PILATES

What is Pilates?

Pilates, or (Contrology, The Art of Control) is a method of exercise and physical movement designed to stretch, strengthen, and balance the body. With systematic practice of specific exercises coupled with focused breathing patterns, Pilates has proven itself invaluable not only as a fitness endeavor itself, but also as an important adjunct to professional sports training and physical rehabilitation of all kinds.  You will use apparatus or some say “equipment” but they have names like The Reformer, Cadillac, Wunda Chair, Barrel and more.

Physical Benefits Of Pilates Exercises

Practiced faithfully, Pilates yields numerous benefits. Increased lung capacity and circulation through deep, healthy breathing is a primary focus. Strength and flexibility, particularly of the abdomen and back muscles and coordination-both muscular and mental, are key components in an effective Pilates’ program. Posture, balance, and core strength are all heartily increased. Bone density and joint health improve, and many experience positive body awareness for the first time. Pilates teaches balance and control of the body, and that capacity spills over into other areas of one’s life.

Is it Rehab?

The exercises were developed from the rehabilitation techniques of Joseph Pilates himself while interned as a nurse during WWI.  Pilates is a safe, sensible exercise system using a floor mat or apparatus/equipment, that will help you look and feel your very best. No matter what your age or condition, it will work for you. Pilates improves core strength, flexibility, agility and economy of motion. It can even help alleviate back pain and other chronic ailments.   We find the apparatus adaptable to all shapes, sizes, levels, fitness conditions and greatly helps balance, coordination and stamina.

Benefits

The benefits of Pilates are great. As you begin your Pilates journey, you’ll learn many new and inspiring ways to move through life, with ease, with grace, strength and control. With professional pilates instruction, you’ll create a pilates body within your point of control, your appropriate range of motion and best of all you’ll feel wonderfully energized and stronger after your first session. Extensive training, teaching fitness, and my own on-going rehab of injuries have given me the true passion and trust in this gentle yet powerful sequence of exercises. Enjoy!

The Pilates Method of exercise training works for everyone…you just come as you are and that’s where you begin!

• Cross training
  Individuals can enhance their performance by maintaining proper skeletal alignment and muscular balance while increasing joint mobility, blood flow and body awareness.
• Your workout
  Pilates is a full body workout! A fun and challenging program that combines deep core strength, coordination, control and balance, Pilates works to reshape the body. It assists in creating long, lean muscles; strong, flexible joints; and graceful movement patterns.
• Injury rehabilitation
  Widely recommended by medical professionals, Pilates therapeutic exercise has been proven to help reduce pain caused by spinal injures and dysfunctions, disc and joint disease, fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes by promoting decompression of the joints and increasing strength and flexibility of muscle tissue. Additionally, breath and relaxation training matched with improved body awareness will allow clients to release areas of deep tension and muscular holding that contribute to pain and decreased range of motion.
• Injury prevention
  By improving postural alignment, freeing tight muscular patterns and creating deep strength, you will build confidence and grace in your daily activities allowing for increased levels of performance with fewer injuries.
• Weight loss and body sculpting
  Pilates is an anaerobic form of exercise that uses deep and precise breathing instruction to increase endurance and boost the metabolism. Clients will notice changes in their shape through toning and lengthening of muscular tissue. Often weight loss also occurs due to increased muscular activity and circulation.

Resources:  The Pilates Method Alliance, Peak Pilates Education Resource