What is Pilates?

‘What is Pilates? Oh that’s a good old stretch and some deep breathing, no?’

Or.

‘Pilates? Kind of like yoga…but not quite so hip?’

Controversially*, as a Pilates instructor, I would have to say that both these answers are in part right. But very far from a full or useful definition.

Pilates was designed by a chap who was a boxer, gymnast, and circus performer. This invariably surprises people. Which is a good place to start, as many mistakenly imagine that Pilates is a low-level form of exercise.

Low impact, yes. There is not much leaping around. And it can be a slow build if you choose, as each exercise has a range of levels. But even the most basic versions of the movements require so much thought and precision that it’s hardly a breeze. And in the most advanced levels of each exercise, you can challenge yourself still further, with modifications to meet your specific goals.

In nutshell, Pilates is a mind-body form of exercise, focused on building core strength and re-training good, balanced and functional movements from this strong centre. You can think of Pilates as an education in how you move, so whether you want to up your game in a specific sport, or improve your posture, or to make the first move from the Couch to 5K, applying what you learn in Pilates will help you move better, with more efficiency and precision.

Another common misconception is that Pilates is just for the gals. Wrongo. Pilates was designed by a man, and absolutely is for men. Chaps championing Pilates these days include: David Beckham, Amir Khan, Daniel Craig, the England Cricket team.

But let’s go to the man who thought the whole thing up: all round athletic-type and super interesting bloke — Joseph Pilates.

(*Confession: in my book, Pilates exercises look nowhere near as cool as yoga. They just don’t. Even the teaser, the apex of Pilates’ brilliance, is aesthetically not a patch on a bog standard warrior. However. The man who came up with Pilates was a total legend, and just about as hip as it gets. So read on!)


who invented Pilates?

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. He had a rough old time of it growing up — fighting various illnesses including rickets, asthma and rheumatic fever. He embarked on a mission to re-build his health, with disciplines including yoga, zen meditation and the rigorous exercise regimes of the ancient Greeks and Romans.

In short, it worked. And by his teens Joe was a diving, skiing and gymnastics ace. He moved to England in 1912 where he worked as a boxer and circus performer. That’s right, a circus performer.

Joe lived through an interesting moment in history, including both world wars. During the first he was interned as a prisoner of war (PoW) on the Isle of Man. There he worked as an orderly at the camp infirmary, and at the same time designed a gentle exercise regime to assist those recovering from injury and illness. He observed, as with his childhood illnesses, that those who exercised healed better and faster.

To aid the success and speed of their restoration to health, Joe made specialist resistance training equipment for his fellow PoWs, from bits of the infirmary beds, springs and the like. The spring-loaded equipment enabled patients to rehabilitate steadily, progressively loading muscles, ligaments and tendons. Hence (so it is said) the Pilates reformer came to be.

During the second world war, the German army tried to recruit Pilates to train troops. So Joe made a swift exit, and moved to America.

He eventually opened a studio in New York, where he developed his training regime into a series of 34 exercises for strength, mobility and deep stretching. This is now referred to as the classical Pilates repertoire. But back in the day, Joe called his theory of movement Controlology. His students went on teach others. They went on to teach a bunch more. And so the word, and the system spread.

Joe was a colourful man. He loved to exercise in his smalls and in the fresh air. And he encouraged others to do the same.

Taken all in all, Joe’s story has the makings of a first-rate blockbuster movie.


pilates mat vs pilates reformer

Pilates matwork in its simplest form, requires just a mat and enough space to swing a cat. Or to lie on the floor full length, arms overhead. It is the original WFH workout. The main goal is to maintain a central core of stability across the lumbo-pelvic region, while working through a progressively challenging range of movements.

Using bodyweight and gravity Pilates mat exercises build core strength — and this strength radiates out. The challenge is increased with repetitive movements, increasing in intensity. Small bits of kit including stretchy bands, light weights, soft balls, can all be used to add resistance.

Machine-based Pilates, commonly referred to as ‘reformer’, begins from the same principles as matwork, but it takes these exercises onto spring-loaded equipment. There are a bunch of Pilates ‘machines’, but the reformer is the best known. Others include the cadillac table and wunda chair. Pilates reformer classes are most often studio-based.

