Not long before he died, in 1967, Joseph Pilates predicted that one day everyone in the world would’ve heard of his method of exercise.
‘In ten sessions you feel the difference, in 20 you’ll see the difference, in 30 you’ll have a whole new body.’ Joseph Pilates, return to life through Contrology.
In order to practice Pilates effectively, you need to grasp the basic philosophy behind the method. Joseph Pilates told that one of the main results of his method is gaining complete control of your body. He drew inspiration from martial arts – slow, controlled, loving movements performed with open awareness.
There are principles to teaching the practice of Pilates;
- Concentration
- Relaxation
- Alignment
- Breathing
- Centring
- Coordination
- Flowing movements
- Stamina
many Pilates exercises promote healthy joint function in and around the major joints of the body.
Improvements made in one area of the body will affect the rest of the body, sometimes subtly, at other times quite dramatically.
Good joint alignment is one of our key principles and helps to reduce wearing tear on joints, keeping joints mobile and strengthening the muscles that support and move them, Will also help to keep them healthy. Pilates exercises are performed with awareness and control, they are very safe for people already suffering from such conditions.
At New Bank Physiotherapy we offer;
Pilates for beginners
Pilates mat workout that is suitable to anyone new to Pilates, or for those wishing to review good movement skills before continuing with a more advanced workout.
Intermediate Pilates
In this section, we have introduced some new exercises to challenge you further, once you have mastered the beginner’s exercises. This selection includes many classical Pilates exercises that go to make up the advanced mat workout sequence. Admittedly some of these exercises are quite challenging and very difficult so please take your time and look back to the fundamentals of the beginner’s Pilates exercises.
Advanced Pilates
Here I have included the final and most challenging of the Pilates mat workout exercises. We will only be moving onto these exercises once you have been able to achieve the intermediate exercises. It may take years of practice and understanding to master these exercises, so approach it as a progressive journey and enjoy the process.
Antenatal Pilates
For pregnant women, your exercise needs will change month by month and these will need to be adapted accordingly.
There are many benefits to exercise during your pregnancy;
- It teaches your body awareness.
- It prevents strain on joints and maintains good posture.
- It can teach relaxation and breathing skills, which can be invaluable throughout the pregnancy and also during the birth itself.
Pilates may prevent pelvic girdle pain.
Post Natal Pilates
It takes the body at least nine months to recover following a pregnancy, therefore it may be of benefit to complete Pilates following pregnancy;
- To strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
- To work on your pelvic and lumbar stability.
- To strengthen your deep abdominals progressively to help correct the separation of the abdominals.
- To help improve your upper body movement and posture to counter the effects of breast or bottle feeding and infant care.
- To help you relax.
Menopause and postmenopausal Pilates
There is no greater preparation for later life the regular Pilates practice. your joints and bones will be healthy, your spine flexible and strong. Middle-age spread is not inevitable; it may not be quite so easy to keep your body toned, but if you can do three hours of Pilates every week, the results will be clearly evident.
Pilates techniques to adopt from your home or when you are at the gym
At New Bank Physiotherapy, a physiotherapist will go through the Pilates principles that can be used within the gym on an exercise machine, at home or during a mat workout.
