What is Pilates?

As Pilates has many aspects and is relatively new in Singapore, I will try to give an explanation without too much jargon.

Pilates was created by Joseph Pilates over 80 years ago. He originally named his method “Contrology”, because he believed in the power of our minds to control our bodies. He quoted “One of the major results of Contrology is gaining the mastery of your mind over the complete control of your body.”

So first of all:

Pilates is an Exercise.
It develops the body’s strength and flexibility through a series of exercises that target individual muscle groups. The goals are superior core muscles – abdominal, buttocks & back and integration of the spine and limbs.

Each exercise is executed with a limited number of repetitions. The aim is to perform the exercises with deep concentration, complete control and body awareness.

Pilates is Movement.
It utilises the core to initiate a wide range of movements in a controlled and flowing manner.

Pilates is an Art.
Like martial arts and dance, Pilates requires regular practice and patience to achieve perfection.

Pilates is not purely physical.
It focuses both on the mind and muscular system to achieve mental and physical harmony.

While Pilates adopts this Mind & Body approach to exercise, it should not be mistaken as something “Spiritual” as it is non-religion based.

People often ask if they can de-stress by doing Pilates. Pilates requires mental focus, which means your mind stays sharp throughout the workout. Therefore, a good Pilates workout should leave you feeling energised and alert!