Achieve tone, balance, strength and flexibility doing pilates!

Pilates, developed by Joseph H. Pilates in the early 1900's, is a conditioning system that not only helps to stretch but strengthen the body!

Pilates was once a discipline common only unto dancers, but in the last ten years it has truly become popular in the mainstream fitness world. It has been proven to tone muscles, give flexibility and balance, aid in good posture, and give the body an overall long, lean, streamlined shape.

Pilates has been also called, "The Art of Contrology". One of the basic principles of Pilates is how to control the muscles of the body. This is done by using the principle referred to as imagination, where the exerciser envisions himself doing one of the exercise moves, then slowly (while still focusing on the vision of themselves performing the task correctly) begins to do it.

Through a series of smooth controlled moves, the exerciser learns how to master their muscles while simultaneously toning them by continually keeping them in motion.

The Eight Principles of Pilates

Concentration
The first step to being successful in Pilates is learning how to concentrate. Do not expect to run through your grocery list while practicing this floor work. Concentration is a primary element in learning how control your muscles, but also in learning how to control your mind. Commit to focusing on your body and what you want it to do! This is principle one.

Control
Pilates is the one place where it may be good to be a bit of a control freak! It is better to only go through a series of moves once, and do them right, than to do them a number of times, but sloppily. In order to achieve good results from Pilates, you must concentrate on moving each muscle correctly, but in a controlled fashion. For example, when doing the move called 'The Roll Up', one must lay flat on the floor with their arms pressed back over their head, their stomach pulled in through the navel and the spine pressed flat to the surface. The objective of the move is to slowly roll the body up and straight over, until it looks like a flattened letter C, but one can't simply just jerk themselves upward! No, that wouldn't be exercising control over each muscle involved in the exercise. The body must move slowly, while keeping the stomach pulled in and the back flat. The arms peel off the floor first, allowing the body to naturally follow. When doing any Pilates move always remember that control is the key. This is principle two.

Center
Most people call the center of the body the stomach, but Pilates calls it 'The Powerhouse', and it includes more muscles then just the abdomen. The powerhouse includes the abdomen, lower back, hips and behind. These body parts all help to support us when we do our daily tasks, and they are our energy source in every move in the Pilates body system. The energy needed to perform each move comes from within the powerhouse. This is principle three.

Fluidity
Principle four is fluidity and this refers to how your movements are meant to be performed-fluid and smooth. Think about making graceful motions with your body, and in time as you become more comfortable with each move, you will be able to perform them fast. Eventually this will lead you to move from one position into the next with little to no stopping.

Precision
Every move in Pilates serves a function and it is imperative that you perform them correctly! For each exercise, concentrate on performing it well.

Breathe
Pilates believed that the bloodstream could be cleansed through oxygenation. By breathing inward and exhaling out to your fullest capacity, stale air, and injurious gases from the lungs could be removed. When performing each move in Pilates, do not forget to breathe correctly.

Imagination
If the man can dream it, he can achieve it! This statement couldn't be truer when performing Pilates. As you perform each exercise, envision your body becoming longer, leaner and limber. Your body will follow suit. The 7th principle of imagination is nothing new. More than likely you have heard it before, but perhaps by another name. This is a principle all about the power of positive thinking. If you want to be successful in anything, you must begin to see yourself being successful. When you come upon a particularly difficult move, do not tell yourself that you cannot do it! Instead, imagine yourself performing the task with confidence and grace; imagine what the move may feel like once you have mastered it. And above all else, be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day, and no one mastered Pilates overnight. Stay positive and focused, and keep your eye on the prize.

Intuition
Intuition should be a principle in any type of exercise, and all parts of life! You must learn to listen to your inner voice and your body. If you feel pain, don't ignore it. Stop what you are doing! The biggest part of Pilates is connecting the mind and body; it is up to you to learn when your body can be pushed a little further and when it needs a break.

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