Hi all, welcome to my first ever blog! Ill be looking to spread the good word about the joy Pilates! I thought Id take this chance to post an article I had on the website awhile ago. Its one of my favorites. It address the top 5 myths about Pilates. Ive cut it down to 3 for now.  Ill address the others in detail in the future, but lets start here and see what happens.Im looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

The increasing popularity of Pilates is a wonderful thing, but like the game, Telephone, where the meaning of a phrase gets distorted as it is passed along, as word spreads about Pilates, so have some ideas about it that aren’t serving anybody. Here a few of the myths about Pilates that can send Pilates folks into mild hysteria, if not full-on conniptions.

Myth 1.  Pilates is a derivative of yoga.

Ah, this one is causing endless frustration for both Pilates and yoga practitioners, especially teachers who have students come in thinking that yoga and Pilates are interchangeable. Pilates is as much like yoga as a golf ball is to lasagna. Although Joseph Pilates did study yoga, along with many other fitness and body/mind disciplines, Pilates and yoga are very different.

Myth  2. Pilates is just a quick fix for flabby abs.

Well, the truth in this one is that Pilates is a fix for flabby abs. Pilates is well-known for flattening tummies. The reason that Pilates does focus on working from the core, especially the deeper abdominal muscles, is that toning the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles provides stability and freedom of motion throughout the body. This is one of the reasons that Pilates has been so successful for people who have back pain.

However, Pilates does not stop at abdominal work at all. Structural integration and learning to create a flexible, strong body that can move freely and efficiently are important goals of Pilates fitness. To this end, Pilates works all body parts in a very balanced way, not just the abs.

The Pilates method is also a practice of mind/body fitness. Developing a body that works as a harmonious whole requires much more than a calisthenics or spot reduction approach to fitness. The Pilates principles – control, centering, concentration, breath, flow, and precision all support an integrative mind/body experience through Pilates exercise.

Myth  3. Pilates is easy, for wimps.

Hold it while I count to 10, do my breathing exercises and visualize peace! I’ve been hearing this easy Pilates rumor around lately and it just about sends me into orbit.

I think the idea that Pilates is easy comes from a few places. First, Pilates is very adaptable. It can be easy or very hard, depending on the needs of the individual. The ability to modify exercises for different populations is actually one of the greatest strengths of Pilates. Second, the soaring popularity of Pilates has meant that there are many beginner Pilates classes in practically every gym and studio around the country. This is a good thing, but it also means that people are not necessarily exposed to the intermediate and advanced levels of Pilates. Third, Pilates exercises are often done slowly. There is an emphasis on awareness and control that can make an exercise look easy to the casual observer.

I can think of other reasons that Pilates might seem to be easy. It is a popular form of exercise for pregnant women, it is used in rehabilitation, and people of all ages and sizes can do Pilates. Nevertheless, I assure you that the Pilates method presents ongoing challenges for even the fittest athletes (with whom Pilates is also very popular).