Pilates method
The basic principles
“It doesn’t matter how many times you do an exercise but how you do it,” Joseph Pilates taught his students. That’s why in our center we don’t see “series” or “repetitions” as the teacher’s goal. What matters to him is to ensure that the student, through the Pilates method, acquires awareness of their body, mind and achieves a healthy psychophysical balance.
At the beginning of the practice, the students are busy performing the exercises by applying force. When they are able to do this and make progress in their training they will learn how direct this force to the ‘Power House’. Constituting the strength of the center of gravity through the correct way of breathing which will help the effort. Gradually, concentration and control will increase and the movements will acquire greater fluidity and precision.
These six elements constitute the basic principles of the Pilates method, capable of merging the best aspects of the western physical disciplines with those of the eastern spiritual disciplines in single teaching with the aim of both improving posture and toning the muscles, as well as achieving a more balanced body perception and relax the mind.
Lifestyle
Sitting still for hours at the office or in the car, leaning in front of the computer or on a cell phone, tense or bent by the weight of stress: there are so many bad postures that our daily modern life today impose on us, at any age. So we find ourselves, almost unconsciously, making movements only on one side; ending up with tension in the back or neck; blocking the diaphragm and breath.
The Pilates Method helps to correct the above, re-educating the way you breathe, learning to listen more carefully to your body. The calorie burn is less noticeable at first when compared to activities such as aerobics, however, it’s certainly more effective over time.
Those who practice Pilates frequently will perceive a profound change in their lifestyle: they will have more fluid and harmonious movements, they will learn to correct the wrong postures and they will have a more positive perception of themselves.
Can you still practice other sports and fitness methods? Certainly. The Pilates method does not exclude other physical activities, on the contrary. For many of them, such as swimming, cycling, walking or running, it is a complementary technique and, for some, it even has a preliminary efficacy.
A technique for many students
The Pilates method, with particular regard to the control of balance, breath, harmony of movement, is an extremely versatile technique.
Pilates is used primarily to maintain one’s physical well-being and have a healthier lifestyle, but also when you have special needs.
The Pilates Method is commonly used by pregnant women to prepare their body and mind for childbirth as well as for new mothers who wish to quickly regain a good physical shape and recover the abdominal muscles.
Even teenagers can take advantage of Pilates to prevent or correct postural vices, as well as older people who want to regain body elasticity and mind youth.
Sportsmen, athletes, and dancers – can follow specific programs both as a complement to their athletic training as well as to rebalance posture or re-educate it following traumatic events.
