By Paola Karroum, a Nationally Certified Pilates Instructor
Pilates is an exercise system designed to strengthen your muscles and to increase your flexibility.
But most importantly, it improves your and overall health.
Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates who was an inventor of fitness equipment, a teacher of physical exercises and an advocate of the importance of maintaining harmony between mind and body– at all times..
The 9 principles of Pilates outline what it means to be physically fit. These foundational principles include exercises for every part of the body and their application to all types of activities. Pilates can be practiced by anyone: women, men, children, adolescents, tri-athletes, pregnant women and seniors.
Pilates is performed on apparatuses such as the Reformer, Cadillac/Trapeze, Chair, Barrels, or on a Mat with mixed props such as a foam roller, ring, resistance bands, and various size balls. Exercises can be performed either in supine (lying on your back), prone (on your belly), sidelying, kneeling, quadrapeg, and or standing. These positions are primal body positions found in common life and are practiced with attention and emphasis regarding proper alignment.
By developing proper technique you will recalibrate your mind and body, so that you will move with ease and enjoy more efficient, graceful movement patterns in your daily life. It is, by the way, important to note that such recalibration is also valuable for someone recovering from an injury and for athletes who are looking to get better at their specific sport. In sum, Pilates will simply benefit anyone who wants to feel stronger and safer in the course of daily life.
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