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With names like "the Spine Twist," "the Saw," and "the Jack Knife," Pilates may sound more like a method of medieval torture than an exercise system designed to improve body awareness, muscle function, flexibility, and posture. As a German national in Britain, Joseph Pilates was sent to an internment camp during World War I. It is here that he developed his fitness techniques as he worked to rehabilitate his injured fellow internees. Towards the end of the war, he was freed from the camp and served in a hospital with patients who had lower body injuries. During this period of his life, Pilates studied human anatomy which helped to refine his skills as both a rehabilitator and fitness trainer. After the war he moved to New York and opened a successful gym where he and his wife developed the system known as Contrology. Contrology would develop over the life of Joseph Pilates, and after his death began to be called the Pilates Method (Pilates Foundation, The History of Pilates, https://www.pilatesfoundation.com/pilates/the-history-of-pilates/).
The Pilates Method employs movements which originate from six core principles. When combined, they encourage the synergistic use of the mind, body, and spirit to aid in the development of a healthier overall existence. The concept is meant to reach into the performer attempting to encourage a synergy between brain and body. Fear not though, these six principles blend together seamlessly, making Pilates an ideal addition to any exercise routine for those seeking a healthy and balanced body. For those not into the Pilates system, the ideology of the six principles can be a healthy supplement to any form of exercise or the activities of daily living. To better understand the system, we must look into the six principles.
According to Sung Kyung Kim of Healing Pilates in Daegu, South Korea, many of her clients come to her studio with recommendation from their doctor. Some have postural issues, others have joint pain; but in many cases the root cause of these problems is structural misalignment and weak postural muscles. Clients at Healing Pilates typically start out with a ten session package, come in two or three times a week, and the majority renew upon completion of their sessions. The Pilates instructor is essential to the experience. Pilates can be done at home, with a mat, some simple equipment, and an instructional video; but this method lacks the benefit of studio classes. The role of the instructor is not only to lead the class, but also to give posture, motion, and breathing corrections as participants are learning the movements. For this reason, Ms. Kim recommends a one-on-one class for beginners while they advance their skills and learn to control their bodies.
To find out if Pilates is right for you, first determine your exercise goals; then assess your needs based on these goals. If your goal is full-body realignment, lengthening and strengthening your muscles, and improving control of your motor functions, then Pilates alone may be the answer. Everyone has different fitness goals, and the program you chose should be tailored to ensure your needs are met. If your objective is weight loss, then a cardiovascular regimen is required. Supplementing with Pilates will help to align the body so the cardiovascular exercise is undertaken more efficiently. A competitive bodybuilder aspires to develop both the size and symmetry of their muscles. Hard, heavy weight lifting will build the bulky and sometimes asymmetrical muscle (which tends to be more injury prone), and the addition of a Pilates routine can help to lengthen the muscles and decrease stress on the connective tissue, reducing the risk of injury.
According to Maureen Nemmer and Marina Good at Club Pilates in Highland Park, IL, the proper apparel does matter. You should wear form-fitting clothing so your posture is easily visible during each movement, allowing the instructor to provide corrections. Also needed is a pair of grip socks as Pilates is performed without shoes and many of the movements will be in positions where the exerciser may slip or slide.
As with the onset of any exercise program you should consult your physician before beginning a Pilates routine and ask about any contraindications due to preexisting conditions or medications. Many Pilates movements are performed while laying on your back, so pregnant women in their second and third trimesters should avoid these moves, or find an alternative to Pilates for this time. Pilates can be used to help with rehabilitation of an injury to almost any joint on the body; just remember to be aware of your limitations due to any current or previous injuries. Breath deep, relax, and hit the Spine Twist with full force.
Pilates Moves
Lie on your back, bend your legs at the knee, and bring your knees up to your chest. Then extend your legs straight forward at a 45 degree angle with your arms along your sides and your palms resting on the floor. Raise your head and shoulders off the ground, engage your abdominal muscles to keep your body in place, and lift your hands and arms a few inches off the ground. The exercise begins here with a pumping motion, your arms moving only a few inches up and down with energy radiating from your activated core. Breathe in for 5 pumps, and breathe out for 5 pumps. Repeat this 10 times to reach 100 repetitions.
On the Pilates Reformer, lie on your back, bring your knees to your chest, grab the long straps and slide your feet through, placing the straps on the arch on the bottom of your feet. With straight knees, raise your feet towards the sky so that your legs are perpendicular to the ground. With your arms down by your sides, your heels touching each other, and your feet externally rotated, slowly rotate your legs outward from the hips, sweeping your legs open and inhaling. As your legs make a half-circle and are extended in front of you at a 45 degree angle, begin to inhale and complete the full circle by bringing your legs towards the midline of your body and back up to a position perpendicular to the ground.
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and your arms along your sides with your palms resting on the floor. Push your feet into the ground and raise your hips off the floor creating a bridge between your shoulder blades and feet. Extend your right leg and kick it towards the ceiling until it is perpendicular with the floor, then bring it back down to the level of your left knee and even with your body's bridge. Breathe in while your leg is kicking towards the ceiling, and out as you lower your leg to the starting position.
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Ali Othman has been an NSCA certified personal trainer for the past 13 years with specialization in weight loss, functional training, muscular hypertrophy, and human nutrition. He also works in the Technical Department at IFANCA and manages IFANCA business activities in South Korea.Reprinted from the Winter 2018 issue of Halal Consumer(C) magazine with permission from the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA(R)) and Halal Consumer(C) magazine.
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