Pilates-based Conditioning

There is more information about Pilates at Pilates.Info - my site of Pilates resources, links, and information for the entire Pilates community.

For information about my own classes, see my "Classes" page or click on the "Quicklink" at the bottom of the page to automatically get my schedule by e-mail.

Pilates History :

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. As a child, he suffered from various ailments such as asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever. To control the severity of these conditions, he studied gymnastics, body-building, skiing, diving and Yoga. In 1912, Pilates went to England, where he found work as a boxer, a circus performer, and a self-defense instructor for British detectives. With the outbreak of W.W.I, he was sent to an internment camp. It was here that he developed a unique method of Physical Therapy, utilizing the hospital bed-springs for resistance. He is credited with the fact that none of his trainees died from the influenza epidemic that killed thousands throughout England. Upon returning to Germany, he was ordered to train the German army. He refused, and emigrated to the U.S. in 1926. Pilates established a studio in N.Y.C. which attracted dancers, athletes and gymnasts. He formulated his mat-work series.

Pilates describes his technique as the art of Contrology. In his 1945 book entitled the Art Of Contrology, he states "Contrology is a complete coordination of body, mind and spirit. Through Contrology, you first purposefully acquire complete control of your own body and then, through proper repetition of its exercises, you gradually and progressively acquire that natural rhythm and coordination associated with all your subconscious activities. Following his death in 1967, his students kept his method alive.

Unfortunately, there is a controversy pertaining to technical and trademark issues of the method. According to my instructor Mary Bowen, Pilates was someone who was constantly learning, and therefore, he continually developed and modified his technique. It is for this reason that some of his original "disciples" have worked with Physical Therapists to update the Method. Keep in mind, that the Pilates work was used primarily with dancers and athletes, and to make the exercises more "user-friendly' to the general population, some adjustments needed to be made. As a result, the 'Progressive Pilates' (my term) instructors have added exercises derived from physical therapy, Alexander Technique and Feldenkreis (who was, by the way, a friend and contemporary of Pilates.) Although these additions and modifications have enabled many people to enjoy and benefit from the exercises, who would have found the Method close to impossible, the instructors from the original New York studio regard this as nothing short of heresy!

Quite sadly, they used these allegations as justification for initiating a lawsuit against any instructor who did not train at their center, or any school which did not pay the New York school exorbitant franchise fees.

Luckily, justice prevailed, and we won! The term "Pilates" can now be used by anyone who has appropriate certification from the various schools and centers who have continued the tradition of Joseph Pilates. The various schools of technique are beginning to work together to build a strong future for the Method.

For more information abut the lawsuit, and its aftermath, check-out www.pilates-cancel.com.

Pilates Today:

I was first introduced to the Pilates mat-work in New York in the 1970s, and used some of the exercise in my adult conditioning classes. Then, in the 1980s that style of teaching became obsolete, and the emphasis shifted form mind-body to mindless; from small, under worked muscles such as the transverse abdominals and the internal and external rotators to large, , already overworked muscles such as the quadriceps, pectoralis and rectus abdominals. Although these changes may have made people physically stronger, many were upset with the development of large quads, bulky abs, and round shoulders, resulting from an imbalance on the chest and back. Furthermore, this mindless form of exercise, usually performed to loud music (which may or may not have been the proper rhythm for your body type) did nothing to improve balance, coordination and body awareness. I experienced this myself, when in 1990, I attempted to learn to ski, and continually fell flat on my face, even though I used to run marathons and weight train for at least one hour a day! By the mid 1990s, many people began to realize that something was missing from their fitness regimen, which resulted in a new found interest in such classes as Yoga, Tai Chi, NIA, and Pilates.

This brought about an accessability issue: Training on the equipment was, and still is, highly expensive, and the certification process for instructors is lenghthy and even more coslty. Until recently, an instructor could only certify in the full method, even if the facility she worked at had either the space or the budget implement an equipment program. The pre-requisites for entering a training program demanded that she had a minimum of 45 hours of private equipment instruction from a New York based teacher. With private sessions averaging at $85 an hour, this was not in the realm of a fitness instructor's salary. Furthermore, although certified instructors need extensive background in anatomy and kinesiology, that knowledge was not credited, resulting in a certification program so time consuming and expensive, that the instructor would have little time to continue working in her chosen field.

