The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning (pronounced
Pi-LAH-teez) is a method of physical and mental conditioning that has
been used for over 70 years by performing artists and athletes. It has
quietly survived many trends in the fitness and health industry. Most
recently it has gained enormous exposure due to glamour and health
magazines. Success stories of lost pounds, increased sexual drive, and
buns of steel abound. As primarily young and middle aged women clamor
to find qualified instructors, those not yet privy to The Method are
asking what's all the hype?
Dispel the myths that Pilates is done in the nude, only for dancers,
and that you don't sweat. Pilates is for everybody. And here is why
...
In Pilates, we lengthen the spine and support the length through
the abdominal core called "the powerhouse." We believe that
re-educating the body in how to move from the core prevents injury and
rejuvenates the spine -- and, therefore, the mind/body. As Joseph
Pilates said, "You are only as young as your spine." Whether
you are an extremely flexible ballet dancer, muscle-bound power
lifter, recovering from injury or never exercised in your life, The
Method shapes to fit your needs. It is a particularly effective
conditioning technique for post-rehabilitation, athletic peak
training, as well as pre- and post-natal care. A myriad of issues such
as scoliosis, asthma, sciatica, lymphoma, multiple sclerosis,
irritable bowel syndrome, heart disease, stroke, cancer, osteoporosis,
arthritis, depression, memory lapse, sleep disorders and many more
have been relieved by this profound method.
Joe Pilates, founder of The Method, was born in Germany in1880. He
was a sickly child stricken with asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever.
As a young boy, he dedicated his life to ridding himself of these
ailments. By the time he reached his teens, he was a strong and fit
young man. In fact, he was so proud of his physical healing that he
posed for anatomy charts. Never looking back, he went on to develop
his method of "Contrology." In the process, he found he
could help others heal themselves.
As a nurse in World War I, Joe observed invalid patients dying from
aliments as common as bedsores. He decided to use the hospital
bedsprings in assisting patients who were too weak to move themselves
in strengthening and stretching their bodies. After World War I, Joe
became an elite trainer working with prize boxers, circus performers,
martial artists, horseback riders, dancers, skaters, opera singers and
actors. Joe tailored his method of conditioning to fit the needs of
everybody because every body is different. Joe is thought by many to
have been ahead of his time, pushing the frontier of the physical
therapy profession and to be revolutionary in Western perception of
medicine.
Based on his experience as a nurse and athletic trainer, Joe
designed various pieces of apparatus to assist and expedite the
restructuring of his clients' bodies. Though simple in structure, the
equipment is used for highly specialized movement techniques that need
guided instruction. After taking a private lesson with a qualified
Pilates Instructor, you will be rested and exhilarated. Your body will
feel as though you have received an internal and external massage.
Unfortunately, fully equipped Pilates' studios are a hard find in
rural America. Yet at the core of The Method stands Joe's original
creation: The Mat. This is a series of exercises that one can do on a
simple exercise mat. The newly published book, The Pilates' Method
of Body Conditioning is a great way to begin in learning the basic
exercises and Joe's philosophy.
If you re ready to get started right away, you might try a
wonderful stress release exercise called The Wall. The Wall is a great
break from activities that require you to sit (computer, driving,
etc.). If you find yourself forgetting that you have been sitting for
long periods of time, set an oven timer or wristwatch every forty-five
minutes as a gentle reminder. Try challenging yourself to do The Wall
three times a day.
THE WALL
Stand with your back against a wall. Walk your feet away, leaving
your buttocks on the wall, until your lower back presses against the
wall. Deepen this feeling by actively pulling your stomach muscles
toward your spine. Lengthen your whole spine upward. If your neck is
pulling forward, relax. Lengthen the back of the neck as if it were
dangling on a plumbline from the ceiling. Be careful not to force it
back. It's more important to have your lower back on the wall and
allow your neck to rest slightly forward.
Starting at the top of your spine, bring your chin toward your
chest peeling one vertebra off the wall at a time. Check your
shoulders to make sure they are relaxed. Remember to keep your stomach
muscles pulled in toward your spine throughout. There are seven
vertebrae in your neck, twelve in your upper back and five in your
lower back. Visualize each one moving independently like a string of
pearls. Stop when you reach the sacrum at the base of your spine. You
should feel like a rag doll hanging your ribcage over your pelvis.
In this relaxed position, circle your arms freely one way and then
the other to insure there is no tension in the upper back, shoulders
and neck. By pulling in the stomach muscles, roll up one vertebra at a
time, stacking them on top of one another. To add a little more
stretch, try using light weights (1-3lbs.) in your hands.
For more information, e-mail Ann Turner, Guild Certified
Pilates' Method of Body Conditioning Instructor, at aturner@mosquitonet.com
or call 907-479-2360. Readers can also contact The Pilates' Studio at www.pilates-stdio.com
or call Toll-Free 1-888-278-7227.
