First-time PILATES

What is Pilates?

Pilates is a program of about 50 exercises that focus on developing deep abdominal and spine muscles to provide core strength. They are performed lying on your back, side or front. Some also are performed seated or on all fours. The exercises can be done on mat, or on an apparatus specifically designed and invented by Joseph Pilates. Though classes were originally done using the body alone, our classes incorporate equipment and accessories such as rings and balls. 

What results can I expect from the exercises?

Regular practice of Pilates can result in improved posture and increased abdominal tone. You can expect to stand taller and have a flatter abdomin. You may also feel greater comfort in the movement of your spine. Pilates exercises will help you develop strength, flexibility, coordination and balance, unite your body and mind, and create a more streamlined shape.

Reducing stress and fatigue

In today's fast-paced life, the physical and mental stresses we encounter erode our health and our happiness. We spend countless hours sitting in front of computers, bent over desks, or performing repetitive motions that create havoc in our bodies and minds. Most if not all of our stress and fatigue comes from poor posture, imbalances in the body and lack of correct breathing. We must learn to strengthen and control our muscles properly before subjecting them to daily living. Pilates exercises may seem unconnected to your daily routine at first. However, over time you will begin to understand how these movements are tools to the body. Once learned, muscle control can be applied to any function of movement, from walking and lifting to dancing.

How can Pilates help your dancing?

As we all know dancing is a lot of fun. It is exiting, engages our mind and is great exercise. It also inspires improvement. We all want to have better posture, frame, technique and improve the level of our dancing. Most of us realize that this will not happen without understanding our own body. This is the reason teachers explain technique in footwork, arm and ribcage connection, hip movement and so on. When I first started to understand dancing I realized that there were many muscles involved that I didn’t know or use in everyday life. I also realized that without connecting the mind to the muscle group I wanted to focus on I couldn’t initiate change. I could only repeat old habits, such as incorrect posture or footwork. When I first started training in Pilates I discovered its tremendous benefits for dancing. It helped me to connect to muscles I had heard about but never really felt. My movement and understanding about my dancing and body improved significantly. I could see the light instead of spending countless hours on repetitive dancing. I rediscovered balance within myself and a deep connection in my mind which flowed through to my dance movement.

   There is a natural rhythm in the animal world. When an animal raises itself off the ground, it stretches from its head to its claws to its tail. It leaves nothing out. When we humans move, we tend to focus on one area or another and ignore the rest. The irony is that whatever we do, from walking to dancing, we can and should utilize all our muscles. This subconscious rhythm is inherent in us all. Dancing is a flow of movement from one element to another with music. There is no flow if the body was not in balance. You cannot spin if your head is down and your spine is not holding a strong vertical line. It is hard to keep balance after a fast movement if you don't know how to control your muscles and what to control.

    Pilates exercises were created to restore true balance of the body. The method was applied in the 50's by George Balanchine, and later adopted by many of New York's ballet companies. Its unique approach to movement helps dancers to understand, and manage more challenging moves as they improve. Structured around the stomach, hips lower back and buttocks- the center of the body- Pilates exercises are instrumental in maintaining good posture and alignment and developing ”flow”. With the help of this method the most difficult elements can be done without effort.

Most exercise techniques focus on superficial muscles in the body and pump them up for effect.