In the early 1900’s Joseph Pilates developed a form of exercise he called contrology. It was based on yoga movements and aerobic exercise. His purpose was to use your mind to control your muscles. It focused on the body’s core muscles, like abdominals, that supported the spine and controlled posture.

The method of exercise was originally proposed by Joseph to help rehabilitate World War 1 veterans by strengthening core muscles and improving mental and physical health. The Pilates Principles are an expanded set of exercises that focus on the entire body. This is supposed to create a linking of the mind and body to create grace and balance. Millions of people around the world practice this form of exercise today.

One of the key principles of pilates is breathing. It is important to take full breathes and exhale fully while doing the exercises. This helps make sure there is plenty of oxygen in the blood and eases tension. Each exercise has a specific and important breathing pattern that should be followed to get best results.

A few more key principles of pilates are control, concentration, and precision. These are all related. By concentrating on the specific, controlled movements and breathing patterns, you move through precise movements that help create balance, strength, and flexibility. This will carry over into every day life giving you grace and elegance even when you are not thinking about the movements you are doing.

Pilates was originally designed to be done on a pilates machine. This machine is basically a frame with a sliding platform on it. There are pulleys and straps or ropes with handles that are used to move the carriage. Springs and body weight provide the resistance while doing exercises while kneeling, sitting, or laying on the sliding platform.

Today there are several adaptations of pilates that do not require a reformer. One is a smaller, more portable machine referred to as Guthy Renker Pilates. This is a nice machine that gives you a good workout. It can then be easily stored in a closet or under a bed. Another popular adaptation is to do the exercises on the floor. This allows you to do pilates almost anywhere. Both of these methods are becoming very popular and many people that do pilates have never even used a traditional reformer.

Whichever method you prefer, you can get a great core workout which will strengthen your body, improve flexibility, and give you more balance in your live and movements.

For the record, the author is not a doctor, has never played one on TV, and didn’t even sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night. This information is based solely on personal research and/or experiences. It is to be used for informational purposes only and not meant to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease. You should consult a doctor for any diagnoses or treatments you need.