Body Control Pilates 
Body Control Pilates is an exercise method that relies on strengthening core postural muscles and developing body alignment. It avoids muscle and ligament damage, sometimes associated with other fitness regimes. Body Control Pilates aims not to create bulging muscles or cardiovascular but to help your whole body (respiratory, lymphatic & circulatory systems) operate effectively and efficiently. The exercise method has its origins in the work of the late Joseph Pilates, who was born in 1880 near Düsseldorf, Germany.
Principles
Central is awareness of your own body, and each exercise is built around its eight basic principles:
- Relaxation
- how to release tension
- Concentration
- being aware of each movement and developing your kinaesthetic sense
- coordination
- managing the breathing and movement
- Centring
- "zip up and hollow" drawing up and in the muscles of the pelvic floor and hollowing the lower abdomen back towards the spine - (see Core Stability for details of how to "zip up and hollow")
- Alignment
- achieving a good posture
- Breathing
- making proper use of the lungs (lateral breathing)
- Stamina
- achieved with the use of muscles more efficiently through proper posture and breathing
- Flowing Movements
- moving without strain or stress
Through the application of these principals in the exercises 'core stability' is achieved, and then maintained, through increasingly complex movement sequences.
The 6 C's
The following are the six principles Larsen (2005)[1] believes defines Pilates.
Concentration
That all-important mind-body connection. A conscious focus on movement enhances body awareness. Focusing the brain on the body part enhances proprioception (the fine-tuned sense of how bits of your body move).
Control
It is not about intensity. It is about the empowerment of having a definite and positive impact on a body part through the activation of critical stability muscles. The ideal technique brings safe, effective results.
Centring
Focusing on the specific muscles that stabilise the pelvis and the scapula underlie a strong core's development and enable the rest of the body to function efficiently. The correct muscles must be taught to hold at a low level for extended periods. Consequently, all action starts from a stable core.
Conscious breathing
Deep, conscious diaphragmatic inhaling patterns initiate any movement, help activate deep stabilising muscles, and keep you focused.
Core alignment
Maintaining a 'neutral' position (joints held in mid-position by deep stabilising muscles) is the key to proper alignment, leading to good posture. You will know your head and neck position on the spine and pelvis, right down through to the legs and toes.
Coordination
Rowing movement results from brain and body working correctly in synergy. The aim is smooth, continuous motion rather than jarring repetitions. Pilates has a grace and elegance to its movement from working 'smarter', not 'harder'. Repetition is used to 'program' the move into your brain.
The benefits
Body Control Pilates is beneficial for
- General fitness and body awareness
- Injury prevention
- Improvement of a technique for athletes
- Remedial and rehabilitation work
- Pregnancy - ante and post-natal
- The elderly
- For children from 12 years old
and helps to
- Increase and create a balance between strength and flexibility
- Create an awareness of and strengthen dynamic stability
- Improve coordination
- Release stress
- Improve posture
References
- LARSEN, U. (2005) Why pilates works, and why we should worry about its trendiness. Peak Performance, 216, p. 5-6
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- MACKENZIE, B. (2003) Body Control Pilates [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/pilates.htm [Accessed