Need some help?

Joseph Pilates

the man behind it all

Joseph Pilates - a bit of history

Joseph Pilates was born in Dusseldorf in 1880 and despite having health dificulties as a child, he was determined to overcome his fragility and develop a strong healthy body, Joseph Pilates studied body building, diving, skiing and gymnastics. Drawing from this athletic training, he devised a series of exercises that enabled him not only to improve his health, but to develop a body that was strong and fit enough to pose for anatomical charts.

Pilates moved to England and began training detectives at Scotland Yard. However, when the war broke out, because of his nationality, he was interned in Lancashire and then on the Isle of Man. Pilates spent the duration of the war helping out in the camp infirmary and further developing his techniques. He devised makeshift exercise aids by attaching bedsprings in various positions so that patients recovering from injuries could exercise safely. Modern versions of this equipment can be found in Pilates studios today and are known as reformers.

In the late 1920's Joseph Pilates emigrated to the United States where he opened an exercise studio that became popular with dancers, actors, gymnasts and athletes. By the 1960's his clients included famous names such as George Balanchine, The New York City Ballet and Martha Graham's Modern Dance Company.

Pilates techniques today are still firmly rooted in Joseph Pilates' original teachings. With the advances of exercise science have enabled teachers to adapt the technique into a safe effective form of exercise, that can be practiced by almost everyone.

What is Pilates - Pilates works on the whole body

Essentially Pilates is all about “good movement”- a method of exercise and physical conditioning which works on stretching, strengthening and rebalancing the body. Pilates works on the whole body, but in particular the deep “core muscles” which are important not only for posture but also overall health and well being, building strength from the inside out. Regular practice can reap many benefits;

• Increased strength and flexibility

• Improved posture, core strength and balance

• Greater bone density and joint health

• Improved circulation and immffune system

• Decreased stress levels
  

Many people also report that their increased sense of taking back “control” of their body has had a positive mental and emotional impact on their lives.

You will see results from your Pilates classes very quickly as you learn to incorporate what you have learned in your Pilates sessions into your daily life – you will become much more conscious of how you stand and walk, how you sit at a desk or computer or drive a car and even at the gym or playing your favourite sport.

The Body Control Pilates Association - you know you’re is safe hands

The Body Control Pilates association is widely seen as a benchmark for safe and effective teaching of the highest quality with small class sizes ensuring close supervision and support from your teacher. It is Europe’s foremost professional Pilates organisation and is widely recommended by the medical profession for rehabilitation and prevention of injuries and as one of the safest and most effective forms of exercise available. Many of the original classical exercises developed by Joseph Pilates are unsuitable for the average person and the average body. In order for someone to gain the full benefits of Pilates whilst still working safely and effectively, Body Control Pilates has broken the more difficult exercises down so that they can be taught as “building blocks”, encouraging in the first place good movement skills taught safely, before progression. These “building block” exercises have been developed for both mat and machine work.

Who can do Pilates - anyone can do Pilates

Anyone who is interested in improving how they look, feel and move. Our students range in age from 13 to 77 and vary from those who spend too much time sitting to those who don’t sit down enough! We work with stressed out executives with bad necks, office workers and drivers with bad backs, and busy Mums. We work with athletes, people with acute injuries and chronic pain, expectant mothers and High School sports teams.