs. Pilates) which include, Mary Bowen, Kathleen Standford Grant, Romana Kryzanowska, Ron Fletcher, Lolita San Miguel, Bruce King, Eve Gentry, Nadja Corey, Jay Grimes and Bob Seed. Traditionally Pilates selected ex-dancers as future teachers, often because they experienced rehabilitative Pilates exercises during their career as well as their ability to physically perform all exercises and last not least because a dancer's figure attracts aspiring customers. Usually a student would spend significant time with a teacher and learn the skills of a Pilates teacher similar to an apprenticeship schema, often lasting between a year and even five years. Many training programs, such as Romana Kryzanowska's (Romana's Pilates), Polestar, Stott Pilates and the Australian Pilates & Physiotherapy Institute have introduced a more modular approach.

Today, instructors of the Pilates method are not yet licensed by governmental agencies. While there are no governmental standards for Pilates education (except in Britain), there are various teacher training centers throughout the world. Organizations other than the government, such as the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), do provide accreditation for various professions not licensed by government agencies. In the United Kingdom senior Pilates authority Alan Herdman is responsible for introducing certified independent accreditation now recognized by the UK independent exercise authority, the Register of Exercise Professionals (REP). Similar moves are expected within the European Union following the British model.

Many Pilates teachers do not recognise the PMA's attempt for universal authority. In fact, several Pilates instructor training programs are exclusively focused on preserving and teaching the method as Joe did in an "unaltered" manner that has proven effective for decades, while others claim to have advanced beyond Joseph Pilates original teachings. Many organizations promote they've moved "beyond" the teachings of Joseph Pilates by introducing current medical research and clinical knowledge into the Pilates system, although none of this research included instructors recommended directly by Romana Kryzanowska or even Romana herself, the undisputed protege of Joesph Pilates. For instance, many instructors believe that Joseph Pilates taught the spine was supposed to be completely straight, but current research indicates the curves of the spine are essential for both physical and neurological reasons. However, this is a misleading concept as the instructors involved in this research were not recommended directly by Romana Kryzanowska, nor was Romana involved in any capacity. It is also known that some of the classical exercises in their unmodified form can actually cause more harm than good when taught or applied incorrectly. This is why it remains critical that instructors maintain direct linkage to the true Pilates method. Other teachers have introduced aspects of other sports training. In fact Pilates does not induce this without simultaneous weight loss. A Pilates teacher can be influenced by aspects of dance, Tai Chi Chuan, Yoga, the Alexander technique, Feldenkrais and other therapy training. It is known that now many leading professional athletes have used some Pilates in their training routine.

Works

Pilates, Joseph H. and William J. Miller. Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology. (republished Paperback) (Judd Robbins, Editor) ISBN 0-9614937-9-8

Pilates, Joseph H. Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education. (republished in Paperback) ( Judd Robbins Editor) ISBN 0-9614937-8-X

See also

• Joseph Pilates
• The Pilates Principles

Further reading

• Official Home of Romana Kryzanowska, world-renowned protégé of Joseph Pilates Romana's Pilates
• Teacher Training Centers a listing of pilates teacher training centers worldwide
• Instructional Pilates Videos online videos demonstrate beginners pilates exercises
• Examples of Pilates exercises on the Reformer, the WundaChair and the CadilllacPhotographs showing the equipment.
• Beyond the Movement A Podcast dedicated to the Pilates Method.
• Pilates and Alexander Information on these two somatic pioneers
• A longer description of theory behind Pilates and its unique equipment
• Pilates exercise system to promote back health, by Spine-health.com
• Pilates and Yoga Provide Welcome Benefits Two studies on the health benefits of Pilates, by the American College of Sports Medicine
• Pilates History What is Pilates and how did it start - Joseph Pilates