Invented by Joseph Pilates in the early 1900's, Pilates is an exercise method that works the entire body, building strength and increasing flexibility and mobility from head to toe. 

While Pilates is most widely known for delivering core strength, it also builds strength and stability through other areas of the body including the shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. 

Body aches and pains are often caused by misalignment e.g. hips being ‘out’ and shoulder blades not being level. Correcting alignment and building muscular strength throughout the body is key to injury prevention as well as to alleviating those body aches and pains ... this is what Pilates does.

We often explain to clients that Pilates focuses on strengthening the ‘underneath’ or postural muscles rather than the larger muscles that we know so well e.g. six pack, quadriceps and biceps. By doing this, Pilates trains the body to support the spine, be better aligned and encourages muscles to work in harmony, all resulting in a body that functions and moves more easily and with improved efficiency. 

The Pilates repertoire includes exercises that can be done using equipment (such as the reformer, trapeze table and wunda chair) or on the mat. Equipment based repertoire can be used to assist or challenge depending on the client’s needs while mat based repertoire pits you against your own body weight and gravity. As such, matwork is a challenging and invigorating work out that is designed for bodies that are predominantly healthy and injury free. 

To further understand the essence of the Pilates method, it is worth noting the principles of Pilates. There are six original principles and two contemporary principles have been added:

Original Pilates Principles

Concentration - focus into movements to make more refined, intense, and effective. Mind body connection.

Control - ensure all movements are executed with focus, flow, precision and energy. The mind and body create the movement.

Centring - all work must rotate around the control from the core of the body, and focus of the mind.

Precision - work is refined and perfected to create efficient movement

Flow - energy and focus keep movements flowing from one to another, creating continuous control.

Breathing - breath is used to assist, challenge, release and energise.

Contemporary Pilates Principles

Alignment - balancing the mind and body through movement.

Commitment - consistency and dedication to making change and progression.

- Joseph Pilates -