Joseph Hubertus Pilates was born in 1883 in Germany to a Greek father and a German mother. As a child he was quite ill and often suffered from asthma and rheumatic fever. As a result, he devoted his entire life to becoming "naturally superior".
He began to study the structure of the human body as well as the science of physical education. He believed that the modern way of life, poor posture and inefficient breathing are responsible for the poor health of modern man. So he began to separate various series of exercises, training techniques, as well as to manufacture all the instruments and components to teach his method appropriately. It was inspired by Yoga, Zen, Western philosophies as well as the ideas of physical education of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Combine spiritual concentration and specific breaths from yogic philosophy.
In 1914 he settled in England, during the outbreak of World War I he was placed in a concentration camp in Lancaster, England. There he was given the opportunity to teach his system to other members of the camp. At the camp where he became a nurse and caregiver for the sick and wounded of war, he adjusted springs and straps to the hospital beds to support the sick members of the patients and while working with them, both he and the doctors noticed that the patients were recovering faster. In this camp he began to create the first training and rehabilitation instruments which were the blueprint for today's Cadillac and Reformer.
During his trip to New York he met a nurse named Clara, who later became his wife. Together, in 1926 they opened the first studio in New York and specifically in the same building that housed the New York ballets. The original studio is where the first generation of Pilates teachers, such as Romagna Kyranowska, Ron Fletcher, Eve Gentry, Kathy Grant, Carole Trier, Mary Bowen, Bruce King, Kathleen Stanford Grant, Lolita San Miguel, Jerome Andrews, trained. Bob Seed, Nadja Cory.
These protected students slowly began to spread by opening studios across the country, changing the method based on their personal background and philosophy, as well as the needs of their clients. By the mid-1960s, Pilates had begun to spread beyond New York, such as Paris, California, and New Mexico. For the next 50 years that followed, the method passed through the hands of various teachers resulting in a considerable development.
In January 1966 a fire broke out on 939 Eighth Avenue. Pilates largely avoids high impact, high power output, and heavy muscular and skeletal loading. From there he was found hanging from a pipe until he was rescued by firefighters. Some believe that this event led to his death in 1967 at the age of 84. Clara's wife continued to teach until her retirement in 1970. She died in 1976.
Pilates devoted himself entirely to cultivating his system further, and in an effort to make it widely known he published his book in 1945 entitled "Return to life through Contrology", which is dedicated to Mat work exercises. Today, the method consists of a repertoire of 500 exercises performed on the ground or machines invented by him. The exercises are usually performed in series organized in levels: beginning, intermediate, advanced, super advanced and work as a whole in order to develop strong abdominal, back, buttocks and deep muscles that are responsible for the correct posture. All of these muscles work together and form what he called "the Powerhouse."
WHAT IS PILATES METHOD?
The Pilates method focuses on symmetrical posture, breathing control, muscle strengthening, stabilization of the spine, pelvis and shoulder. It also focuses on muscle flexibility, joint mobility and strengthening through the total range of motion of all joints. Pilates largely avoids high impact, high power output, and heavy muscular and skeletal loading. Specific exercises paired with specific breathing habits. It could be described as an autonomous method of training and is undoubtedly an important supplement to professional training as well as a natural means of rehabilitation. Exercise the whole body symmetrically, integrating the limbs with the torso. It is an excellent rehabilitation system for SS, knees, hips, shoulders as well as for recurrent muscle injuries. Corrects asymmetries and chronic weaknesses, thus preventing recurrence of injuries by bringing the body into balance.
THE 8 BASIC PRINCIPLES
BENEFITS OF PILATES METHOD
THE 8 BASIC PRINCIPLES
- The Breath
- The Centre
- The Flow
- The Control
- The Accuracy
- The Self-Concentration
- Total Muscle Mobilization
- Symmetrical Muscle Development
BENEFITS OF PILATES METHOD
- Increased respiratory capacity and blood circulation
- Strengthening the torso and muscles of the body
- Flexibility
- Body and mind coordination
- Orthosomia - Proper posture
- Enhanced sense of balance
- Muscle Fitting
- Bone density and healthy joints
- Increased mobility of the joints
- Positive body awareness
- Effective movement
- Functional application of the technique in everyday life, improvement of everyday life
PILATES IS IDEAL FOR EVERYONE
The Pilates method teaches us ideal things for our body, which we can transfer to our daily lives. It is a very dynamic workout that stimulates the muscles and teaches them to work together to achieve movement. As a movement it does not exceed the normal range of motion of the joints and respects the alignment of the skeleton, so that it does not strain any part of the body. The exercises of the method are divided into levels, so they are ideal for each level of fitness. Someone who has not exercised at all can improve their strength and aerobic capacity through Pilates. On the other hand, if one is already exercising, the Pilates method will help him to do his athletic activity better.
