Pilates classes were designed to increase focus, remove stress and tension from the mind and the muscles and also make one’s life better through basic exercise by developing controlled movement from a strong core. Joseph Pilates originally developed his method in 1945 as mat exercises and used several pieces of apparatus to help people with improving one’s inner and outer image by feeling and looking great. Each piece of apparatus has its own set of movements and exercises and focuses on certain aspects of one’s body.
A Pilates studio uses a wide range of apparatus which most are for resistance training which allows one to choose how hard they want to work out according to their fitness level and strength. A spring is used to apply the progressive resistance so the further one stretches the spring the more resistance there will be. The most widely used apparatus in called the Reformer and is probably the most important. Pilates classes will also have apparatus such as the Cadillac or Trapeze Table, the High or Electric Chair, the Wunda Chair, the Baby Chair, the Ladder Barrel, the Spine Corrector or Step Barrel and the small barrel.
All these apparatus come with specifically designed exercises and routines which focus on certain aspects of the body which you want to improve and strengthen. In contemporary Pilates other props are used such as small weighted balls, foam Rollers, rotating disks and resistance bands. As technology improves more and more equipment tends to change but the basic principles set out by Joseph Pilates tend to stay the same. There are 2 different types of Pilates today though, the Classical/ Authentic Pilates which tries not to vary from the original teachings on Joseph Pilates and build their equipment according to his exact specifications. The classical instructors training can also usually be traced back to either Joseph Pilates himself or to one of his protégés. The Modern/ Contemporary Pilates are vary their exercises from lesson to lesson and use most modern-day equipment and exercises from around the world with the basic principles.
So whether you chose Classical or Modern Pilates they are both designed to tone one’s body and mind to work more effectively and efficiently, increasing focus, energy and overall well-being. Each Pilates studio has its own methods, classes and apparatus which the instructors have stocked or sometimes built from the teachings of Joe Pilates. Finding the right exercises and places to go are hard today because in today’s life the choices are endless and there are studios and exercise routines from around the world being offered to us with strange apparatus with names that put a smile on one’s face.