Pilates Principles Overview

Contrology is the term that Joseph Pilates called his exercise method. It wasn’t until after his death that clients starting calling it Pilates. Joseph created all the exercises we see in the Pilates repertoire which consists of over 500 exercises using the mat, reformer, wunda chair, cadillac/tower, and barrels. He invented all of the Pilates equipment we use today, which I think is pretty incredible.

The man (1883-1967) was simply ahead of his time. So many recent studies demonstrate the effectiveness of Pilates Method he created:

• In 2018 a systemic review of 23 studies concluded that Pilates is an effective rehabilitation tool to reduce pain and disability (Byrnes et al., 2018)

• In 2011 another systemic review of 16 studies showed that Pilates improves flexibility, balance, and increases muscular endurance (Cruz-Ferreira et al., 2011)

• In 2014 a systemic review of a whopping 152 studies showed significant improvement in pain and function with people with chronic low back pain after consistently doing Pilates (Wells et al., 2014)

• In 2022 a systemic review of 33 studies concluded the Pilates is effective at positively changing body composition, meaning reducing body weight while increasing lean muscle mass and losing body fat (Pereira et al., 2022)

Pilates on the mat and on the apparatus is an effective way to workout. It’s fun and challenging, while being gentle on joints and bodies. Building strength with workouts that feel good.

One of the interesting elements I love about Joseph Pilates Contrology method is he had a philosophy that he believed would bring whole body health. His philosophy gives context to the exercises he designed.

Joseph intended his method to be a mental and physical discipline, a work ethic, and an attitude toward one’s self that would eventually become a consistent habit and a lifestyle.

Joseph wrote in his book "Return to Life Through Contrology": “Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.”

Current research shows time and again that exercise improves mental health reducing anxiety, stress, and depression (Mikkelsen et al., 2017). I truly love being a kinesiologist in the fitness field: movement is medicine for our mind and our bodies :)

All schools of Pilates teach a set of principles that we can apply to our Pilates practice, but also to our daily life. Some schools omit or add certain principles depending on their focus, but this is the set I like best:

• Awareness (proprioception)

• Balanced Muscle Development

• Breath

• Concentration

• Control

• Centring

• Flowing Motion

• Precision

Let’s have some fun exploring each principle over the next few months. And, if desired, we can apply each principle when we workout next.