Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates, in the early 20th century, and it quickly took off as a fitness craze across the USA and UK. The exercises carried out are designed to strengthen the body through core strength, body alignment and stretching.
Pilates has six main principles:
Concentration
Control
Centring
Flow or efficiency of movement
Precision
Breathing
You’ll need to master all of these in order to be good at Pilates, but my classes work at a slow pace, allowing you to get there in your own time with plenty of modifications and progressions on your journey!
Breathing is particularly important in Pilates – thoracic breathing, helps to engage and tone your deep abdominal muscles and this is always a focus at the start of each class.
Pilates is a very precise and controlled form of exercise, so it’s better to work slowly, concentrating on getting each movement correct, rather than rushing through a workout.
Benefits include:
Increased flexibility, improved balance, toning, low impact exercises, it boosts your energy levels, improves your posture and leaves you feeling energised and refreshed after each session.
