- What is Pilates?
- What are the benefits of Pilates?
- Who benefits from Pilates?
- Does Pilates help back injuries?
- What is the difference between Pilates mat work and Pilates equipment?
- What is the Reformer?
- How often should I do Pilates?
- What is yoga?
- What are the benefits of Yoga?
- What is the difference between Pilates and Yoga?
- Who is Joseph Pilates?
What Is Pilates?
The exercise method was developed by Joseph Pilates, a German-born Rehab Nurse, who devoted his life to improving the posture and health of his clients.
Pilates exercises focus on core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine, shoulder girdle, pelvis and hips. With a properly developed core - or centre - we are less vulnerable to fatigue and lower back pain. Participants gain awareness of neutral alignment of the body's joints, and strengthening of deep muscles that support this alignment.
At Balance Studio, we use contemporary knowledge of the body as our guiding force and incorporate modern exercise principles into the original teachings. The work is tailored to the student based on individual postural needs, and the focus is always on precise, controlled, quality movements.
What are the benefits of Pilates?
With a strong commitment and consistent practice two to three times a week, you may find Pilates to be the anti-aging 'drug' you've been looking for.
The Pilates Body...
- The Four S's - Strength, Stretch, Stamina & Stability
- Improved posture and flexibility
- A leaner, more toned body
- Stronger, longer muscles without bulk
- Abdominal muscles that draw in and up, rather than protrude
- Greater energy and vigor
- Better balance and coordination
- Riddance of compensatory weaknesses that contribute to chronic injuries
The Pilates Mind...
- Enhanced self-awareness and self-confidence
- An invigoration of mind and elevation of spirit
- A feeling of being more 'centered'
- A sense of rejuvenation
- Improved concentration and focus
- Increased mind/body awareness and connection
Who benefits from Pilates?
Almost everyone. Our clients range from 18-year-old athletes to adults in their 70's. Pilates is adaptable to almost anyone's level of conditioning - injured, new to exercise or very fit.
Does Pilates help back injuries?
Because Pilates strengthens the deep support muscles of the spine, it is often therapeutic for back pain. However, if you have current pain, have been recently injured or have a recurrent condition, you must obtain documentation from your practitioner (physiotherapist, physician or chiropractor) prior to participating in a Pilates program.
Note: If you are pregnant, you should not begin any new type of exercise program without your doctor's consent.
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What is the difference between Pilates mat-work and Pilates equipment?
Mat-based classes focus on the development of core stabilizers and joint mobilization without the use of resistance. Participants learn to support the body against gravity in various positions, to reduce tension, improve body awareness and gain total-body control. Small props such as foam rollers,stability balls and Flex-Bands are also used to enhance awareness and challenge. Mat-work is acomponent of the large body of work that comprises Pilates and is effective in improving posture, core strength and body awareness as it relates to daily life.
Pilates equipment adds the element of external resistance and provides feedback on your body's alignment and imbalance. Total-body stability, mobility and alignment are challenged, with a greater variety of exercises, so muscular imbalances are corrected more effectively. The work is challenging but adaptive and is appropriate for a wide variety of needs.
What is a Reformer?
The Reformer is the main piece of equipment used in Pilates exercise. The Reformer glides forward & backward on rollers and uses springs for resistance, along with other attachments, for a wide variety of exercises and positions (i.e. lying down, seated and standing.)
How often should I do Pilates?
This depends on your schedule and goals. We recommend a minimum of twice per week (mat and/or equipment), however, the addition of a yoga class or dance class will heighten your results. Joseph Pilates believed you will feel better in 10 sessions, look better in 20 sessions and have a completely new body in 30 sessions!
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What Is Yoga?
The exact origins of yoga are unknown, but it is thought to be at least five thousand years old. The earliest evidence of yoga practice can be traced back to about 3000 B.C. The original purpose of the postures and breathing exercises was to bring stability and relaxation so practitioners could prepare for the rigors of meditation (sitting still and alert for long periods of time).
The word yoga has its roots in the Sanskrit language and means to merge, join, or unite. Yoga is a form of exercise based on the belief that the body and breath are intimately connected with the mind. Yoga is a means of balancing and harmonizing the body, mind and emotions and is a tool that allows us to withdraw from the chaos of the world and find a quiet space within. To achieve this, yoga uses movement, breath, posture, relaxation and meditation in order to establish a healthy, vibrant and balanced approach to living.
There are many different types of yoga, and each type has its own philosophies and practices. Some styles of yoga are meditative and focused on spiritual centeredness. Other styles of yoga are more physical and based on poses or exercises. At Balance, we offer a variety of styles for you to explore.
What are the benefits of Yoga?
Increased flexibility and joint mobility stamina stronger muscles improved joint support relaxation enhanced balance improved circulation heightened body awareness sharpened concentration improved awareness and depth of breath.
What is the difference between Pilates & Yoga?
Both help the mind work in sync with the body and have breath as an integral part of the practice. On a physical level, both Pilates and Yoga also help to mobilize and stabilize the joints of the body. However, Pilates is a form of physical conditioning first and foremost, while Yoga is an integrated system of education for the body, mind and inner spirit. Yoga is a practical aid, not a religion, and its techniques are practiced to assist in your inner - and outer - balance with life.
Who is Joseph Pilates?
Joseph Pilates was born near Dusseldorf, Germany in 1880. His father was an award-winning gymnast and his mother was a naturopath, so he was exposed to the world of alternative wellness and fitness early in his life. As a child Pilates suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever, but was determined to overcome his physical ailments and eventually become an accomplished skier, diver and gymnast. As a young man, he researched Eastern and Western forms of movement, including Yoga, and eventually trained as a rehabilitation nurse. The fusion of his early movement studies resulted in the development of Contrology (what is now known as Pilates).
Around 1912, Pilates moved to England. While there, WWI began and Pilates along with other German nationals was held prisoner for a year in Lancaster. During his internment he taught self defense techniques and early principles of Contrology to fellow detainees. Many in the camp were injured or disabled in the war, so Pilates devised machines from beds utilizing the addition of springs, pulleys and straps to assist in their rehabilitation. These machines allowed his patients to exercise while lying down, stabilizing them, while improving muscular integrity within in their personal range of motion. These machines were the prototypes for the apparatus used in Pilates today.
After the war, Pilates returned to Germany where trained the Hamburg City Police in his method. He was asked by the Government to train the new German army, but did not agree with their ideals, so decided instead to move to the USA. During the journey, he met his wife Clara and upon arriving in New York City in 1926, they opened a studio.
The studio caught the attention of the dance community and Contrology began to permeate some notable dancers training, including Ruth St. Denis, Martha Graham, and George Balanchine. Pilates' studio grew to be a legendary fitness studio attracting New York's affluent and prominent. Joseph Pilates taught in his New York studio through the early 1960's.
In 1966 a fire erupted in a back room of the Eighth Avenue Studio where Joseph rented out storage space. Pilates was said to have been in the building at the time of the fire but it was during an inspection of the damages caused by the fire that Joseph almost fell through the floor. At 86 years of age Joe was forced to hang from rafters for an extended period time before he was able to pull himself to safety.
Joseph Pilates died one year later, in 1967, at the age of 87. It has been reported that inhalation of smoke from the previous years' fire may have been a major contributor to his death.
Clara continued to teach Contrology for the next decade. In 1977 the operation of the studio was taken over by one of Pilates' students, Romana Kryzanowska, who continues to teach with her daughter today.
