Pilates is not just about strength… It’s also about learning balance, grace, and fluidity.
Pilates is not your average workout routine, and we know you already know this.
It goes beyond just strengthening your physical body.
Unlike aerobics or endurance training, Joseph Pilates created Pilates with a goal in mind:
to strengthen the coordination of your body, mind, and spirit.
We know it sounds too spiritual and abstract. Seems improbable to achieve just by working out on a Pilates reformer with tower.
However, thanks to Joseph Pilates’ devotion to spreading this life-changing workout, he wrote a book, Return To Life. Where he explained how to achieve these elements through the Pilates principle.
And yes, it’s achievable! But you don’t need to read his entire book just to learn these principles. We already did that for you…
So keep reading and achieve the balance, grace, and fluidity that you’ve always wanted with Pilates.
Learn The 6 Principles Of Pilates
1. Breathing
“Breathing is the first act of life and the last. Our very life depends on it.” - Joseph Pilates
Tell us if you’re guilty of this…
While working out on your Pilates reformer, you always want to end strong. So every time you do your Pilates workout, you hold your breath when exerting effort. Correct?
We hate to tell you but… That’s not the Pilates principle way.
Holding your breath while working out compromises your health by increasing your blood pressure and lactic acid build-up and it can also induce muscle spasms due to a lack of oxygen.
So it’s vital that you practice proper breathing every day, and not just when you’re working out.
Also, keep in mind that breathing is a form of meditation that helps you relax.
So with breathing, you energize your body by increasing oxygen while helping your mind and spirit relax with every exhale.
2. Concentrate
“Concentrate on correct movements each time you exercise, lest you do them improperly and thus lose all the vital benefits of their value” - Joseph Pilates
It’s easy for the mind to wander when you’re working out, right?
Your physical body is actively exercising on an AeroPilates reformer but your mind is thinking about a work project that you need to finish soon to meet your deadline.
Then you suddenly come back to the present moment realizing that you’re already out of form. It happens…
And we all know that improper form is counterproductive and can cause injury.
He also added that when you concentrate on your movement, you’re not just strengthening your muscles, you’re also teaching your mind to live in the moment.
3. Control
“We should wisely select as our pattern of life in this modern age that which excludes constant pushing, shoving, rushing, crowding, and wild scrambling all so characteristic of our day” - Joseph Pilates
When you’re doing your Pilates workout on a Peak Pilates fit reformer you must do it with grace.
Imagine you’re a ballet dancer…
When you lift your hands to move them away from your body, you must do it with grace. When you pull your body on the Pilates reformer carriage, you must do it smoothly.
Pilates is like the art of dancing. And like in dancing, every movement has meaning, you must do it with control and precision…
4. Precision
… And speaking of precision.
Having an accurate form or movement is not merely for vanity or to simply achieve grace, it is for the good of your muscles.
Precision and control work closely because both of these principles help you avoid injury, and optimize your Pilates workout.
5. Flow
What came to your mind when you read the word flow?
Same here! We pictured a flowing river. It continuously and smoothly flows despite the rocks on its path.
So just like the river, you must perform each Pilates movement fluidly, with no jerking movement.
The flow principle teaches you to learn how to transition from one Pilates position to another seamlessly. This helps you create a graceful motion that improves your control over your muscle to strengthen them and increase stamina.
6. Center
Have you heard of the term Pilates powerhouse?
Pilates powerhouse is made up of our core muscles. And Joseph Pilates believed that our powerhouse is the center of our energy that fuels our whole body.
He is not wrong, you know. Having weak core muscles can spread to your entire body like a disease. Let’s take back pain as an example.
Imagine having chronic back pain… Will it affect your posture?
Definitely!
You’d probably be hunching all the time to relieve pressure on your lower back.
Or you’d carry your bag on one side of your shoulder because the other side is always in pain. This habit can lead to the development of scoliosis, which in turn will affect your gait.
And it doesn’t end there, back pain can affect your personal life too. It can hinder you from enjoying quality time with your family and friends.
This is why learning how to use your center energy is very important, it will give you the power you need to control your movement and perform each movement fluidly and precisely.
Live as one: Unify your body, mind, and spirit…
Each of these principles may seem detached from one another, well… Except for the ones we pointed out as closely connected.
So we created somewhat a relaxing formula that will help you further understand the deep connection amongst the Pilates principles.
Let’s begin…
Read it carefully, imagine yourself doing it, and feel the rhythm of each word.
Start your Pilates workout by breathing slowly to relax your muscles. Meditate on how your lungs expand when you inhale and how your body relaxes when you exhale.
Now, perform your Pilates workout by concentrating on the movement you’re doing; focus on your limbs, feel your body - is it in pain? Is it relaxed? Is it comfortable?
And as you move your limbs, gracefully control them… Bring them precisely where they should be with finesse and fluidity.
Let the energy from your center flow throughout your body. With your breath, push your energy towards your limbs but do not overdo it, control it and be precise.
How did that make you feel?
Remember, there is a right way: the Pilates principle way
Here’s a recap of the 6 principles of Pilates that you must take to heart:
- Breathe slowly… Savor each inhale and exhales
- Concentrate, live the moment and become the moment
- Gracefully control your movement
- Be precise with your action
- Flow like a river
- Activate your center and let your energy flow throughout your body, mind, and spirit
You’re now ready to master Pilates principles! Check our Pilates Reformer catalogue and find the perfect equipment that will help you unify your body, mind, and spirit.
