Starting Pilates

Pilates is offered in private training sessions on the equipment and group mat classes that teach the same principles, but are composed of floor work only.

Both the private sessions and mat classes are one hour in length.

An ideal exercise program would be one to two private or semi-private sessions and one mat class per week. At minimum, I recommend taking two mat classes per week and scheduling a private session whenever possible.

Private sessions are by appointment and mat classes are held throughout the week (see class schedules).

Wear comfortable clothing that you can move in. Bare feet are recommended, but socks are o.k., especially if they have non-skid bottoms. Mats are available for the group classes, but feel free to bring your own.

What is Pilates?

Pilates, the exercise, was named after Joseph H. Pilates. He was born in Germany and went to England at the start of World War I. In England, he began working with injured soldiers by creating exercises they could do in their hospital beds. After the war, he moved to New York and began working with the New York City Ballet. Having some of the most athletic bodies at his disposal, he continued working on his exercise philosophy and techniques.

What Joseph created was a set of exercises done on the floor and on equipment he designed: the Reformer, the Cadillac, the Wunda Chair, and the Ladder Barrel. This equipment, except the barrel, uses springs to create resistance.

While J. Pilates was alive, he called his exercise Contrology. His focus was on creating control over the body by developing the “powerhouse” or core. The core consists of the abdominals and back, and when they are strong, they create a girdle-like feeling around the middle.

Pilates has been around for about 80 years, but has recently enjoyed much popularity due to the celebrities that have found this exercise to be an important part of maintaining their “star figures”. Susan Dey, Danny Glover, et. al. are all known to take regular workout sessions. Pilates develops a long, lean body without the bulk of traditional weightlifting, while also encouraging flexibility.