Joe Pilates says, “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 daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.”
That’s quite a lot to unpack. If you believe physical fitness is merely attaining or maintaining a healthy weight, then you may choose to do cardio exercise, such as running. This will help to strengthen your legs and your heart, but can often overtax the heart, especially if you have underlying or undetected heart conditions, not to mention place undo stress and burden on the joints. If flexibility is important, you may try yoga, but you’d be missing out on other aspects of functional fitness, uniform muscular development, and corrective exercises. While many other forms of exercise have their benefits, they are incomplete in fulfilling the goals as stated above.
Let’s start with ‘uniform development’ and typical weight training. There are over 650 muscles in the human body, large muscles that move our bones, smaller muscles in our hands and feet, even smaller facial muscles, a host of muscles just to support the pelvic floor, one heart muscle, and other smooth muscles that surround your organs and help them function properly. If our bodies were designed to function as a whole, with each muscle cooperating and aiding one another, then we should choose a fitness regimen that trains us in that way. Developing minor muscles naturally helps to strengthen the major muscles, which in turn help us perform our daily activities with minimal effort. Merely focusing on developing any particular set of muscles at the expense of others, creates imbalance, which can lead to injuries and loss of flexibility. Joe said, “true flexibility can only be achieved when all muscles are uniformly developed.” Now, depending on what your goals, or ‘daily tasks’ require, you will need to train differently to meet those demands, and Pilates can adapt to help you do that, but, in general, if our brains control our movements, and whole movements are represented in our central nervous system, not individual muscle reflexes, then our exercise routine should mimic that function. The result is our everyday, unconscious movements become more natural and less exhausting.
Now, what is a Sound Mind? According to the dictionary, it means sane or rational. But, as we know, Joe was an avid follower of ancient Greek philosophers and teachings, so we can look at the Greek translation of ‘sound mind’, Sophroneo, which means a stable, healthy mind, under the control of our spirit, to aid in self-control, discipline, and sound judgement. It is linked to our attitude and outlook on Life. In his studio, and as often told by people who knew him, Joe was famous for quoting the Roman motto: “Mens sana in corpore sano”, A Sane Mind, in a Sound Body. He said, ‘when the body, mind and spirit are functioning perfectly as a coordinated whole, what else could reasonably be expected other than an active, alert, and disciplined person”. Self-confidence, poise, and the consciousness of possessing the power to accomplish our desires’ with a renewed interest in life are the natural results of practicing his method.
Lastly, if Yoga can provide physical, mental and spiritual benefits, then how is Pilates different? True, there are some similarities, but the approaches and goals are different. Joe Pilates explained his method as, “Corrective Exercise”, meaning it was designed to correct muscular and skeletal imbalances, poor posture that could hinder breath and organ function, and spinal issues. It can also build or reawaken thousands of otherwise dormant brain cells through precise, coordinated movements. Neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s Disease and MS have been improved with diligent practice. The use of spring-resistance equipment that act as ‘extra muscles’, in order to give support and assistance to movements you would otherwise not be able to do on your own, makes Pilates stand out in its own unique way.
Pilates is proven to be effective at restoring physical fitness, and creating balance from the inside-out. It’s a system and philosophy that balances work with rest, strength with flexibility, willpower with flow, and mastery of the mind with complete control of the body. With all of that, it is no doubt a prerequisite for happiness.
Give your body the care that your well-being deserves! Live life with “Zest and Pleasure”!
