| Pilates is the ultimate mind/body exercise for anyone who wants to tone, streamline, and realign their body. The focus of this system is core stability through conscious exercise that emphasizes strength, flexibility, balance, and improved body awareness.
Pilates strengthens and stretches muscles by using the body's own resistance in a series of fluid, controlled, and coordinated movements that engage the body and the mind.
Joseph Pilates formulated six basic principles for his exercise technique:
| 1. |
Breathing - connection to the pattern of movement |
| 2. |
Precision - quality over quantity |
| 3. |
Centering - initiating and controlling movement from the body's core |
| 4. |
Flowing Movement - in combination with deep and relaxed breathing, to
reduce stress on the body, as well as the risk of injury |
| 5. |
Control - rather than momentum |
| 6. |
Concentration - using the mind and body as a team |
|
