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The Pilates Story
Joan Hamilton and Diedra Simon share
the history behind this powerful technique.
Sidebar: Two exercises
to try at home
Once an exercise regimen enjoyed exclusively
by professional athletes, entertainers, and models, Pilates
has come to the forefront of a health conscious America's
desire for more than a just a gym. Clients also use Pilates
to train to prevent injury, heal old injuries, and finally
to achieve a healthy lifestyle. It all sounds to good to be
true, but as many are finding out, this is exactly what the
founder of this practice intended.
Joseph Pilates, (puh-Lah-teez), was born in Germany in 1880.
After enduring a childhood plagued by sickness and lacking
physical strength, Joseph dedicated himself to the goal of
achieving health in body and spirit. He took up and mastered
the practices of bodybuilding, skiing, diving, and gymnastics.
He went so far as to become an accomplished gymnast, boxer,
and circus performer. He also opened his mind to eastern philosophies
and practiced both yoga and martial arts. Spending a great
portion of his youth pursuing these arts, he began to combine
what he felt were the best attributes of each into what would
evolve into a unique practice that he named "Contrology".
Sharing Contrology with others, Pilates soon gained recognition
as a very successful trainer. By 1912, he was even courted
by the Kaiser to condition Germany's elite troops. Declining
this offer, Pilates instead moved to England to further his
own philosophies. As the war broke out, however, Pilates was
confined to a camp designated for German nationals. Working
with what he had, Pilates soon found himself tending to the
sick and injured in this camp, and again rose above his circumstances
by further developing Contrology and designing its signature
equipment from such objects as hospital beds, unused springs,
and other apparatus. His efforts resulted in faster healing
times for the injured, and before long, his regimen was required
for all of those in the camp. Pilate's reputation continued
to grow after the war, and he soon became a legend in Europe
among athletes and performers.
Pilates then chose to bring his methods to America and opened
his first studio on the West Side of New York City in 1926.
Almost immediately, he attracted the attention of many of
the cities performers including the founders of what is now
Modern Dance, Martha Graham and George Balanchine. During
this period, young Romana Kryzanowska was introduced to Pilates
and after mastering Contrology, she was chosen to be Pilate's
successor. After Pilate's death in 1960, Contrology became
known as Pilates, and Romana became the focus of this method,
personally training those that would become authentic Pilates
instructors.
Today, Authentic Pilates instructors may be found in many
cities, and believe me, they still answer to Romana! Authentic
Pilates instructors have banded together to form a guild that
ensures that their tradition of excellence is never compromised,
and they will only endorse those who have undergone the intense
training required to be certified as an "Authentic Pilates
Instructor".
Classes are most often taken one on one with an instructor
as a private lesson, but are also offered as a mat class for
multiple students. The private sessions focus on the use of
the equipment and the student's ability to utilize their "Powerhouse,"
or the abdominal, lower back, and buttock muscle groups. Once
your powerhouse is firm and toned, the rest of the body can
be moved freely allowing for a better workout that will result
in the lengthening and strengthening of the body.
The "body and mind" philosophy of Pilates reminds
us of similar lifestyle oriented activities such as yoga,
and many people discover one through the practice of the other.
Pilates is focused on the transformation of the body, and
this is perhaps the most alluring quality to those who start
the program.
Author
Joan Hamilton is the Director of The Pilates Studio in Atlanta,
GA. She has been a student of Pilates for over 3 years. Coauthor
Deidra Simon is the Pilates Director at Bikram Hot Yoga in
Atlanta, GA and has been a certified instructor for 5 years.
You can contact her at 404-255-9642.
Here are two exercises to try at
home:
The Hundred- Start lying flat on your back with your
hands at your sides, palms down. Bring your knees in, then
extend legs to the ceiling, the heels are together and toes
are apart (feet are in a small v called Pilates stance). Keeping
your powerhouse (the abdominal, lower back, and buttock muscle
groups) pulled in and lower back on the floor, lift the head
up bringing your chin to your chest. Lift arms up and start
pumping them 4-6 inches up and down. As you do this inhale
for 5 counts then exhale 5 counts. Repeat nine more times
and you have the hundred.
Single Leg Stretch - Lie on your back and bring your
right knee in to your chest, lift the left leg up to the ceiling.
Take your right hand and hold the right ankle, the left hand
holds the knee. Pull your powerhouse in and lift the head
up. Switch legs and remember the outside hand always holds
the ankle while the inside arm holds the knee. Repeat 5-10
sets.
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