Joseph Pilates Method of Training

From LoveToKnow Exercise

Most people have heard of Pilates, but you may not be familiar with the Joseph Pilates Method of Training that Pilates started with. Learning a bit about the history and philosophy behind Pilates can make your practice more meaningful.

Who Was Joseph Pilates?

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. He grew up a sick child and studied bodybuilding, yoga and gymnastics to improve his health. He moved to England as a young man and was interred in a prison camp there during World War I. That is where he began to develop the Joseph Pilates Method of Training.

He started out doing floor exercises, many of which are still known today, using props for resistance that he was able to find in the camp, such as bed springs. After the war he moved back to Germany and then to the United States, where he and his wife, Clara (who he had met on the boat to America) established their Pilates studio.

The Pilates method became popular among dancers in New York City, and they really kept the method alive until exercise physiology caught up to understand that Pilates' exercises were useful.

He taught until 1966 and died in 1967 at the age of 87. He was active until the end of his life and credited the regular practice of Pilates with keeping him healthy. His wife taught the method for another 10 years and today it is taught by people who learned directly from Pilates, as well as others who have learned from those people.

What is the Joseph Pilates Method of Training?

Pilates focused on gentle body movements that build core strength and flexibility. In particular, there are six principles that govern Pilates training and help people get more out of their movement:

Breathing: As in yoga, breathing is very important in the Joseph Pilates Method of Training. Movements are often coordinated with the breath, and the breath is strong, with full inhalations and exhalations, pulling air and blood through the body.
Centering: The focus through all Pilates movements, whether you're working the thighs or any other part of the body, is the core, or what Pilates called the "powerhouse" of the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks. All action originates from these areas, and that is where the focus should be in the movements.
Concentration: As with other exercises that have to do with focused movement, Pilates calls on practitioners to actively concentrate on the movements and their breathing and to bring their full attention to the practice.
Control: Proper form and control of all the muscles in the body are vital parts of the Pilates practice. No muscles are left to do whatever they want when you are doing Pilates; you focus on every movement and control every movement in the body.
Precision: Similar to control, this principle emphasizes proper form and movement through the exercises. The body should be in perfect alignment according to the pose that is being accomplished, and no part of a pose or sequence should be left out in order to achieve balance.
Flow: Pilates is done in a flowing manner, and it flows with the breath to bring more strength to the body. Moving from one position to the next should be graceful and smooth.

Incorporating the Principles into Your Practice

These principles represent the ideals of the Pilates method, and they are not necessarily something you are going to see on your first day of practice. It can be enough just to focus on your breath and not falling off the reformer, let alone trying to control all your muscles and flow from one pose to the next.

The point is that you hold these intentions for your practice, maybe even working on one at a time until you feel like you have incorporated that principle fully. In time you will find that you're not only getting a great workout for your body, but that you're also calming your mind and spirit at the same time.

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