About Pilates

Benefits of Pilates

 

Pilates offers a whole-body workout that

challenges your body whatever your background

or level of fitness.  The system, when practiced

regularly, will improve your flexibility and

strengthen and tone your muscles helping to build

a strong healthy back, strong abdominal muscles

and excellent posture.  Pilates focuses on

improving alignment and building strength through long lean muscles, to create an evenly conditioned body.

 

Pilates will:

 

* Improve body tone

* Increase strength

* Improve flexibility

* Heighten body awareness

* Increase sense of wellbeing

 

 

 

 

“Designed to give you suppleness, grace, and skill that will be unmistakably reflected in the way you walk, the way you play, and in the way you work”

  Joseph Pilates

History of Pilates

 

Pilates is named after its inventor, Joseph Hubertus Pilates. 

Born near Dusseldorf in 1880, Pilates was a sickly child who went on to dedicate his life to physical fitness, studying many disciplines, including boxing, yoga, gymnastics and martial arts.

Pilates moved to England in 1912 and earned a living in a variety of jobs, including professional boxer and teaching self-defence to members of the police force at Scotland Yard. 

During World War I, Pilates was interned due to his nationality, and it was during this time that he developed the system of exercise he called Contrology.

 

In 1926 Joseph Pilates moved to America and later established the first ‘Pilates’ studio in New York with his wife Clara.  By the early 1960’s many New York dancers were regulars at Pilates’ studio – they used the Pilates method to both improve their performance and prevent injury

In the 1970s, Hollywood celebrities discovered Pilates via Ron Fletcher's studio in Beverly Hills.  This in turn led to increased media interest in the technique and by the late 80’s the media had begun to cover Pilates extensively.  No longer the exclusive secret of the rich and famous the Pilates technique found favour with the general public and today is practiced by millions worldwide.