Pilates |
History of PilatesPilates is a form of exercise that was originally developed by German born Joseph Pilates. Joseph dedicated his life to becoming physically stronger and studied many forms of movement leading to the development of his unique method of physical and mental conditioning. He brought his method to the USA in 1923. The Pilates Method took the dance world by storm as dancers plagued by injuries common to elite performers embraced this exercise method. Dancers found that by reintroducing movement with the right amount of assistance and resistance provided by Pilates in the early stages of rehabilitation, long recovery periods were reduced and the ability to reach peak performance was enhanced. Joseph's vision of Pilates as a form of exercise was that it would fit into a total philosophy of health and well-being encompassing three guiding principles:
(taken from his 1945 book Return to Life) |