Pilates Lifestyle

Having a Balanced Body
Life is in Motion.

Pilates is Movement for Life.™

For so many of us, Pilates is much more than an exercise method - it is a way of life.

A fusion of the mind and body based on the reawakening of dormant muscle and brain cells, Pilates gives us the opportunity to live a life where the gap between functional motion and enlivened thought has been bridged.

Mary Bowen, an original Pilates Elder, writes on her web site: “As I practice, teach and observe (the Pilates Method), there is always a spiritual uplift and buoyancy that comes from the work. Moreover, spirit is everywhere, isn’t it? The body is a house of spirit. Joseph and Clara Pilates knew and lived that.”

We can, too. No matter who we are or what shape we are in, we feel how Pilates enhances the everyday activities of our lives - whether it’s just bending over to pick up the newspaper or running a 26-mile marathon. And by becoming ingrained in our thought process it can move beyond the physical realm - essentially teaching us to effectively manage our entire being while providing a positive connection to our sense of self.

Now that’s a life worth living.

Rhythm & Breathing
Breathing is the deep, focused inhaling and exhaling that initiates motion within a specific exercise and has a specific rhythm attached to it.
Control & Concentration
Control and precision are direct by-products of the strong mind-body connection developed by proper breathing and concentration.
Centered & Balanced
All movement radiates outward from the center in Pilates and the ultimate goal of Pilates is to create an even and balanced musculature.
Relaxation & Whole Body Movement
An essential but often under emphasized principle of Pilates is Relaxation. It goes without saying that learning to release unnecessary tension in our bodies helps us to find ease and flow in movement and in the rest of our lives.

Pilates: Effective For Injury Rehabilitation

Most people all over North America are familiar with Pilates - it is still is one of the fastest growing exercises in the world. And millions more have experienced the physical fitness benefits of added strength, length, and agility that it provides.

But few know that Pilates is rapidly rising in another area - rehabilitation from injury.
The Culprit: Muscle Imbalances

Many injuries are caused by muscular imbalances within our bodies. And many things cause these imbalances - our posture, the way we walk, bend over, sit, lie down, or work out - basically the way we move. Most of us move incorrectly in some way or another, which puts too much pressure on some muscles and weakens others, causing an imbalance.

Take the back, for example: the way we move may put too much pressure on the spine, while weakening the pelvic muscles in the front of the body or vice-versa. Either scenario creates an imbalance, which means the body is much more perceptible to serious strains, pulls, tears or worse.

Pilates exercises promote an even musculature throughout the body by strengthening the core. The core is considered the “center” of the body and consists of the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine. Pilates also stresses spinal and pelvic alignment, which is critical in getting us to move the way we‘re supposed to move to avoid injury.

A Flexible Form of Rehab
These are big reasons why physical therapists all over the globe are now using Pilates as a form of rehabilitation. Kris Bosch, president of Northstar Pilates in Buffalo, NY, says Pilates is tremendously effective for other reasons, too.

“Part of its success is indeed based on the approach to the principles of Pilates  core strength, an even musculature, etc. But another reason is that it provides a greater degree of flexibility than most conventional forms of physical therapy. This is true because Pilates exercises can be modified for each person and still be extremely effective. You can go from basic movements to very advanced, depending on how a patient needs to progress or how badly they are injured.”
Conventional physical therapy, on the other hand, often involves patients being given a set of exercises that may be too hard for them to tolerate, says Bosch. It might be because they cause too much pain, or perhaps they are not aware of how to correctly position their body for maximum results - something that Pilates teaches you to do.

Positive Movement Experiences
In addition, with Pilates, clients become responsible for their own rehabilitation. It is not just coming to a therapist, lying down and having them do all the work. With Pilates a patient learns where their body is in space and to identify the best movement sequence. All these factors contribute to a positive movement experience, which Bosch says greatly facilitates a recovery.
“When you create a positive movement experience, you are able to take a step forward without pain. The more you move without pain, the more confidence you gain. And the more confidence you gain, the more likely you are to try another movement or exercise. That‘s a very healthy rehabilitative cycle.”

Most Pilates exercises are performed on a mat or piece of equipment called a Reformer (a sliding carriage inside a long frame connected to springs, ropes and pulleys). One of the nice things about Pilates, Bosch says, is the way you can combine the Reformer and mat together as a solid 1-2 approach:

“It‘s nice to get them on the Reformer first, because the springs on the Reformer assist the movements they attempt. This gets them out of bad or incorrect movement patterns they‘ve developed which probably led to the injury in the first place. Then, as they progress and are no longer experiencing pain, they can use the mat for home exercises to continue their rehab, strengthen those muscles and prevent further injury”.

