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PILATES
The Pilates Method (sometimes simply Pilates) is a physical fitness system that was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Pilates wrote at least two books about the Pilates method: Return to Life through Contrology and Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education.
Pilates called his method Contrology, which refers to the way the method encourages the use of the mind to control the muscles. It is an exercise program that focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and strengthen the deep torso muscles, which are important to help alleviate and prevent back pain.
Joseph Pilates in his studio in NYC with his wife Clara and niece Mary.
History
Born in 1880 in Düsseldorf, Germany, Joseph Pilates, a German national of Greek descent,[1] became an avid exercise enthusiast (skier, gymnast, diver, martial arts student) and developed his body into superb condition. In his teens, he was used as a model for fitness charts. Traveling to England before the first World War, he worked as a boxer and circus performer. During WWI, he was interned in the Isle of Man with other German nationals and POWs. A trained nurse in his native Germany, he was investigating ways that he could rehabilitate bed-ridden victims of the 1918 influenza pandemic. Thus he created a series of movements that could be practiced within the confines of this controlled environment. The Pilates Reformer (a piece of Pilates apparatus) is based on an old hospital bed. Returning to Germany briefly after the war, he then began training professional boxers, notably heavyweight champion Max Schmelling, and police officers. He then moved to the United States and opened his own training studio in New York city in 1926 with his wife Clara.
Instead of performing many repetitions of each exercise, Pilates preferred fewer, more precise movements, requiring control and form. He designed more than 500 specific exercises. The most frequent form, called "matwork," involves a series of calisthenic motions performed without weight or apparatus on a padded mat. He believed that mental health and physical health were essential to one another. Pilates created what is claimed to be a method of total body conditioning that emphasizes proper alignment, centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and flowing movement (The Pilates Principles) that results in increased flexibility, strength, muscle tone, body awareness, energy, and improved mental concentration. Pilates also designed five major pieces of unique exercise equipment that he claimed should be used for best results. Although the two components are often taught separately now, the method was always meant to combine both matwork and equipment exercises. In all forms, the "powerhouse" (abdomen, lower back, and buttocks) is supported and strengthened, enabling the rest of the body to move freely.
Pilates practitioners use their own bodies as weights in training to build strength and flexibility. This is targeted without a focus on high-powered cardiovascular exercise. Today, Pilates is used in the rehabilitation process by many physical therapists. Pilates is an old approach to movement re-education that is becoming popular in the field of fitness and rehabilitation. The Pilates environment can be used as an assistive environment that optimizes the acquisition of movement with a reduction of destructive forces and can be used to progress individuals through more challenging movements that represent their day-to-day activities. Pilates' focus on building core muscles and postural awareness are especially well indicated for the alleviation and prevention of back pain. Research and theories in motor learning, biomechanics, and musculoskeletal physiology help support the phenomena experienced by many Pilates-based practitioners; however, the Pilates-based approach needs to be subjected to the rigors of research to better evaluate its efficacy in the field of rehabilitation.
Pilates has been used to train dancers and many professional athletes in flexibility and physical strength. Joseph Pilates died in 1967, with Clara running the studio for another 11 years. In recent years it has become a popular fitness modality, with many stars attributing their lithe bodies and increased muscle tone to Pilates.
In more recent years Pilates has been the subject of peer review research articles and is now gaining acceptance amongst the medical profession, even for conditions previously contra-indicated such as pregnancy. Adi Balogh wrote a substantial review article in the Journal of the Royal College of Midwives[2].
Instructor Certification
Instructors of the Pilates method are not licensed by governmental agencies. While there are no official standards for pilates education, there are various teacher training centers throughout the world. The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), which provides certification for various professions not licensed by government agencies, also provides accreditation services for pilates instructor training. The only American exam that has been accredited and offers a professional certification is that of the Pilates Method Alliance. Please see professional certification for more information on what constitutes a professional certification.
Pilates was designed to be a complete physical fitness discipline. Perhaps, for a beginner, it can seem to not supply enough cardiovascular training. However, once mastered, Pilates trains, strengthens, tones and realigns the entire body.
Pilates largely avoids high impact, high power output, and heavy muscular and skeletal loading. The emphasis is not simply building muscle mass. Its focus is unique in its emphasis on lengthening and alignment, and it can successfully train muscles which bodybuilding and conventional gym aerobics can just as easily avoid. That's how it prevents injury.
Some doctors have suggested that medical advice be sought by those who have, or who have risk factors for, medical conditions such as osteogenesis imperfecta, Osteomalacia, osteoporosis, and Paget's disease, before choosing Pilates over other strength exercises. However, there are Pilates practitioners who specialise in medical and clinical rehab. One Pilates certification method which utilises this approach is the Polestar method, but there are other methods and schools just as safe and effective. If you have a condition which needs medical attention it is best to work in consultation with an Orthopedic doctor or Physical Therapist in conjuntion with the Pilates method in addition to finding an experienced Pilates practitioner.
There are many Pilates schools of thought. Perhaps the largest is the Authentic Pilates school which is based on the teachings of Romana Kryzanowska. Romana's claims to have to derivated from any aspect of Joe Pilates original teachings. However during the 90's the company Balanced Body with the support Pilates Elder's Kathy Grant and Ron Fletcher challenged her authority and copyright in a court of law. Balanced Body won the case and currently there exist many methodologies and scientific approaches to the Pilates method. The Pilates Method Aliance was then created to unite the community and to establish professional standards.
Some schools of thought acually claim to have advanced beyond Joe Pilates original teachings. One way is by introducing current medical research and clinical knowledge into the Pilates system. For instance, Joe Pilates believed the spine was supposed to be completely straight, and we now know that the curves of the spine are essential for both physical and neurological reasons. Other teachers have introduced aspects of other sports training. Today, a Pilates teacher can be influenced by aspects of dance, Tai-chi, Yoga, the Alexander technique, Feldenkrais training and so on... This can be confusing, so it's best to learn the Pilates essentials first.
Works
Pilates, Joseph H. and William J. Miller. Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology. (republished Paperback) (Judd Robbins, Editor) ISBN 0961493798
Pilates, Joseph H. Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising That Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education. (republished in Paperback) ( Judd Robbins Editor) ISBN 096149378X
Sources
Further reading
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