Pilates Literally Focuses on Inner Strength

by Maia Appleby

If you've spent any time at all in fitness circles over the past few years, you've heard mention of "core conditioning", "matwork" or "Pilates", all basically synonymous terms. Gyms worldwide are offering classes in this discipline, replacing many high-impact activities like kickboxing and step aerobics. Celebrities including Marisa Tomei, Patrick Swayze, Vanessa Williams and Jamie Lee Curtis pitch it with great zeal. What on Earth is it???

One good way to define Pilates is to call it "yoga with movement". The body and breath are emphasized as one unit; as each movement flows into another, the mind is fully engaged in the process. There's a high emphasis on breath and form, and muscles are being stretched and strengthened simultaneously, thus creating a longer, leaner body.

Joseph H. Pilates, who developed this method of exercise, made this claim: "In ten sessions, you will feel the difference. In twenty, you will see the difference, and in thirty, you'll have a whole new body." That's quite a claim, but nearly a century later, bodies are definitely changing, proving him right.

Pilates tones up the torso like no other discipline. The abs, hips, buttocks and lower back work together as the body's "powerhouse", and all other movements are generated from this area outward. Whereas the conventional crunch works the Rectus Abdominis (the large "six-pack" muscle in the center of the abdomen), Pilates movements challenge the deeper, often neglected abdominal muscles, creating an amazingly strong core.

Borrowing a lot of moves from dance therapy, Pilates actually changes the way people use their bodies. Students who take up this exercise begin to move more gracefully, with better posture and more fluidity.

Contrary to popular belief, Pilates does not have to cost you an arm and a leg (pardon the quip). Studios charge quite a bit for instruction and use of their equipment, but an entire routine can actually be done using nothing but a mat. Although it's preferable to take a few sessions with the guidance of an instructor, you certainly can reap the benefits without it. We recommend the books in the right column and products by Winsor Pilates.

One great thing about Pilates is the way it engages your body and mind. I'm a very down-to-earth person who eats red meat and doesn't talk this way very often, but the matwork that I do really does give me a sense of this connection. Unlike many fitness regimens, Pilates leaves no room for comparison with others. Any improvements that result will come from within, both literally and figuratively, and that's the beauty of it. It illustrates the concept that you are fully accountable for yourself. Joseph Pilates couldn't have stated this better when he said, "Physical fitness can neither be achieved by wishful thinking nor outright purchase."

I'll end with a testimonial: Pilates matwork has helped me tremendously since I had an eight-pound, two-ounce baby last June! If you'd like to try it, please do I recommend it with the utmost confidence.

Please visit Gaiam for a nice selection of quality Pilates gear.