Rehab vs. Conventional Exercise
If you have injured yourself and are considering Pilates, it‘s important to make sure that your instructor has physical therapy experience. “There‘s a big difference between teaching Pilates as a form of exercise and using it as form of therapy,” says Bosch. “The principles of Pilates are awesome for rehabilitation, but if they aren‘t used in conjunction with proper therapy techniques it could aggravate the injury. Before you start, make sure you ask your instructor if he or she has physical therapy training.”

Pilates and Older Adults: A Gentler, Effective Way to Stay Fit

For the older population keeping fit is essential. But so many forms of exercise can be hard on the bodies of older adults. Many have turned to Pilates sessions at their local clubs as a way to stay in shape while reducing the risk of injury that weight-bearing exercises may cause. With its focus on controlled breathing and quality of movement-not quantity of repetitions many experts agree that Pilates is one of the best ways for older adults to stay healthy.

“Pilates is perfect for older adults because it does not have the impact on the body that other forms of exercise do, and is not nearly as severe on the joints as most workouts are,” says Ellie Herman, owner of several Pilates studios, and a renowned Pilates instructor and author. “It really is a gentle way to exercise. If you're an older adult and haven’t exercised in a while, Pilates is a safe way to restart a workout program.”

Most conventional workouts tend to build short, bulky muscles more prone to injury–especially in the body of an older adult. Pilates focuses on building a strong “core”–the deep abdominal muscles along with the muscles closest to the spine. Many of the exercises are performed in reclining or sitting positions, and most are low impact and partially weight-bearing. It also can positively affect postural positions.

“Pilates for older adults, particularly on a Reformer (resistance-based equipment with springs and ropes connected to a sliding padded carriage) is wonderful because it is a relatively light resistance as opposed to some gym equipment, where even the lightest weight on the rack might be too much for them,” says Beth Williams, a physical therapist at Dynamic Movement in Reno, Nevada.

Increased Stability and Balance
Pilates centers on movements at the midrange of the body instead of the extremities (arms and legs), where, again, the potential for injury is greater. In contrast with other forms of exercise, Pilates develops the midrange and gradually works toward the endrange, while maintaining complete control around the joints. To the benefit of older adults, Pilates teaches control and stability in a small range of motion, graduating to a larger range of motion as they gain control and confidence.

Increased control and stability is crucial for older adults as it can help them improve much of their functional movement, including balance and posture. “As people get older, they can lose some of their balance and coordination. Pilates increases strength and flexibility in both the core and the legs, which positively affects balance. This, along with basic fitness benefits, can help them reduce the risk of falls,” says Herman. “And Pilates is also a good way for older adults to rehab from surgical procedures like a hip replacement or knee surgery.”

An Antidote for Many Ailments
Pilates also helps with a variety of age-related ailments. Arthritis sufferers benefit because the gentle mid-range movements decrease the chance of joints compressing while maintaining the range of motion around them. For sufferers of osteoporosis or stenosis, Pilates can also help. For osteoporosis the simple and standing Pilates leg exercises may increase bone density in both the spine and the hip. For lumbar stenosis there are exercises that can stretch out tight back muscles and strengthen the extensor muscles of the spine to counteract the forces of gravity that can pull people into a hunched position. Be careful, however. Any type of flexion exercise, for example, is not good for someone with osteoporosis. Conversely, any type of extension may cause injury to someone with stenosis. If you have either of these conditions it is important that you make sure your Pilates instructor knows how to modify the exercises so that you do not hurt yourself.

Pilates has also been documented to slow or reverse the effects of debilitating diseases like Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. The mid-range motion of the exercises can help people overcome rigidity and become more limber. It can even help with brain traumas like a stroke.
“The sooner people with brain damage or a stroke can start balance exercises with Pilates and get their bodies moving symmetrically, the better they will fare in their overall permanent outcome,” says Herman.


Ken Endelman is Founder and CEO of Balanced Body Inc. Ken began his career as a designer and craftsman of fine custom furniture - a background apparent in every piece of hand-finished equipment the company makes. Since the early 1970s, Ken Endelman has updated Joseph Pilates’ equipment with state-of-the-art engineering, materials and technology, many of which have become industry standards. The company has been awarded twenty-four U.S. patents, with more pending. Balanced Body Inc. continues to actively promote Pilates to the fitness industry, the medical profession and the media.
This article was originally seen in Beyond Fitness Magazine.