What is Pilates?
Pilates is a system of exercises and movement designed to help you get the most out of your body. Developed by Joseph Pilates from yoga and other disciplines it focuses on balance, flexibility, and strength.
Pilates is suitable for just about everyone from beginner to professional athletes and dancers. The exercises whether mat based (no equipment required) or in an equipped studio are tailored for varying levels of fitness and ability. It is used by people recovering from injury or surgery (hip, knee or in my case ankle!) as well as anyone looking to move and feel better.
Click on these links for comments by the NHS and the Mayo Clinic on Pilates and its benefits.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/pilates-for-beginners/art-20047673
“Physical fitness can neither be achieved by wishful thinking nor outright purchase”
Joseph Pilates
Why Pilates?
Doing Pilates correctly requires concentration, but…it delivers. It will improve your:
- Posture
- Muscle Tone
- Flexibility
- Balance
- Movement
And is as at least effective as other methods for relieving and managing joint and back pain. Pilates will help you become more aware of your body and how you move. That is important.
Pilates can also help with specific sports like golf, tennis or running. Or, as practiced by the All Blacks and many other professional athletes, top level sport.
As Joe Pilates put it:
“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.”
So, let’s be as happy and fit as we can be!