For the past 14 years, Isis Monteverde has worked as a life coach, helping people all over the world to live happier, healthier, more successful lives. As Ms Monteverde will attest, an important aspect of wellbeing is maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including participating in regular exercise. This article will look at Pilates, exploring the history of the discipline and the physical and mental health benefits of regular participation.
Born near Dusseldorf, Germany, in 1880, Joseph Pilates is credited with introducing this novel approach to body conditioning and exercise to the UK and US. Arguably the first influential figure to combine Western and Eastern health philosophies, Joseph Pilates participated in all exercise styles, practising everything from Roman and Greek fitness regimes to bodybuilding and gymnastics.
Leaning heavily on the Eastern disciplines of tai chi, yoga and Zen meditation, Joseph Pilates left Germany for the UK, where he became a professional boxer, as well as an expert diver and skier. He was enlisted to teach self-defence to detectives at Scotland Yard. During his time in England, Pilates also found work as a circus acrobat.
Interned by the British as an enemy alien following the outbreak of World War I, Joseph Pilates spent his time wisely, developing a new approach to body conditioning and exercise, laying the foundation of what is known today as Pilates. Working as a nurse during his internment, he began experimenting, attaching springs to hospital beds to help bed-bound patients start toning their muscles. It was at this point that he developed the reformer, the first Pilates machine, which was shaped like a sliding bed, using springs as resistance.
Returning to Germany after the war, Joseph Pilates worked with pioneers of movement technique, developing the Pilates concept. In 1923 he relocated to the United States, opening his first studio in New York. The new exercise method proved to be an instant hit, particularly among the city’s population of dancers, helping them to recover from injuries and prevent their reoccurrence.
Pilates offers numerous benefits in terms of health and wellbeing, changing not only participants’ bodies but also their minds as their physical fitness improves. In a modern world teeming with distractions, Pilates provides an escape from stressors and chaos, instilling a sense of peace and tranquillity that helps people to make sense of what is going on in their lives.
Calming the mind and emotions, Pilates helps to reduce the risk of numerous stress-related conditions, including insomnia, anxiety, depression, heart disease and high blood pressure. Pilates has been shown to improve memory and make people smarter, stimulating the brain and encouraging cognitive fitness. Deeper muscle activation also translates to enhanced functioning of the nervous system, improving coordination between the brain and body and stimulating the release of mood-boosting hormones.