Fortunately, other training schools have introduced mat -only and mat and small apparatus certifications. You absolutely must be a certified and highly experienced instructor to succeed in these programs. Knowledge and understanding of smaller muscle groups is an absolute must!

The following is an overview of the excellent training programs I have experienced.

PhysicalMind Institute:

The brainchild of Jane Siebert, who studied with Joseph Pilates in New York, this program is instrumental in creating body alignment exercises which facilitate the proper execution of the Pilates work. They also have some excellent modifications for students who are either injured, or simply not strong enough to perform some of the more challenging exercises.. They also make interesting use of the TheraBand as a means of mimicing the action of the equipment. PhysicalMind Institute is based in New Mexico, but they give certifying workshops throughout the country.

Polestar Education:

Have I told you how much I love these people? Elizabeth Larkin and Brent Anderson are the founders of this organization. Both are Physical Therapists with background in dance and Feldenkreis. Currently, in Miami, they have a research lab where they are involved in studies of the nuances and subtleties of the Method. They utilize stability balls, foam rollers, rotating discs and all sorts of toys and techniques which create an experience similar to equipment work. However, as fascinating as their highly creative use of props may be, nothing compares to their mind-boggling insight into the nuances of the specific exercises. Their use of Feldenkreis concepts as a means of improving performance of Pilates exercises truly impressed a group of highly experienced instructors. Polestar gives training and certification workshops throughout the country.

Stott Pilates:

Moira Stott studied with Romana Kryzanowska in N.Y.C. Upon returning to Toronto, she worked with Physical Therapists to revise the program in order to bring its concepts more up to date. Moira has been instrumental in making Pilates enthusiasts understand the importance of the "neutral spine'. Prior to taking some continuing education master classes with her, I was taking class from a new York based instructor, who emphasized keeping the spine constantly in a flat or 'imprinted position." This resulted in my walking around in a slight pelvic tilt. After taking Stott's workshop, I felt more in alignment. Stott gives workshops throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Basic Principles of Pilates:

• Work with a level of strong concentration
• Control your movements
• Work from your "Powerhouse"{abs, buttocks and back}
• All moves flow outward from a strong center
• BE Precise-quality not quantity
• Breath through all moves

You will be developing strength and flexibility simultaneously, resulting in a long, lean look!

Some tips for specific exercises:

I will periodically up-date this site with tips for other Pilates-based exercises. Please visit often.

The Hundred:

This exercise teaches you to breath while maintaining an abdominal contraction. It is therefore important that you do Not use a deep abdominal breathing pattern while performing this exercise. Your instructor will demonstrate proper breathing methods. If you cannot breath while doing the Hundred, you have lifted your head and shoulders to high off the ground. Prior to the exercise, place three middle fingers at the large vertabra at the base of your neck, keeping your head on the floor, gently slide your finger up to the vertabra at the base of the skull, and perform little circles to alleviate any existing neck strain. After lifting head and shoulders from the floor, press your armpits into your waist. (Yes, this sounds weird, but it depresses the scapula, which in turn pulls the shoulders away from the ears, which in turn releases your trapezius muscle!) Focus on your legs or stomach; do not focus on the ceiling! If you have back problems, keep both feet on the ground. If your back is marginal, elevate your legs, but keep them bent. If your back is fine, elevate and straighten your legs, and if you are very strong, lower your legs. (However, when legs are both elevated, your spine must maintain an imprinted or completely flat position.) If your neck gets tired,place one hand behind your head, or lift both ends of your mat, using it to support your neck like an ab roller machine.

Roll-ups:

Many people can not perform roll-ups when first beginning a Pilates program. Keep in mind, it is easier to roll down than it is to roll up. On the way up, place your hands under the small of your back, and use your arms to help you up.