How Does Pilates Work?

Pilates integrates a series of exercises that promotes physical and mental well being addressing the two main concerns of society today: fitness and stress.  This innovative exercise system has transformed many lives and has stood the test of time, having been created over 80 years ago.  Modern lifestyles have grown increasingly less active and more stressful, impacting quality of life.  The pace of today’s society, the worldwide aging population, and the now-public awareness of the mind-body connection has created an increasing interest in Pilates and other mindful exercise programs like Yoga.

The Classical Pilates Method is based on a full, integrated system of equipment - the Mat exercises are just part of the technique (only 25 % of the Pilates exercises can be performed on a Mat).  The equipment works better and faster to change the body, as the varying springs provide support and resistance that allow an individual to enhance their core connection in a way that is difficult to do on the Mat alone.  Because of this, the equipment allows one to shape, tone, lengthen and align the body differently from that of the Mat.  In short, the equipment works better and faster to change the body. Furthermore, additional advanced core work is available on equipment for the more accomplished practitioner, & working on the equipment is just plain fun!  

Over the last 20 years, the fitness industry has undergone a radical revolution in its training philosophies.  It has moved from viewing independent elements of fitness to studying integrated, movement-based functional training.  Science shows that the body needs to learn how to move correctly.  The ability to perceive movement properly is rarely emphasized in modern society, allowing dysfunction to develop.  While the brain recognizes basic movement patterns, it does not naturally focus on muscles or muscle groups or know how to sequentially build upon basic patterns of movement in a healthy way.  

Pilates & Yoga are wonderful antidotes to this common problem, providing workouts that will strengthen and stretch muscles, restore muscular & physical balance, provide movement efficiency, and build endurance – all in a very healthy way.  Movement relies upon the synchronization of the muscles throughout the entire kinematic chain, & results in the nervous system’s ability to initiate and control all movement patterns easily by rote.  Pilates & Yoga improves stability & balance by promoting the nervous system’s awareness of & thus the rehabilitation of these unconscious movement patterns.  Such movement-based systems provide these common health-generating characteristics:

• Increased ability of the deep muscles to guide and control movement
• Improved motor control
• A focus upon the quality of movement vs the quantity of movement (eg: quality promotes strength, agility & balance, while quantity alone often creates instability, muscle tissue breakdown & a marked decrease in flexibility/RoM)
• Production of & the control of movements within a given functional range