- At least 11 million people practice Pilates in the United States today
- Pilates started as a way for Joseph Pilates to help rehab prisoners of war in British custody during WWI. (Yes, Pilates was invented for MEN!)
- Pilates was originally named Contrology.
- Before developing Pilates as a discipline, Joseph Pilates trained in professional boxing, weight lifting, the martial arts, and gymnastics.
- The Wunda Chair was originally designed for the home. It was meant to be used as a seat when not in use as a piece of Pilates equipment.
- Mat work was designed to be done at home, in between workouts on the apparatuses.
- Pilates strengthens your feet. Many people think Pilates only strengthens your core, but your feet are actually a key part of how you move and how everything else in your body is aligned.
- Pilates is a form of mindfulness. It’s not just an exercise you do with your body, Pilates is about the mind/body connection, as well as the proper use of breath.
- The very first apparatus Pilates created was the Magic Circle. He used the steel bands that he found wrapped around beer kegs to create it.
- The original mat Pilates sequence consisted of 34 exercises, and was laid out in Joseph Pilates’ book, Pilates: Return to Life through Contrology. Those 34 exercises, in order are:
- The Hundred
- The Roll-Up
- The Roll Over with Legs Spread
- The One Leg Circle
- The Double Leg Stretch
- The Spine Stretch
- Rocker with Open Legs
- The Cork-Screw
- The Saw
- The Swan-Dive
- The One Leg Kick
- The Double Leg Kick
- The Neck Pull
- The Scissors
- The Bicycle
- The Shoulder Bridge
- The Spine Twist
- The Jack Knife
- The Side Kick
- The Teaser
- The Hip Twist with Stretched Arms
- Swimming
- The Leg-Pull Front
- The Leg-Pull
- The Side Kick Kneeling
- The Side Bend
- The Boomerang
- The Seal
- The Crab
- The Rocking
- The Control Balance
- The Push-Up
We live and breathe Pilates here at The Pilates Center Fort Worth, but there are a lot of misconceptions out there about the practice of Pilates! Digging into his history and use today, I came across these fun facts that help shed light on what Pilates is all about:
1 Comment
5/17/2023 06:23:25 am
Make it personal. Add a bit of your personality to your signature. This will help people to remember you and connect with you on a more personal level.
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Heather GradkeI'm a BASI Certified Pilates Instructor by day, somewhat competent housewife by night. I used to have hobbies but then CHILDRENS. I am married to the love of my life and somewhat charismatic Rustin Gradke. I have 4 kids that are wonderful sometimes but mostly they just eat a lot. I'm a lover of God and movement and the occasional bowl of queso. Categories |