Six Principles of Pilates

Control

• Haphazard movement has no place in the Pilates method, and momentum never plays a role in the execution of the exercises. Whether you perform a mat routine or use the Pilates apparatus, every move you make must initiate and complete with voluntary contractions of the working muscle groups. This sense of control especially applies to the return or eccentric phase of the exercise, which causes your muscles to lengthen as they contract. These lengthening contractions explain why some people describe the method as "strength with length."

Concentration

• The concentration principle of the Pilates method explains its distinction as a body-mind exercise technique. This mental element separates those who practice Pilates from those who claim they "do" Pilates. Unlike using the aerobic equipment at the gym, you cannot truly practice Pilates while reading a magazine or watching television. The mind-to-muscle connection must remain active throughout the session. This concentration sharpens your sense of movement awareness and body position. With practice, you learn to sense when your alignment is not quite right, and make the necessary corrections.

Centering

• Joseph Pilates once remarked that he was 50 years ahead of his time. His emphasis on what he called the "powerhouse" proves the accuracy of his predictions. Long before the word "core" became a household term, Joseph Pilates was heralding the importance of the deeper muscles of the abdominal back and buttocks region. Centering implies that every movement must begin with engagement of these deep core muscles, and that the Pilates practitioner must exhibit a balanced postural alignment throughout the exercises. This explains why postural assessment is the first phase of Pilates instructor certification.

Breathing

• Every move you make in Pilates has a corresponding breathing pattern, and every breath you take enhances powerhouse engagement. Once again, Joe was ahead of his time. In Pilates, exhalations occur when the movement requires the deepest core engagement for pelvic stabilization, and the deepest abdominal contraction for muscle toning. During exhalation, the muscle known as transversus abdominus presses against the diaphragm to expel the air, creating a deeper abdominal contraction. The Pilates method uses a lateral breathing pattern, which emphasizes a lateral expansion of the rib cage while maintaining a consistent abdominal contraction.

Precision

• In Pilates exercise, quality and precision of movement always trumps quantity of repetitions. This explains why many Pilates instructors assign no more than 10 repetitions of an exercise. In fact, some instructors never tell students how many reps they want them to perform. Instead, an instructor watches the student perform the exercise and stops her when she shows sign of straying from precise form. The Peter Principle of working the muscles to the point of incompetency never applies to the Pilates method.

Flow

• "Hold this Pilates pose," said no certified Pilates instructor ever. Despite its occasional resemblance to yoga, the Pilates method is not a series of static poses and postures. Instead, it involves movement sequences that flow together like water through a stream. This fluidity occurs during the exercises and during the transitions. Jerky movements and static holds -- whether of stretches or strength exercises -- have no place here. The resulting grace and coordination that comes from movement continuity explains why Pilates appeals to dancers.