Behind the pilates

• April 20, 2024

Until not long ago, the method Pilates It became fashionable in almost everyone. Very often, a gym opened on every corner that offered "the latest in technology" or "the most revolutionary way of exercising." However, the method has almost a century of life and was created by a German called Joseph H. Pilates .

Joseph was a very sick child who became obsessed with looking for ways to strengthen his muscles. Little by little he was developing an exercise method based on the control of the mind over the body he called "Contrology ”.

It was, precisely, to concentrate on the stretching Y strengthening of the central muscles of the body: the abdominals, the lower part of the back, the hips and the glutes. The reason? The young Pilates believed that it was extremely important to work these muscles to give stability Y firmness to the spine.

The back and the spine they are the axis of the body and if we neglect them with bad habits, like sitting all day or bending while executing a certain job, we are more prone to suffer injuries and mobility problems.

Effectiveness of the pilates method

The exercises, using the method Pilates , they are almost always done on the floor, lying down and on the back. And there is another reason for this: Joseph Pilates He served as a nurse during the First World War and realized that wounded soldiers needed to strengthen their muscles slowly and thus recover.

The key is to use all the muscles at the same time, in synergy, unlike other types of exercises that only work one part of the body: legs or arms, for example.

After the war, Joseph Pilates He went to live in the United States and his method was a great success among dancers who helped them to rehabilitate their injuries and to stay strong when they were out of season.

The method Pilates it was practiced quietly for years by a good number of people, while in society, high-impact exercises became fashionable. Until the new generations realized that their lifestyle required alternative exercises that connect mind and body.

Thus, together with the boom in the practice of yoga and the Tai Chi , the method pilates he regained the strength and interest of before.