“If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old; if it is completely flexible at 60, you are young" - Joseph Pilates
WHY PILATES?
Practised and praised by people of all ages and from all walks of life, Pilates is suitable for anyone from the super-fit to someone simply wishing to de-stress and to improve their basic health and fitness. It is successfully used to assist recovery from injuries, and to support the body in a wide variety of health conditions. The original challenging exercises can be broken down and adapted to suit any level of ability, safely building strength and flexibility to allow you to progress towards the more demanding repertoire.
Pilates helps create a well-balanced body with strong but slim muscles and a full range of joint movement. It improves breathing, stamina and overall awareness of the body, its posture and movement. The exercises encourage body fluids to circulate more freely, cleansing and hydrating the tissues. Endorphins are released, with a relaxing and vitalising effect on your overall well being. The mind focuses totally on what your body is doing, which helps reduce stress and ‘brain chatter’, enabling you to meet life’s challenges refreshed and renewed.
The low impact nature of Pilates makes it ideal for safely building and maintaining bone mass, and for assisting with ante- and postnatal fitness.
So, whatever your age, gender, body type or fitness level – Pilates could be for you!
"Everyone is the architect of their own happiness" - Joseph pilates
PILATES ... A BRIEF HISTORY
Born in Germany in the 1880s, Joseph Pilates suffered from a number of serious childhood illnesses including asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. The physically frail child, however, had great determination and through various health and fitness approaches – yoga, martial arts, gymnastics, skiing, dance, circus skills, weight training – rebuilt his body strength, becoming a teacher and an inspiration for others. Later on, when developing his teaching system, he incorporated the most effective aspects of these disciplines and called his method Contrology.
In 1926 he emigrated to the USA and set up a studio in New York. His first clients were mainly actors, dancers and athletes, but – a visionary ahead of his time - he saw the detrimental physical and mental effects of modern urban life and was passionate about everyone taking responsibility for their well-being, creating a sound mind and a strong body through physical conditioning.
Today Pilates is taught and practised the world over. Some teachers adhere strictly to the classical form, while many have adapted the method to make it accessible and safe for the average person, irrespective of age, profession or fitness level. These days Pilates is often used to complement the work of physiotherapists and osteopaths. Its enduring popularity is testament to the fact that it simply works!
BODY CONTROL PILATES®
Body Control Pilates®, founded by Lynne Robinson in 1995, is renowned as a world-leading education provider for Pilates teaching.
Their comprehensive programme of exercises is adapted from the ‘classical’ repertoire developed by Joseph Pilates. Many of the original exercises may not suit the average person, and in order for someone to work safely and effectively to gain the full benefits of Pilates, the classical exercises are broken down to establish good movement skills, building the best possible foundation upon which to progress towards the more advanced work.
Body Control Pilates® is remarkably effective – and medically approved. By working on the deep architectural structure of the body, ‘core stability’ is achieved and maintained through increasingly complex movement sequences. Your body awareness is heightened by bringing together mind and body – Body Control Pilates® literally teaches you to be in control of your body, allowing you to handle stress more effectively and achieve relaxation more easily.
To read more about Body Control Pilates® visit www.bodycontrolpilates.com