Despite what most of the world thinks, Pilates is not another form of Yoga. While it was partially inspired by Yoga, outside of the fact that both are forms of mindful movement, they don’t have much in common (this of course depends on the style of Yoga that you are referring to).
Pilates is a system of exercise developed by Joseph Pilates in the early part of the 1900’s. This system (which he called Controlology) is marked by 6 principles: Breath, Concentration, Control, Precision, Center, and Flow.
So to even think of calling something Pilates, it would have to exhibit these principles, but it goes beyond this. Joseph Pilates was an inventor first and foremost. So the exercises that he created, adapted, and adopted were performed on apparatus’ that he invented himself, and in a choreography that he also designed very intentionally.
So Pilates being a system instead of a simple modality has largely to do with these inventions that we know as the reformer, Cadillac, chair, barrel, and so on. Most people I have come across have started with mat or reformer. Now I believe that each apparatus has a certain quality and superpower. So then, we get to use the other apparatus’ to fill in the gaps, or to make that clients progressions more dynamic. Sometimes, we use them to reach certain sport specific goals. The goal of a linebacker and a figure skater will be vastly different, and so their use of the Pilates system will be as well.
When I first started teaching I was told that you do not teach the exercises, but the bodies in front of you. I have several clients who I have met through my mat classes, who struggle with these classes due to various injuries and conditions. To continue to hammer in the mat and only the mat, is to teach the exercises, and not the bodies. I truly believe that the mat is the greatest for developing strength (core strength in particular), but is very lacking in the support department. The reformer on the other hand, will help you build strength, but really excels in the support department. So for these clients, I will start them off on the reformer, to give them the support they need, and then thread in the matwork. In this way, these two parts of the Pilates system work together to provide a deeper and more dynamic experience. This is far from a lone example. I can thing of plenty of exercises that people struggle with, so I therefore supplement with other exercises or sequences on the other apparatus’.
So now that I totally geeked out on you, let’s take this high level. What is it about this system that has a broad range of doctors and celebs screaming its praises? It’s in what it does for the body, which actually comes from Joseph Pilates very intention.
In his book Return To Life, Joseph Pilates says that the modern world has presented several challenges to the state of our bodies (I can only imagine what he’d think now in this ultra-tech modern world). In order to restore balance to our bodies, we need to learn to tense and relax our muscles in the right way. This is huge! Muscles need both tension and slack in order for the muscles and body as a whole to perform optimally and keep us out of pain.
As such, every single exercise in Pilates is designed with a strengthening and lengthening component to help restore balance to our bodies. In my opinion this is the number one benefit of Pilates. It balances our bodies. Not just through this lens of strength and length, but also in how are bodies are used. Most Pilates exercises are compound (meaning that it focuses on more than one muscle group or joint), if not full body, exercises. So while many sports and modalities will overtax one or more major muscle groups, Pilates tries to spread it out to even out the load, and allow the whole body to work together. Finally, many sports and modalities have us only moving in one plane of motion (typically front and back), which can easily result in injury, Pilates ensures that we are moving in all planes of movement. So in a single session, you can expect to move front to back, side to side, and rotationally.
Beyond this there is a major focus on core strength, or what we refer to in Pilates as the Powerhouse. With this focus, we strengthen the muscles that when weak are commonly responsible for pain and imbalances.
And finally circling back to it’s similarity with Yoga, it is mindful movement. That is a large focus on the breath, making it a moving meditation for many. But it also facilitates the mind-body connection.
Pilates is safe for most injuries and conditions, and is suitable for all levels. So while dancers typically flock to Pilates, it’s great for all, as it is a functional system of exercise. Pilates also improves balance, muscle endurance, flexibility, posture, and ease of movement. These are things I have seen in myself and in my clients.
Then there are the other claims I’ve heard. People say that Pilates creates long lean muscles, flat abdominals, and detoxes the body. While I can’t get behind any of those, I’m thrilled that people walk out feeling so amazing. Ultimately, Pilates has been life changing for me and many like me!
So what are you waiting for?