In an answer yes. However unfortunately a lot of people don’t know enough about Pilates and its benefits to know how it can help them.
Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s and originally called Contrology. A sickly child, he studied various other forms of fitness before devising a series of body conditioning exercises designed to stretch and strengthen the whole body.
“My method develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong posture,
restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind
and elevates the spirit”.
(Joseph Pilates)
He and his wife Clara, opened a studio in New York and dancers from the New York City Ballet soon started going there, many who then went on to become his assistants and continued to promote Contrology. After his death in 1967 it was renamed Pilates and continued to develop, becoming more widely accessible with exercises adapted from Joseph’s original ‘classical’ Pilates exercises.
So what does it offer?
Pilates works the whole body restoring its natural balance and alignment. In a class you work all your joints through all their ranges of movement. This keeps them healthy and as the muscles are attached to the bones, they then automatically work too. There will be focus on the spine and core strength which is why a lot of people with bad backs start Pilates. Alignment is another key principle of Pilates and in class you’ll be encouraged to restore correct body alignment through movement whilst working on stability and strength.
Whilst it can be challenging (especially the original ‘Classical’ exercises), Pilates is a flexible form of exercise that can be modified to suit all ages and abilities. This includes first-time exerciser to the professional athlete. It is often recommended by GPs, osteopaths and physiotherapists to help overcome injury and improve posture.
So is Pilates for you? Absolutely - it’s for everyone, regardless of age or fitness. But don’t just read about it, experience it. Contact me now at sallydoylepilates@gmail.com