What is Pilates?
Pilates was first developed by German born Joseph Pilates in the early 1900′s. Joseph called his science of movement ‘Controlology’. He considered this to be a body / mind / spirit approach to health and was well before his time with many of his philosophies.
In the last 100 years, Pilates as a method of movement has undergone very few changes with the trapeze table and reformer still the main equipment utilized, as designed by the late Pilates. The 6 core principles have also remained largely unchanged and include:
Centreing – This involves bringing the focus to the core stabilisers of the body – transverse abdominus (TA), the pelvic floor, diaphragm and lumbar multifidus. These muscles work together to provide support for the spine and the whole body during all dynamic movements.1 Traditionally these muscles have been ‘braced’ or ‘activated’ throughout a Pilates session, but a more modern and dynamic approach looks instead at muscle recruitment patterns, ability to relax or switch off ‘over-active’ muscles (also known as down-training) and finding a sense of balance and synergy between muscle groups of the abdominals, spine and upper and lower limbs.
Breathing – Joseph placed much emphasis on correct breathing in his movement method and described the lungs as bellows. He taught his subjects to forcefully inhale and exhale throughout the movement sequences to maximise blood flow and keep the mind-body connection strong.
In modern day, breathing is still a very important part of the Pilates repertoire, however less emphasis is placed on forceful inhalation and exhalation. One of the key requirements is that the client manages to keep breathing to promote oxygenation of the tissues. It can be difficult when learning an exercise to focus on the breath – but once the motor learning challenge has been met it becomes much easier! At this point, timing the in-breath with spinal extension (and/or hip flexion) and the out-breath with spinal flexion (and/or hip extension) can be achieved.
Precision – This involves awareness of where the body is in space, also known as proprioception. Throughout each Pilates exercise, the alignment and positioning of the upper limbs, lower limbs and spine are all a key focus.
Flow – Pilates can help to reduce rigidity in the body and encourage grace and ease of movement. The nature of the springs encourages slow, rhythmic movements which can be challenging but also exceptionally rewarding when flow is achieved.
Control – This principle encompasses effective movements that are fluid and purposeful. Every movement serves a function and every body part plays a role during an exercise. In contrast, movements that are ‘sloppy’ or ‘quick’ are not demonstrations of good control. It is important for you to control the equipment, not to let the equipment control you!
Remember, ‘stability is the control of mobility’! How stable is your body?
Concentration – This is an essential ingredient of Pilates; in order to achieve controlled, flowing movements, correct breathing and gentle facilitation of deep stabilisers of the spine concentration is a must. Mindfulness is required throughout the Pilates program, as the wandering mind can quickly derail the body’s efforts to maintain alignment and focus on the rhythm of the exercises.
These principles can seem complex at first, but with practice and dedication, you can help the body to find a sense of ease, balance and greater stability than ever before.
Why Pilates Might Be the WorkOut You’re Looking For
Pilates is a safe and effective way to strengthen and improve flexibility for the whole body and to help the body recover from injury. A Pilates program can be designed specifically for you to help reduce pain associated with postural-related injury, motor vehicle accidents, work accidents, sporting injuries or post-surgery.
Many people turn to Pilates to complement other fitness undertakings (gym programs, running, yoga) or to help improve their sporting performance in a range of sports including tennis, football, soccer, cricket, golf, or netball.
Learning how to complete a Pilates program after having worked hard at the gym for years can be a change of pace, but the benefits outweigh the risks, with clients reporting improved technique at the gym and fewer injuries!
On the contrary, if you’ve never been fond of exercise then Pilates can be a non-threatening and gentle approach to getting the body moving. It’s important to acknowledge where you are at, but more importantly to get started on your exercise program sooner rather than later.
The beauty of Pilates is that it can make you sweat if your body wants and needs to work hard, or it can calm you down and relax you if your nervous system or muscle activation is over-stimulated.
Reaping the Rewards
Regular clients report incredible benefits from their dedicated efforts week in, week out. These benefits include:
- improved mind-body connection (i.e. better able to detect when their body is uncomfortable / needs to rest or move from a position)
- relaxation and time out from pressures of work, family life, commitments
- longer, stronger muscles and ‘flexibility’
- increased vitality and stamina throughout the working week.
Speak to your physiotherapist to book your Pilates session this week!
- MacDonald, D , Moseley, G L, Hodges, P W (2009). ‘Why do some patients keep hurting their back? Evidence of ongoing back muscle dysfunction during remission from recurrent back pain’, Pain.