Pilates is first and foremost a functional exercise system. An exercise is considered functional when it gets us ready for some movement we are actually likely to encounter in “real life” like picking up a child or hoovering the carpet.
Its exercises closely resemble and mimic many of the things we are required to do in our normal daily lives and teaches us to do them better and safer.
How may times have you heard someone say “I just bent down to pick up my toothbrush (replace with an object of your own choosing) and I felt my back go”
Pilates teaches you to engage the correct muscles to help stabilise your back before bending over to pick anything up thereby greatly reducing the chance of injury due to poor lifting technique and weak stabilising muscles.
Pilates practised over a long period of time can help to address and correct many aspects of incorrect habitual posture. Most of us do not stand or sit for that matter in a way that is beneficial for our backs and neck.
Many of the postural problems we encounter today are down to our modern lifestyle. Sitting for prolonged periods at computers and in office chairs is just one example in the cause of imbalance and pain. There are also genetic and injury related conditions that can be helped using the Pilates method.
Pilates addresses:
Spinal alignment
Neck placement
Shoulder stability
Pelvic stability
Trunk stability
Core stability
Correct breathing
Relaxation
Focused attention
Bob Bartram
(Pilates Instructor)
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi
I have spent the last half hour looking at your website, have you arranged to meet your friend in pizza hut in 2 weeks time? if so how do you keep as slim as you are in the photo???
You know me better than that, Felicity (aka The Blond Rottweiler
!