What is Pilates - Why is it so important for your body?

As some of you may know, we are big advocates of Pilates here at Kennington Osteopathic Practice. We've been running classes with a considerable degree of popularity for over ten years, and it's time to get out a post to highlight the many benefits. Many people who come to us already engage with the more widespread practice of Yoga and wrongly dismiss Pilates as the lesser of the two, but this couldn't be wrong. We can clear up some of the myths and wrongful assumptions so that you, too, can benefit from the wonder of Pilates! 

First, it isn't a case of one or the other; they perfectly complement each other, and we highly recommend both. However, the critical difference to highlight is that Pilates is considered a 'workout' and Yoga a 'practice'. Don't get me wrong, though; both take practice to get the best out of them, and anyone who has done both will tell you Yoga can feel like just as much of a workout as Pilates. As trained instructors, it is easy to spot the differences and where they may overlap, but the best way to make the differences clear is to educate with a little history lesson on Pilates. Also, trying both with trained professionals is the next best step after that. From there, you can 'listen' to your body and uncover how each benefits you, your sense of well-being and ultimately, your ease of movement.

To learn more about Pilates, we must return to 19th-century Germany…Joseph H. Pilates, born in 1880 in Dusseldorf, was plagued by difficulties as a child. He suffered greatly from rickets, terrible asthma and rheumatic fever, among other things. Spurred on by the adversity he faced daily, he began to focus on studying the wealth of exercise routines from across the ages (ancient Greek and Roman approaches were a particular favourite) and from all four corners of the globe. 

His dedication to exercise improved his situation, and his success story and enthusiasm rubbed off on those around him. By just 14, he was engaging in many intensive activities and sports that would have previously been out of his reach. A keen gymnast, diver, skier, and even wrestler, it was clear his extensive exercise study had paid dividends. So remarkable was his story that the scientists approached Joseph Pilates to pose as a model for anatomical charts for scientific research cases. By World War One started to take its toll, he had moved to England and led exercise routines adopted by many in the camp where he was based. 

Many embraced the routines he had developed and personalised. Not only did the attendees boast that they felt ever more robust and agile, but those who adhered to his regimes were far less affected by the influenza epidemic due to increased overall health. It is worth noting that the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1918 claimed the lives of around 50 million people worldwide. Around a fifth of the entire world population is thought to have been affected. Known for his compassionate, generous nature, he began to hone his work by helping the many injured soldiers who had returned from the horrors of war. Focusing his efforts on assisting severely injured and disabled soldiers, he began constructing machines that would aid recovery and mobility by utilising springs from old hospital beds to produce various pieces of apparatus that would help regain strength and improve overall mobility in the limbs and spinal regions.

The success of these prototypes paved the way for the specialised equipment still used in Pilates clinics and studios to this day, so we have a lot to thank Joseph for! Pilates referred to his approaches as 'Contrology', which is a very apt name considering his focus on regaining and maintaining uniform control of the body's muscular and skeletal structure. He also believed that the benefit made with the body had a far-reaching benefit on the mind and well-being; how many times have you heard or even said the phrase Healthy body, healthy mind? A fair few, we'd wager! This quote from Joseph Pilates sums up his thoughts on 'Contrology' perfectly; "Contrology is complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit. Through Contrology, you first purposefully acquire complete control of your body, and then through proper repetition of exercises, you progressively acquire that natural rhythm and coordination associated with all your subconscious activities. It develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit."

Essentially, Pilates is a non-impact exercise regime often referred to as 'Moving Meditation' due to its emphasis on mind and body alignment. In this way, it is similar to Yoga. Still, Pilates focuses more on sculpting the body in a more scientific fashion than the ancient teachings and associated meditative back story of Yoga. 

Despite being classed as low-impact, Pilates can undoubtedly be a workout. As mentioned previously, the focus targets core strength, which is where it ties in with our Osteopathy work. Improving your core strength impacts your entire posture, especially the spine, thus enhancing your breathing capacity and the fluidity of your movements. 

Joseph Pilates says, "In 10 sessions, you will feel the difference; in 20 sessions, you will see the difference; and in 30, you will have a new body." Pilates is for everybody, so if you'd like to learn how it can help you, don't hesitate to ask us any questions at Kennington Osteopathic Practice

Places are becoming increasingly limited, but we are keen to offer more classes to keep up with demand. As a result, we have just introduced a Seated Pilates class. Please visit the Pilates page for further details at www.osteopathyoxford.co.uk/Pilates. For evening classes, we recommended www.pop-up-pilates.com. 

Feel free to email Sophie, and she will refer you to Lauren at Pop-Up Pilates. Come and start your journey to a new, improved body today!

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