“Contrology is complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.”
-Joseph Pilates
The majority of my clients are brand new to Pilates and are usually starting out on their journey because their doctor, Physical Therapist, trainer or massage therapist recommended it for a specific injury or as part of their rehab process. It’s not uncommon for newbies to ask “What exactly is Pilates?” or “So what are we doing here?” It’s also pretty common for new folks to say “I didn’t know Pilates was hard” or “I don’t feel like we’re doing anything at all. I’m not sweaty, I don’t get sore. But I feel good afterwards.”.
It’s not just newbies who have a hard time defining Pilates. Many long time Pilates practitioners and even instructors will struggle to explain Pilates to others. Today, we’ll take a quick deep dive into what the heck Pilates is.
Who, Not What
Originally called Contrology, Pilates is a full body, low-impact exercise method developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century.
Legend has it that Pilates was a sickly child who studied and rigorously practiced varied exercise methods in an attempt to heal himself. As a young man, Pilates, who was born in Germany, was a boxer, gymnast, circus performer, martial artist and body builder, who refined his exercise methods while interned on the Isle of Man during WW1. After leaving England and returning to Germany, he continued to study movement, including yoga and studying animals at the zoo in his inspiration. When the German government invited Pilates to train their soldiers, he decided to emigrate to the United States. On the boat over, he met his wife, Clara. In 1926, they opened up their Contrology studio in New York City where they spent the rest of their lives teaching and refining Contrology.
While Pilates originally refined his method for men, being in direct proximity to the New York City Ballet meant that Contrology spread quickly through the ballet community, with Pilates frequently being credited for extending many dance careers.
Ever the German inventor, Pilates designed and patented 26 pieces of exercise equipment throughout his life, incorporating the Reformer, Cadillac, Ped-o-Pull, Wunda Chair, Spine Corrector and other gadgets and gizmos into his exercise method which includes over 600 different exercises. Along with inventing and teaching, Pilates also wrote two books: “Return to Life” and “Your Health: A Corrective System of Exercising that Revolutionizes the Entire Field of Physical Education”.
When he died in 1967 at the age of 83, his life’s work limped along the fringes of the fitness world, with just nine of his students taking his teachings out into the world. It wasn’t until the 80’s/90’s that Contrology was re-christened as Pilates and the Pilates exercises became more mainstream as they slowly began to attract high profile clients like super models and actresses.
Classical Pilates vs Contemporary Pilates
As so often happens, each of Joe’s students, now referred to as the Pilates Elders, took their understanding of Joe’s work and developed their own styles and techniques. Those styles quickly fell under two umbrellas, Classical Pilates and Contemporary Pilates.
The Classical folks define their work as maintaining the integrity of the system Joe created without modern adaptations. These sessions stay true to the exercises, sequencing, and principles he designed.
The Contemporary folks brought a broader lens to the work and while it incorporates the core principles of Pilates, a contemporary session may include updated techniques, modifications, variations, physical therapy practices and offers more flexibility in how the exercises are taught and performed. Contemporary sessions may also include other non-Pilates modalities during the session.
So what exactly, is Pilates?
At it’s most basic, Pilates is a low-impact, full-body workout that focuses on strength, flexibility, balance, coordination and alignment. Pilates sessions may utilize body weight, the diverse collection of Pilates equipment, a fun collection of props or a combo of all three.
The 6 Principles of a Pilates Practice
Joseph Pilates believed that true health incorporated mind, body and spirit and was a product of the functional union of the three. His Contrology method was designed to “reinvigorate” the practitioner by emphasizing precise, controlled movements that lead to better overall mechanics. Every Pilates session will focus on the “6 Pilates Principles”: Concentration, Control, Centering, Flow, Precision and Breath.
Pilates movements are often initiated from “the core” or the “powerhouse” as it’s frequently called in Pilates. A Pilates core includes the abdominals, low back, hips, and glutes. Each movement is deliberate and executed with purpose, with the intention of stabilizing through the core and avoiding the use of momentum or uncontrolled movement to complete an exercise.
By design, the Pilates exercises are meant to be fluid, graceful and precise. The flow works to promote efficient movement patterns, enhance coordination, and allow exercises to build on one another. The focus on precision ensures correct alignment and engagement of the muscles.
New practitioners, especially runners or weight lifters, may feel like they don’t “feel the burn” during a Pilates session. That’s because Pilates focuses on quality over quantity. This helps prevent overuse of dominant muscles and builds balanced strength across the entire body. Breath, the final principle is integral to a Pilates practice. Proper deep breathing aids in concentration and control, while also promoting proper functional use of the expiration system.
Why Do So Many Doctors Recommend Pilates?
Doctors and PTs often recommend Pilates as part of a treatment plan because it is a low-impact, full-body workout that focuses on strength, flexibility, and alignment.
Pilates is unique it its ability to strengthen the deep core muscles (abdomen, back, and hips) without putting excessive strain on the joints.
Some common reasons doctors refer patients to Pilates include:
- Chronic Pain: Pilates can help alleviate chronic pain, especially in the back, hips, feet, neck, and shoulders by improving posture, improving functional range of motion and strengthening muscles in efficient patterns.
- Pre-Surgery or Injury Recovery: New research has shown much better surgery outcomes if the patient has strengthened the body prior to the surgery. Pilates can help prepare clients for surgery by safely improving mobility and strength, often without aggravating the affected area. For this same reason, Pilates is a great injury recovery tool.
- Poor Posture & Core Strength: Poor posture and low core strength may be contributing factors to chronic pain and discomfort. Pilates helps correct alignment and teaches efficient, functional movement while also strengthening the deep core muscles.
- Flexibility & Mobility: Pilates exercises frequently focus on the functionality of movement, with an emphasis on recovering or using the full functional range of motion available in each joint.
No matter your age, ability, fitness level, or medical history, Pilates can be adapted to meet your needs. The versatility of the Pilates method is one of the reasons why I love Pilates and it’s also why it’s so highly and frequently recommended by medical professionals. A good Pilates practice meets you where you’re at and helps you gradually improve, whether you’re looking to get stronger, move better or relieve pain.
As always, I love hearing from you and can’t wait to talk Pilates (the man and the method) with you. Shoot me an email or bring it up in your next session. Have a great day!
-Rubecca
p.s. The book “Caged Lion” was a great read all about Joseph Pilates and the founding of Contrology. Highly recommend if you’d like to learn more about Joe and how Pilates came to be.