8 Pilates Facts You Might Not Know

I am naturally curious, and love to understand the ins and outs of things. The same goes for my workouts! I want to know why I am doing what I am doing. Keep reading for eight interesting Pilates facts and history that you just might not know. 

1. Pilates was Originally Called Contrology. When Joseph H. Pilates developed his exercise method, the original name was “Contrology”. Pilates is very much about control; controlling your body’s movements, moderating your breathing, performing the moves in the right order (choreography), and using the equipment properly. As you progress in your training, though, the movements become more familiar, your breath comes easier, and you can perform the choreography without much thought. With practice, you become stronger and more flexible, and you also become much more controlled. 

2. Joseph Pilates was a Boxer. He was also a weight trainer, gymnast, yogi, martial artist, and wrestler! Joseph had been a sickly child, and it is said that he taught himself all of these methods to improve his physical strength. He devoted his life to learning about anatomy and fitness, eventually developing his own method, Contrology. 

3. The First Contrology Students Were Men. Joseph began coaching others in fitness while he was interned in an English camp in WWI, and his first students were prisoners and injured German soldiers. It was after this that he began to develop the functional strength exercises that we now know as Pilates. 

4. The Wunda Chair was Meant for the Home. Functional exercise, functional furniture? The Pilates apparatus was originally designed for home use. It was meant to be used as a chair that you then could turn over to do your workout on.

5. Mat Work is Homework? Joseph Pilates wanted everyone to be able to do his method. His book, “Pilates’ The Return to Life Through Contrology”, is a step-by-step guide to the mat work.  The mat work was assigned as homework, while the apparatus was what his clients used in the studio. Here are my favourite Pilates homework exercises. 

6. Push Ups are a Pilates Exercise. Okay, Joseph Pilates didn’t invent pushups. However, pushups are a functional strength exercise – a movement pattern with a purpose beyond the exercise itself. Joseph Pilates saw that by training multiple parts of the body at one time, the whole body benefits. For example, less injuries. Pushups can be a tough functional exercise, and one that you will see in your Pilates workout! 

7. Your Feet Will Get Fit. It is common to hear that Pilates will strengthen our core. And it will! As an instructor, though, I also hear my surprised clients say “but I am using my foot/arms/butt.” My reply is “Great! That’s what we want.” That is because like functional strength training (hello, pushups), Pilates works out your entire body – including your feet. Look at it like you are getting more bang for your buck – you are working it all at once! 

8. Your Mind Will Get Fit, Too. When I run, I will often get into “the zone” and just… run! My body knows what to do without even thinking about it. In comparison, Pilates takes a LOT of focus and concentration to do well. As mentioned in #1, Pilates is about learning control. It turns out that the more controlled you get, and the more in-tune you become with your body, the more challenging the method becomes. Which muscles do I need to use to get into a better position? Which ones need to relax? Your mind is working out along with your body. 

Did you learn some new Pilates facts? Ready to try something new, too? In addition to regular Pilates classes, we also offer personal training, private classes, and an at-home workout app. Let’s talk about how to get more fitness into your life.