by Katherine Robertson from Gaiam.com
A decade ago, few people could pronounce the name Pilates (pih-lah'-tees), much less describe this sensational workout. Today, however, Pilates studios are springing up across the country while Pilates equipment is making its way into many American homes. People who want a toned, lean body, as well as people working to overcome injuries are all discovering the many benefits of Pilates. The recent surge in popularity is driven primarily by Pilates' dramatic results, including:
The Man Behind the Sensation Joseph Pilates grew up in Germany between the two world wars. A sickly, skinny child and very self-conscious about it, he became intrigued with the Greek ideal of balance in body and mind - that a beautiful body is flexible as well as strong. He taught himself physiology and anatomy. And eventually he became an acrobat. Touring with the circus when World War I broke out, he was interned as a National Alien in England. Pilates kept everyone on his cellblock breathing and moving their limbs. For the bedridden, he created his first piece of equipment, the "bednasium," converting an iron hospital bed into something resembling a four-poster bed with a spring and a foot loop attached to the frame. Patients not only slept in them; they exercised in them. While thousands of people were dying from the flu epidemic of 1918, legend has it that Pilates kept every person on his cellblock alive and well to the end of the war. A Dancer's Dream After the War, Pilates emigrated from Germany to escape the Kaiser. He set up his first studio in Hell's Kitchen, teaching what he called "Body Contrology." Dancers - many of them with injuries - were the first to discover his work and they made it famous. Former New York City Ballet dancer turned Pilates trainer Toni Bentley says, "The center of all the work is your solar plexus, your belly, which is why it goes so well with ballet work. All of your body strength comes from that, and every exercise starts with the breath. There is a kind of beauty to it, a smooth aesthetic, and the movements are harmonious and graceful." Back to Fundamentals Finding Pilates late in her pain-ridden ballet career, Jillian Hessel, director of the West Hollywood studio, The Well-Tempered Workout describes Pilates fundamentals using the acronym BEAM:
East Meets West In his book, Return to Life through Contrology, Pilates asserts, "Contrology is complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit. Contrology develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit." The basic Pilates program consists of the following: Mat Work . A series of exercises performed on a padded mat. Best for a general workout and, when done correctly, the most difficult. The Reformer. A moving carriage on a horizontal frame with straps and springs, with a series of up to 100 exercises performed on it without stopping. There is also an interesting array of optional pieces for working specific areas. According to Rachel Segel, co-owner of The Pilates Center in Boulder, Colorado, "Pilates was very much a creator, and built equipment for situations that intrigued him where he saw a need. He designed his apparatus to be an extension of the human body. Tension is created with springs, rather than weights, so the exercises lengthen, strengthen and tone muscles without adding bulk". Segel adds, "With the support of the equipment, the body has the freedom to work deeper and more articulately instead of lifting and lowering all its own weight by itself." All three trainers strongly suggest working with a Pilates certified professional in the beginning to ensure proper alignment, and so you avoid bad habits and injuries, but also get the full benefit of the workout. Rachel Segel suggests thinking of it as one would with any new skill: "What if you wanted to learn to play the violin? Are you going to buy a violin and then practice at home with no instruction? And how much instruction do you need to learn how to really play that violin well? Think of how much more intricate an instrument the body is than a violin." Still, working with a Pilates trainer can cost between $30 and $100 per hour, so Jillian Hessel offers some affordable options: Start with mat work. It's not as easy to injure yourself on the mat. Take mat classes or buy a video and practice at home. Personalize your program with a trainer. Set goals for a combination of private sessions, mat classes and homework, based on your financial and time commitments. Tape your sessions to take home with you. For more Pilates information and full-line of high-quality Pilates products please visit gaiam.com.
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