Pilates is a body & mind discipline evolved from the original Contrology programme created by Joseph Pilates.

With the intention of improving his health and physical fitness, he began to exercise and practice sports, including martial arts, yoga, boxing and gymnastics.

During World War I, he was incarcerated on the island of man, because of his German nationality. Nevertheless, he continued to exercise, observe and study the movement and flow of the human body. 

In the camp with limited resources and space, Pilates taught daily physical routines to the other prisoners, thus ameliorated their physical and mental health.

During this challenging time, Pilates also worked as a nurse in the infirmary, where he helped those recovering from injury and influenza. He used straps and springs rigged up to the hospital bed to create resistance (Pilates reformer inspiration) and improve muscular strength, endurance and flexibility.

Pilates and Clara opened a body conditioning studio near the New York school of Ballet, on 8th Avenue. Soon, the studio became a popular spot for the elite New York society, performing artists, gymnasts and dancers.

Dancers particularly recognised the positive effects of his method; improvement in core, posture, precision, control and flow. Pilates named his exercise regime Contrology.  Contrology was introduced in dance injury rehabilitation and technique practice.

Posture refers to the position of the body while sitting, sleeping, lifting and standing. Poor posture can cause musculoskeletal strain, as the muscles and ligaments that support the spine have to work harder to maintain a good alignment of the body. This may result in neck stiffness, shoulder pain, knee and hip pain, fatigue and breathing problems. 

The original Contrology system consisted of approximately 50 exercises, which aimed to develop complete coordination of mind, body and spirit; improve muscular power, endurance and posture; and alleviate symptoms of pain. The original series consists of a sequence of exercises, where the individual must maintain each position and primarily engage the core, while extending the upper and lower limbs. Each breath fuels more energy to the muscles during the exercise.

A variety of equipment, called "apparatus" was designed to accelerate this method. The most known apparatus is the Reformer, which stands for "universally reforming the body".

Similar to Contrology, modern Pilates aims to strengthen the center of the body (core), lengthen the spine, build muscle tone and improve body awareness and flexibility. Each exercise is initiated with the engagement of the core, before the controlled elongation of the peripheral limbs. The focus is on the quality of the exercise and the recruitment of the correct muscles. Each exercise is performed three to five times to increase the kinesthetic challenges. Functional exercises, pelvic floor engagement, relaxation techniques are included in Mat Pilates sessions.

Modern Pilates is widely adopted in:

• Injury prevention and rehabilitation;
• Management of Back pain;
• Management of Women's health dysfunctions;
• Enhancement of endurance and sports performance;
• Relaxation.

As my first post, I felt it was important to share the history of this discipline.

We all have heard about it, but how many of us actually knew its origins?

Follow me in this Journey, If you want to know more and experience the benefits of Pilates :)

➡️ Stay Connected!!!

xx 💋 Laura