Q :: What is pilates?

A :: Pilates, pioneered by the late Joseph Pilates, is a mind-body exercise system to strengthen the weak and challenge the strong. Pilates (1880 - 1967) was a German expatriate who first made his mark in England during WW1 when he developed a series of exercises and innovative equipment to help prisoners of war regain strength and mobility. Exercises can be performed on a mat or specialized equipment.

When Mr. Pilates immigrated to New York, the professional dance community there discovered his conditioning techniques could help prevent injury and improve strength while maintaining long, even muscle tone. Martha Graham and George Balanchine were both students of his, and two of the first celebrities to benefit from doing pilates.

Q :: What is STOTT PILATES®?

A :: Developed by professionals for professionals, STOTT PILATES® is an anatomically-based approach to the original exercise method. It is a progression in pilates that incorporates modern exercise science and rehabilitation principles, eliminates contraindicated movements and emphasizes neutral alignment, core stability and peripheral mobility.

The STOTT PILATES® repertoire consists of more than 500 systematic, mind-body exercises that can be performed on a mat or on specialized equipment pieces. A fitness program for a lifetime, STOTT PILATES® is ideal for everyone from young adults to aging baby boomers, and post-rehab patients to elite athletes.

Q :: What does pilates do for the body?

A :: STOTT PILATES® conditioning will help you develop optimal strength, flexibility, endurance, and posture, without building bulk or stressing your joints. The perfect compliment to cardiovascular exercise, athletic training or rehabilitation, STOTT PILATES® exercises will leave you looking toned, feeling revitalized and moving with ease.

Q :: Why all the sudden interest?

A :: It seems that pilates is all over newspapers, magazines and TV lately. People are becoming increasingly more interested in fitness modalities that help relieve stress. They're also much more interested in prevention and taking care of their bodies. They want to stay fit and look good for as long as possible.

Pilates is complimentary to many ways of working out. It's excellent for an aging population. Its mind-body aspect is even said to be useful in preventing stress-related illnesses, like heart disease.

Q :: Who benefits from pilates? Is it good for everyone?

A :: No form of exercise is appropriate for everyone, but STOTT PILATES® is appropriate for most people. As with any exercise method, you should always consult with a medical expert before beginning an exercise regime. A modified program may be recommended if you have any physical limitations.

Q :: Is it true that a lot of athletes do pilates? Isn't it more for women than men?

A :: Despite its slow, careful movements, pilates is not for wimps! Pro athletes like Eddie Balfour and Martina Navratilova benefit from using STOTT PILATES® equipment and instruction. STOTT PILATES® places importance on core stability and rebalancing the muscles making them work more efficiently. This helps prevent injury and improves athletic ability.

Train your body and mind

Q :: What are the benefits?

A :: When taught effectively STOTT PILATES®:

• Enhances core strength and stability
  
• Is gentle on joints
  
• Improves posture and alignment
  
• Increases flexibility
  
• Improves muscular balance and strength
  
• Increases endurance and muscular tone
  
• Prevents injury
  
• Enhances athletic performance
  
• Relieves stress and back pain
  
• Improves balance and coordination
  
• Heightens body awareness

Q :: The pilates commercials on TV claim I can lose weight. Is this true?

A :: Co-founder Moira Merrithew agrees that while pilates can aid in losing weight, it's not as easy or as fast as some would make it seem. "Commercials are effective marketing tools," she says, "but science does not back up pilates programs that position themselves as calorie burning systems." The pilates method of exercise is not aerobic (cardiovascular), which, along with a sensible diet, is necessary for burning fat.

Pilates will help strengthen, build and tone muscle mass. Muscles are metabolically active tissue, "Skeletal muscles are responsible for more than 25 percent of our calorie use. An increase in muscle tissue causes a corresponding increase in our metabolic rate."

The relationship also works the other way. A strong healthy muscle will metabolize fat much more effectively than a weak, non-fit muscle. Because pilates strengthens muscles, people who practice it regularly become more effective at metabolizing calories, which had been stored as fat.