Stillington & Whitton

The Pilates technique is a unique system of body conditioning that stretches muscles, improves flexibility, balance, breathing, posture and alignment.  One can be trained to recognise strengths and weaknesses and how to correct them.

Pilates, unlike many exercise systems, concentrates on strengthening the central core by using the abdominal muscles to control the different movements and encourages the exerciser to focus the mind as the body is exercising, improving general awareness, co-ordination and alignment.

 

Pilates advocates the need for regular exercise, the need to bring our lives into balance, eat a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep, reduce stress and have a positive attitude.  At this present time the growing interest in maintaining an holistic lifestyle has lead to an increase in popularity in the principles and practice of Pilates

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Joseph Pilates as a child suffered from various conditions including rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever. He engaged in a healthy lifestyle, which included exercise such as gymnastics, body building, wrestling, diving and skiing.  He took elements from different activities and devised a fitness programme, which helped him achieve his maximum level of fitness, strength and flexibility. After being taken prisoner in the First World War, being German, he was interned in a camp on the Isle of Man, where his duties in the hospital gave him the chance to adapt his fitness routine to the varying needs of his fellow inmates, constructing pieces of equipment such as attaching bed springs to walls so internees could use them to exercise while still lying on their beds.

In 1926 he set off for New York and with his wifes help established his first excercise studio. By 1940 he was very popular with dancers, gymnasts and athletes who were using his technique

The Pilates technique continued to grow in popularity and is still popular with all areas of the general public as well as sports people.  It has now become very popular in leisure centres and sports centres.

Joseph Pilates’ original set of exercises were developed in the 1920’s and were made up of 34 moves and had influences from eastern and western disciplines.  This was not just exercises repeated mindlessly but through an integration of mind and body.

‘Pilates advocated that along with an ongoing commitment to regular exercise, each of us should be prepared to examine and alter various aspects of our daily lives and work towards improving our overall fitness and sense of well-being, both physically and mentally’.

Pilates believed that his moves and routines should be able to be adapted to suit ANY individual, therefore Pilates followers are able to take the principles of his original teachings to suit individual needs.