Pilates in the Pines

It’s hard to know whether Joseph Pilates would be smiling or frowning at how long it took the fitness world to come around to the principles he advocated nearly a hundred years ago: Core strengthening.

When Pilates, a circus performer, boxer, and fitness trainer, was confined in England during World War I, he used the time to refine his knowledge of exercise eventually developing a system he called “Contrology.” Drawing from his studies of kinetics and yoga, Pilates designed a series of exercises that melded the physics of motion and yoga’s focus on breathing.

Realizing that the core body was both the engine and the foundation of strength and motion, Pilates’ exercises stressed building a strong core. Concentration and proper breathing are incorporated, but unlike yoga, Pilates saw them as part of the exercises, not goals in and of themselves.

Pilates described the core as the area from the bottom of the rib cage to the pelvis and hip joints. He regarded this area of the body as the place where all movements initiate. He insisted on exercise to keep the spine and pelvis properly positioned for control of the rest of the body and limbs.

The muscles of the pelvis, lower back and abdomen share a number of connections, and when they are strong and supple, they lead to better balance and posture. They one of the reasons the Pilates method has enjoyed such popularity with dancers and gymnasts.

Learning proper pelvic positioning and the incorporation of abdominal muscles along with proper breathing is one of the tenets of Pilates. It combines with strengthening of the gluteus maximus and pelvic floor muscles to give Pilates practitioners a strong core from which to build.

Because proper Pilates training requires expert knowledge of these muscles, how they work, and how to build them up without risk of injury, it is important to work with properly trained Pilates instructors.

In 2000, a U.S. federal court ruled that the term Pilates was generic and no longer enjoyed copyright protection. Consequently, anyone can call themselves a Pilates instructor in the U.S.

That’s why it’s important to start your Pilates training under the supervision of a certified Pilates instructor like those at Pilates in the Pines. We make sure that you do the proper exercises for you and that you don’t go beyond your capabilities.

Pilates in the Pines offers a full menu of authentic Pilates training, both free-form mat training and machine exercise with the Reformer. Classes are taught Monday – Thursday and on Saturday mornings. They alternate between Mat Classes in which participants are taken through a series of exercises using the body alone, and Reformer Classes where the students use the Pilates Reformer machine in their workout. Private sessions are available during the week when classes aren’t scheduled, plus all day Fridays and on Saturdays after classes by appointment. All classes are taught by Certified Pilates Teachers.

Pilates in the Pines is located in The Village at Castle Pines, east of the intersection of US 85 (Santa Fe Drive) and Happy Canyon Road just north of Castle Rock in Douglas county. Complete information about the studio, its location, and its classes is available on our web site, www.pilatesinthepines.com. We hope to see you soon as you start on your path toward a healthier, stronger you.