Pilates

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Pilates

Leslie Johnson-Harkness

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What is Pilates? An innovative system of mind-body exercise evolved from the principles of Joseph Pilates. The Pilates method, originally called “Crontology,” was defined by Joseph Pilates as “the science and art of coordinated mind-body spirit development through natural movements under strict control of the will.“ The method combines calmness and centeredness with motion, flexibility and strength to help restore and balance the body.

Born near Düsseldorf, Germany, Joseph Hubertus Pilates (1880 - 1967) grew up a sickly child suffering from rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever. At a young age he began to study anatomy and various forms of exercise to improve his health and physique. At aged 14 he had been so successful in his endeavors that he was asked to model for anatomy charts.

Around 1914, Joseph Pilates was a performer and a boxer living in England and, at the outbreak of WWI, was placed under forced internment along with other German nationals in Lancaster, England. There he taught fellow camp members the concepts and exercises he developed from over 20 years of self-study and apprenticeship in Yoga, Zen, and ancient Greek and Roman physical regimens. It was at this time that he began devising the system of original exercises known today as "mat work,” or exercises done on the floor. A few years later, he was transferred to another camp, where he became a nurse/caretaker to the many internees struck with wartime disease and physical injury. Here, he began devising equipment to rehabilitate his "patients," by rigging springs to hospital beds, enabling bedridden patients to exercise against resistance, an innovation that led to his later equipment designs.

In 1926, Joe immigrated to the United States. During the voyage he met Clara, whom he later married. Joe and Clara opened a fitness studio in New York. By the early 1960s, Joe and Clara could count among their clients many New York dancers. George Balanchine studied "at Joe's," as he called it, and also invited Pilates to instruct his young ballerinas at the New York City Ballet.

When Joe passed away in 1967, he left no will and had designated no line of succession for the "Pilates" work to carry on. Nevertheless, his work would remain. Clara continued to operate what was known as the "Pilates" Studio on Eighth Avenue in New York, where Romana Kryzanowska became the director around 1970. Kryzanowska had studied with Joe and Clara in the early 1940s and then, after a 15-year hiatus spent in Peru, returned to renew her studies.

Several students of Joe and Clara went on to open their own studios. Ron Fletcher was a Martha Graham dancer who studied and consulted with Joe from the 1940s on, for treatment of a chronic knee ailment. Fletcher opened his studio in Los Angeles in 1970 and attracted many Hollywood stars. Clara was particularly enamored with Ron and she gave her blessing for him to carry on the "Pilates" work and name. Fletcher brought some innovations and advancements to the Pilates work. His evolving variations on Pilates were inspired both by his years as a Martha Graham dancer and by another mentor, Yeichi Imura.

Kathy Grant and Lolita San Miguel were also students of Joe and Clara who became teachers. Grant took over Bendel's studio in 1972, while San Miguel went on to teach Pilates at Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1967, just before Joe's death, both Grant and San Miguel were awarded degrees by the State University of New York to teach "Pilates." These two are believed to be the only Pilates practitioners ever certified officially by Joe.

From these first-generation teachers, many methods of Pilates developed with their own unique style and repertoire. Romana’s curriculum became known as the Classical or East Coast Method because she taught out of Joe’s studio in New York. Ron’s studio in Los Angles became the center of the West Coast Method. Other well-known methods include Stott Pilates by founder Moira Merrithew, the Physical Mind Method and the work of various gifted instructors including Eve Gentry, Carola Trier, Bruce King, Mary Bowen, Robert Fitzgerald, Kathy Grant and many more. The multitude of different methods can be confusing to a beginner but all Pilates Methods adhere to 6 basic principles.

• Centering: Physically bringing focus to the center of the body, or core. Pilates considers the core to be the abdomen, back, and buttocks, and considers all movement to originate from that center. To "center" during any exercise is to become aware of the alignment of the body and to use the core as the initiator of the movement.

• Concentration: Bringing full attention to the exercise and doing it with full commitment so maximum value will be obtained from each movement. Focus on the muscles that you are working and visualize the detail of each and every motion. This is the first step in the mind-body connection.

• Control: This is the second step of the mind-body connection. First you awaken the mind to full awareness of every movement of the body. Then you use the mind to control the body’s movements. As Pilates said, “It is the mind that controls the body.” Every Pilates exercise is done with complete control. No body part is left to its own devices, from larger limbs down to finger positioning. Control is vital for safety as well as effectively transforming the body.

• Precision: In its ideal form, Pilates is practiced with precise attention to detail. Movements should be purposeful, clean, and integrated; parts of the body that are still should be absolutely still, while parts that are moving should move with clarity.

• Breath: Like many forms of mind-body exercise, Pilates has a breathing focus. Pilates advocated thinking of the lungs as the bellows—using them deeply to pump the air in and out of the body. This awakens our body and prevents fatigue. Again, control is emphasized in breathing, both inhalation and exhalation. Pilates exercises coordinate with the breath, and using the breath properly is integral to keep the mind and body focused and energized.

• Flow: Pilates exercise is done in a flowing manner. Fluidity, grace, and ease are goals applied to all exercises. The energy of an exercise connects all body parts and flows through the body in an even way. None of the exercises are static. This is key to posture and suppleness. A Pilates practitioner aims to flow both within and between exercises. Seamless transitions, smooth movements, and a never-ending sense of reaching for length and scooping for depth all help to create a true Pilates flow.

By Following these 6 Principles you can derive the many benefits of Pilates including: strengthened core; increased flexibility; long, lean muscles; improved posture; increased energy; and enhanced awareness of the body and mind.