Pilates was originally designed by a man for men who were rehabilitating/interned in WW1 on the Isle of Man. The person in question was Joseph Pilates. His background was in martial arts, yoga, boxing, gymnastics and swimming. Having suffered through his childhood from Asthma, Rickets and Rheumatic Fever, physical exercise helped him strengthen and recondition his body. Using his experience of physical exercise, he developed a series of exercises, which we know today as Pilates.
Pilates is a movement discipline that gives you a full body workout with emphasis on alignment, breath, core, coordination, stamina, relaxation, concentration, and flowing movements. These principles help you to improve your posture and combat the stress and tension your body is put under. Whether that is simply working at a desk for hours every day or lifting weights in the gym.
It strengthens your core, which helps to protect your back and creates a feeling of inner resilience to withstand your day’s activities. But essentially, it is a low-load form of exercise which utilises all muscles in the body and is targeted to help you stand upright and not hunched, create better balance between strength and flexibility, move better and function better in your daily activities, prevent injuries and rehab any injuries you are carrying, and conditions your body making you more bulletproof.
We like to see it as the Ultimate Body MOT or the Ultimate Functional Method you can access at home and all you need is your body and a mat.