Both forms of Pilates draw on eight foundational principles that make for an endlessly challenging form of mind-body exercise. More about this below.


why is pilates good for you?

In short:

In long:

8 foundational principles of pilates

Concentration: Pilates requires absolute focus. With each movement it can feel like there are at least 12 things to consider, to maintain good form and postural alignment. Whatever level you are working at, Pilates is a great physical and mental challenge. Absolute concentration for an hour at a stretch, is one of the reasons Pilates can be so calming for the mind. Add to that a tough physical work out, and post-Pilates is the optimal time to relax.

Breathing: We all do it, all the time. But breathing well is in fact a tricky skill to master. In Pilates we connect movement to breath, to promote focus, precision and to fire oxygen all around the body to hard-working muscles. Get it right, and your breathing will calm the mind and body, helping ease tense muscles.

Centring: Also known as neutral spine, plus engaging the core. All Pilates begins with establishing the natural or neutral position for the lower spine (generally a comfy gentle curve), plus focus and engagement of the core of centring muscles — the deep abdominals or transversus abdominus, and the pelvic floor. Working in tandem these two powerful sets of muscles support and stabilise the lower back and pelvis. Joseph Pilates called these muscles the ‘powerhouse’.

Control: Each Pilates exercise is executed with considered muscular control. And even those parts of the body that are not moving must be maintained in alignment throughout. Learn good muscular control across a range of Pilates exercises, and you will be well on your way to efficient movement in every day life.

Precision: Performing movements with accuracy ensures optimal benefit. Focus and routine will lead to precision.

Flow: Good moves are a joy to behold! Flow comes with experience, focus and good breathing. One movement effortlessly leads to the next. To achieve flow, focus, precision, and routine are your friends.

Integrated isolation: Working from a strong centre, additional isolated movements are introduced in Pilates exercises, challenging core strength while building good movement patterns through the rest of the body. The result is that everyday functional positions and movements — sitting at a desk, walking with heavy shopping bags, galloping up hills — are well supported with strong core muscles that automatically engage as needed.

Routine: Practice makes perfect. Or more accurately for most of us: practice makes better. This is true of many of life’s most rewarding endeavours. Pilates is no different.

lark pilates

So that’s a bunch of the technical stuff covered. And now here are some of the things that I personally love about Pilates:

  • It’s super modifiable. Which means Pilates can be tailored for all.

  • It’s foundational. For me, Pilates exercises build the strong base from which I can get adventuring in the great outdoors. I know my weaknesses, and I can target my Pilates practice to rebuild balance.

  • It’s fun. I like exercise. It’s important.
    But I dislike super serious exercise, intimidating amounts of spandex, and unfriendly classes. All these sorts of things put me right off.
    Cleverly, I thought I’d make Lark Pilates classes the sort I would like to go to. And so at Lark you will not find terrible amounts of seriousness, or competition. Probably some good laughs, a bit of a witter, and a good wodge of concentration and hard work too. For most of us, a happy and relaxed atmosphere is far more conducive to a good workout, than a tense or unfriendly vibe. That’s the theory anyway.

  • Pilates matwork is 100 per cent portable. You don’t need much space or any fancy gear, which thankfully makes online Pilates classes a total winner.

  • I teach the APPI (Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute) version of Pilates which takes Joe Pilates’ original 34 exercises and updates them with the latest research in physiotherapy. Which is ace, and one of the reasons why APPI Pilates is used in the NHS for rehab, and in elite sport too.
    APPI Pilates practitioners have a rigorous commitment to continuing professional development, and have access to a significant range of specialised training courses to cheer them along this road. So far I have added ante and post-natal Pilates, shoulder rehabilitation and Pilates for osteoporosis to my portfolio. Great stuff!

  • In Pilates we connect each movement to the breath. This helps us perform each exercise with precision and control. It also helps us relax. So throughout each session there is focussed work as well as focussed relaxation — of mind and body. Lovely.

If you like the sound of Lark, why not give the online Pilates classes a whirl and see what you think.
Or, if you would like to read some more words, find out how you might benefit from Pilates right now.

Johanna DollersonComment