Pilates' Principles and Philosophy on Physical Prowess

When Joseph Pilates developed a fitness ritual that would be come one of the most popular fitness regimens to people worldwide scale, he didn't think once to name the exercise after himself. In fact, when he first developed Pilates, he called it "Contrology", referring to exercising the minds power of controlling the body. The activity itself is quite specific, as it allows one to focus on strengthening the spine by exercising the postural muscles.

The principles behind Pilates are quite simple and well-created, developed and improved upon over eighty years. Because it draws from different styles of exercising, the principles are what make it a unique method.

The method includes the basics of Centering, Concentration, Control, Precision, Breathing and Flow of Movement. All of these basics revolve around the fusing of the mind and body, allowing the person exercising to move with balance. This process allows for one to make full use of the body and its strengths, improving on its weaknesses and fixing anything that is out of sync or balance. The overall purpose of the exercise is to maintain constant and full attention on how the body moves. It is therefore important to practice Pilates in an environment that causes no distractions since the methods are very centered on the unification of the mind and body.

Like any structure that depends on it's foundation for strength and reliability, Pilates believed that the human body also should rely on the abdomen as a strong foundation. He believed that the abdominal area of the body was a collective powerhouse involving the hips, lower back, and buttocks. Pilates teaches that exercises must therefore begin in this area and that this physical energy be channeled outward to the other parts of the body.