GET LONG, GET STRONG, GET LEAN

AND WITH PILATES THERE'S NO PAIN AND NO SWEAT.

By Mike James

It's the fastest growing exercise technique in America. From just five studios in the world in 1976, the number has grown to thousands in the US alone. Nearly every American gym offers some form of Pilates instruction.

Hollywood devotees like Madonna, Vanessa Williams, Sharon Stone and Courtney Cox sing its praises. It promises that you'll feel better in 10 visits, look better in 20 and have a new body in 30. And as people shift their attitude to mind-body workouts; it appears to be the way to fitness nirvana in the new millennium.

Pilates (pronounced Pih-LAH-tees) is an exercise method founded in the early 1920s by Joseph Pilates. Born in Germany in 1880, he was a sickly child who suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. At a young age he devoted himself to becoming physically stronger.

He became proficient at bodybuilding, gymnastics and many other sports. He worked as a boxer and circus performer and experimented with yoga, dance and strength training. Finding no one form of exercise that encompassed what he perceived as the perfect strength training routine, he created his own. After immigrating to the United States in 1926, he opened an exercise studio in New York, which is still in operation today.

Pilates originally called his exercise system Contrology, emphasizing control of the mind and body. His methods soon became very popular with the dance community. Well-known dancers of the time, Martha Graham and George Balanchine, became Pilate's devotees and sent their students to him for training and to heal injuries. Until recently, Pilates remained a relatively secret system known only to ballet, dance and performance artists who understood the powers of concentration and control, and the mind-body connection. 

THE EXERCISES

The repertoires of more than 500 exercises are non-impact and designed to tone, elongate and strengthen all muscle groups. The goal is to produce a balanced body, where all muscles work in synergy.

There are no heavy weights involved, and in most cases, very few repetitions. Control is the key.

The exercises, which are all variations of the 36 traditional yoga postures, have unique names like Teaser, Hundreds and Tower. All movements originate from the core abdominal muscles termed the Powerhouse, the area from the bottom of the rib cage to the hips. If the center of the body is strong, the body as a whole will function better. Powerhouse muscles help support the spine and pelvis and by focusing on these, Pilates is an ideal system for strengthening the lower back and abdominals and helping you achieve a tight, toned waist line.

Participants focus on controlled breathing and stabilizing the back muscles. In Pilates, like ballet, every movement is honed to perfection through control of mind and body.

Debbi Vincent, one of America's leading aerobic presenters and personal trainers, has been using Pilates techniques for the past three years. When I visited her at Definitions, a leading Fitness club in Washington DC, she was taking her client, 30-year-old Annie Lovejoy, through a one hour session of Pilates exercises. To the uninitiated, the exercise equipment looks like something found in a medieval torture chamber. In true Dominatrix fashion Debbi made sure each repetition was slow and controlled, concentrating on stretching, stabilization and rhythmic breathing. What makes Pilates different from other training regimens? "The emphasis on stabilization of the torso, and core body strength, makes people more focused. It also creates a greater body awareness and better posture", Debbi said.

Pilates is an ideal training system for athletes. Many professional sports teams now use its equipment and techniques to supplement their training. But Pilates may not be suitable for everyone. Some people are not mentally prepared for the focus and concentration that is required. The movements also require lots of supervision and hands-on assistance from a qualified, skilled trainer. One-on-one training or small classes are essential.

It is also important to understand that despite the media hoopla and endorsement from Hollywood superstars, Pilates is not the panacea of exercise. Earl Williams, personal trainer and owner-operator of Definitions says "Some people see the media publicity about Pilates and expect their body to change overnight. Like all other exercise techniques it takes time and a combination of rest and proper nutrition to achieve your goals." {C}

THE EQUIPMENT

The beauty of Pilates is that you can perform the movements anywhere. Most exercises can be performed without equipment but this, does, however provide variety and added resistance to each movement. Equipment includes the Mat, the Wall, small and large Barrels, and the Cadillac. 

The most essential piece of equipment is the Mat, which should be sturdy enough to support your back and neck during the various movements. Various exercises are performed against a wall. More resistance can be added by expanding springs to a wall with a device called the Cadillac, which also comes in an advanced model that looks like a square hospital bed enclosed by a frame of steel rods. Barrels, which are adjustable elevations rising from the mat like a camel's hump, are used to enhance breathing and to work the muscles of the back in aiding correct posture and movement.

With the rediscovery of Pilates, fitness enthusiasts have a new non-impact form of exercise that can provide a great strengthening workout with little risk of injury. The emphasis on control and concentration in the abdominal and lower back area is making Pilates popular amongst dancers, athletes, health club members, and people from all walks of life.

Why did such an effective exercise system take so long to become popular? The reason for the delay is best explained by the words of Joseph Pilates himself, "People will not understand the brilliance of my work for another 50 years.