What Are Pilates Exercises?

Background and History

• Founded by Joseph H. Pilates in the early 20th century, Pilates is based on the idea of controlling muscles through the mind. Pilates created the system as a way to help veterans of World War I cope with stress, rehabilitate and restore their stability, both physical and emotional. Joseph Pilates believed that breathing and balance were essential to good health and developed a system that focuses on these two principles.

Exercise Focus

• Pilates primarily aims to work the core muscles. This includes the stomach and lower back, as well as the pelvic muscles, buttocks, thighs and spine. By working on the core, you can attain better posture, breathe easier and better, improve your balance, control the flow of air and blood within the body and improve your concentration. Core Pilates exercises do not consist of traditional abdominal work with a lot of repetition. Instead, they are more akin to yoga, where you hold a single pose or movement throughout its full range. An example of a Pilates core exercise is the plank, also popular in yoga, where stretched out legs and arms are used to elevate and sustain the body off the mat in a straight position.

Other Exercises

• Pilates exercises help you to achieve longer, leaner muscles. Because you achieve all resistance by using your body weight, the result is muscles that are well-defined but small and tight. Pilates also emphasizes the importance of performing muscle movements in a controlled way, rather than repeating something quickly and sloppily. Controlled movements also help you to contract your abdominal muscles, for example, while performing arm movements, engaging the whole body and increasing and accelerating results.

Pilates Equipment

• There are few pieces of home equipment for Pilates because you need the supervision of a trained professional to use them. The Reformer, the centerpiece of Pilates equipment, is an apparatus used to perform a series of stretching and resistance exercises. Similar in appearance to a rowing machine, the Reformer contains a strap system and an adjustable footbar, which provide different levels of resistance and allow you to train your upper and lower body. Other equipment seen in a Pilates studio include the Wunda Chair, the Guillotine Tower, the Pedi-Pole and the Cadillac. Despite their ominous-sounding names, these pieces of equipment are usually simple constructions of wood, with springs that exert resistance against the muscle being used.

Pilates Mat Exercises

• The original form of Pilates is a workout consisting of 34 basic exercises performed on a mat, without the need for equipment. Elderly people, pregnant women and those facing special challenges can use props to aid them. Modern Pilates also incorporates props into mainstream training for those who are just starting or need flexibility training. They include foam rollers, disks, elastic bands, small weighted balls and large exercise balls.