Posted: October 2, 2007

Pilates: What’s all the hype?

Pilates can help you achieve an overall level of fitness that cannot be achieved by running alone By Heather Ebright Pilates (pronounced puh-LAH-teez) has become one of the most popular fitness methods in the United States. Every other famous actress or model seems to be doing it, and Pilates classes are offered at almost every health club around the country. Why the sudden growth spurt in an exercise method that has been around for over ninety years? The reasons for the enormous popularity of Pilates lie in its diverse benefits, which include improvements in fitness and athletic performance, enhanced flexibility, better posture, and injury prevention. So what is Pilates? Pilates is an exercise system named after its originator, Joseph Pilates. Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. Joseph was a very sickly child. He suffered from rickets, rheumatic fever, and asthma. As a result he was determined to make himself as strong and fit as possible. He studied anatomy, bodybuilding, wrestling, yoga, gymnastics, and martial arts. Joseph came to believe that our modern lifestyle, bad posture, and inefficient breathing were the roots of our poor health. His answer to these problems was to design a unique series of exercises that help to correct muscular imbalances and improve posture, coordination, balance, strength, and flexibility, as well as increase breathing capacity. Your first contact with the Pilates exercise method may make you feel that it is a fusion of a number of other approaches. You may recognize elements of yoga, dance movements, everyday exercises from the gym, as well as childhood gymnastics. What makes Pilates unique is the insistence on a number of “principles.” These, too, may sound familiar, but what makes them important is the fact that they come as a package. No part is optional if the Pilates exercise is to work effectively. These are the eight Pilates principles: Control, Concentration, Centering, Breath, Fluidity, Precision, Relaxation, and Stamina. Perhaps the most important principle and the very heart of the Pilates method is Concentration. Pilates is not an exercise method that allows you to switch your mind off and let your body run on automatic. The mind must be alert at all times. Whether you are watching to make sure your stomach is pulled in, or focusing on the correct hand placement, your mind should be actively engaged. Pilates also focuses on the core muscles of the body. Although it involves the abdominal muscles, core strength is not about having a visible six-pack. The core muscles include not only the abdominals (specifically the transverse abdominus, the deepest layer of abdominal muscles) and lower back, but also the muscles of the pelvic floor, buttocks and hips. This focus on core strength and the mind/body connection has made the Pilates exercise method a legitimate form of cross-training for athletes to enhance performance and prevent injury. The highest ranked golfer, Tiger Woods, elects to use Pilates as part of his training. The best swimmers and runners in the world, the most elite dancers, figure skaters, tennis players, football players, and a host of actors, singers, and musicians are also practicing Pilates. The adaptability of Pilates and wide appeal is astounding. I discovered Pilates by accident. It was an accident that changed my life. I love to run. I took some time off to nurse an injury after completing a marathon. I attended my first mat class during that time and was instantly hooked. I knew that Pilates was doing something amazing to my body. I could feel the change in the way I moved and a new strength I possessed in muscles I never knew were there. When I decided to lace up my running shoes again, I was shocked by how different I felt during my run. My body was moving with ease and I didn’t notice the normal aches and pains. I felt stronger without picking up a weight and more limber without regular stretching. Many runners, myself included, partake in little or no supplemental strength training, preferring to put nearly every moment of exercise into running or other cardio activities. And those runners that do supplemental strength training often focus on their legs, because, well, it is the legs that do the running. While it is true that some leg muscles need strengthening to avoid imbalance, the area of the body that deserves increased attention is the core. Strong core muscles keep your back healthy, hold your body upright, improve balance, stability, and allow you to transfer power to your arms and legs. The main purpose of the core muscles during running is to stabilize the spine and the pelvis. Increasing the strength of the core muscles will minimize the rotation that occurs in your spine and help to keep the pelvis aligned while you run. This rotational movement in the spine and misalignment of the pelvis can cause a number of problems, one being lower back pain. Traditional abdominal exercises like the crunch are not the most effective way to develop strength in the core. The exercises that really target the core are the ones that require you to move your limbs while keeping your torso stable. Pilates has quite a few exercises that do just that. Of course, Pilates is not a potion that cures all and brings out magical changes immediately. Change takes time, commitment, and discipline. If you are dedicated to regular Pilates sessions, positive changes are inevitable. About the author: Heather Ebright is a Pilates instructor, running coach, and author. To learn more about Pilates and sport specific training visit www.pilates4runners.com. Copyright © 2006 Pilates 4 Runners. 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