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When you enter the world of Pilates, you quickly become indoctrinated with the basic principals of Pilates as outlined by Pilates founder, Joseph Pilates. A quote of his, well-worth remembering is,... |
When you enter the world of Pilates, you quickly become indoctrinated with the basic principals of Pilates as outlined by Pilates founder, Joseph Pilates. A quote of his, well-worth remembering is, “if you follow no other instructions, learn to breathe correctly”. Did you know that most individuals’ breath using only half of their lung capacity and that they breathe using only the upper part of their chest?
The goal of Pilates breathing is to use every bit of lung space. When exercising using Pilates breathing techniques the individual should feel as if they are expanding their ribs sideways in order to accommodate the increased air intake. Pilate’s teachers will instruct this of their students by telling them to, “expand laterally”. Teaching your body to take in and fill the lungs full of air allows the individual to participate fully in all of the Pilates exercises especially the ones that require your body to be in a deep C curve or contraction. Breathing properly gives you the ability to complete the exercises correctly.
There are many purposes behind the techniques found in the exercises taught by Pilates instructors including the purpose of improving your blood circulation, reducing the strain on your heart, developing lung capacity, stretching your muscles and increasing your flexibility, and also the purpose of developing minor muscles in order to strengthen the major muscle groups, developing perfect posture, the perfection of “companion” or “reciprocal” movements, to gain a sturdy body and a sound mind, as well as the purpose of coordinating the mind, body and spirit of the individual, to realize happiness and true relaxation, and to experience a mental vigor and spiritual enhancement that comes with patience and persistence.
While practicing Pilates you will discover both mind and body principals. The mind principals focus on being able to concentrate on the purpose of each exercise by realizing each correct movement, and the coordination between body and mind as you complete each exercise; centering your mind and your body; controlling movement with purpose and engagement; using your imagination to increase the connection between body and mind; the ability to listen to our body; and lastly, to make Pilates a daily integral part of your life. The body principals focus on breathing correctly during the exercises, pelvic placement, rib cage placement, proper scapular or shoulder girdle positioning, head and cervical placement, lengthening the individual’s spine from the top of the head to the end of the spine, controlling your core, moving one vertebrae at a time while moving your back, and also moving with agility, balance, and grace in a purposeful way all while coordinating body and mind.
The world of Pilates is not just about getting your body fit, it encompasses your body and your mind in fluid movements with purpose that strengthen all parts of the body and sharpens the mind.