I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure.
The concepts of the Pilates method
There are six principles of the Pilates Method. All are related and integrated in each exercise
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Concentration
Concentration is the key to connecting the mind and the body. The mind is the thing that puts the body into action. When we pay real attention to the movements we make, we are able to feel much more the area we are working.
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Control
Each movement is performed with control from the centre of the body. All movements are slow and controlled; they must be performed at a steady speed from start to finish.
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Core
Pilates named the core as the Powerhouse. All the energy necessary to perform the exercises is generated here and flows to the extremities, coordinating the movements. Whatever the movement, whether it’s raising an arm or bending a leg, it starts at our core.
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Fluency
In Pilates there are no static or isolated movements and quick, sharp movements are avoided – agility predominates over speed.
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Precision
Each movement has a purpose so it is important to focus attention on making precise and perfect movements, instead of doing them in an uncontrolled way.
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Breathing
To expand his idea of total exercise, Pilates further developed his method in order to cleanse the bloodstream through oxygenation. By using deep, full breaths and exhalations, you renew the oxygen.