PILATES

WHAT IS PILATES?

Pilates was founded by Joseph Pilates. He has been nothing but short of revolutionary in his impact on the world of fitness and exercise. When he developed Pilates he did it based on observations and conclusions about people's approach to physical fitness and decades of scientific study, experimentation and research that upset the balance of body and mind.

That is why Pilates is often referred to as a mind and body workout. It is also the single most known practice that focuses a lot on your posture and stabilizing muscles. Today Pilates has evolved even more based on further knowledge about anatomy and physiology.

The first Pilates studio opened up back in 1926 by Joseph Pilates, in New York. Today the number of new studios opening up are growing around the world. Only in the popular area of Tribeca in New York, there are five studios in a four block-radius, according to an article in Vogue Magazine published the 7th of January 2020.

It seems like slowing down the workout, and becoming more focused on your body and muscle engagement, may be just what we need in times when other things around us are spinning faster and faster. We have to turn to our inside, and work our way to the outside. That is exactly what Pilates does. Pilates works from inside-out. In recent years more and more exercise Pilates Online. 

There is no better feeling to feel the deep muscle engagement when working in the Pilates reformer, feeling the deep pelvic floor connection, feeling how you elongate and stretch your body, and how it all helps in order to build a stronger and leaner body that will better take you through the day. There is a famous quote from Joseph Pilates, the founder of Pilates: “You are only as young as your spine is flexible.”

Joseph Pilates also claims to have quoted: “In 10 Pilates sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 you will see the difference, and in 30 you’ll have a whole new body.”

Pilates is usually associated with dancers, celebrities and models, but Pilates is for anyone, and for all ages. It is for the one who wants to strengthen their body and gain better body control. Pilates pays much attention to the core, back and pelvis.

Apart from owning Pebbles Pilates where we sell Pilates Sportswear, I also teach Pilates one-on-one. And my clients range from 16 years old – to pregnant women – to healthy and athletic women – to 80 years old women. Pilates does not have an age, and the beautiful thing about Pilates, is that you can increase or decrease the level of intensity depending on the individual’s goal. But, you will always work on body control, balance, flexibility and building those longer leaner muscles.

Why is Pilates such a good workout?

Pilates is for everybody as it pays attention to your body and mobility and you can never really be fully taught within Pilates. Once you have learned one Pilates technique or Pilates exercise you can always modify it to become more challenging both in strength, endurance, stability and balance.

Pilates is sometimes seen as just another form of exercise but it is so much more than that. Madonna was one of the celebrities that made the practice known world wide and today everyone from celebrities to NFL players, football players, professional dancers, athletes and even people who go through rehab use Pilates as their practice to build up their body.

Within classic Pilates there are over 500 Pilates exercises. During the years Pilates has evolved along with new science about the workout and body movement. Along with that, there has been an increase in various Pilates certifications. It is important to make sure when you start practicing Pilates that you find a Pilates education in which you believe in, and find Pilates instructors and studios that have valid Pilates certifications.

Most of the certifications build on classic Pilates, but with slight modifications due to new research on body anatomy.

What is the difference between Pilates and Yoga?

While Pilates is focusing on both body and mind Yoga is known to be more of a mindset than a set of movements to strengthen and build on your posture, balance and to tone your muscles. You can read more about the difference between Yoga and Pilates here:

Additional reading