The Pilates Method of physical and mental conditioning is a well thought out philosophy which engages both mind and body.

Life is a process of constant change and constant learning, not only with our minds but with our bodies too. Once you start Pilates classes you will continue to "find your body" on new levels with new depth and insight.

More than 80 years ago Joseph H Pilates, a body builder and circus performer, designed and developed a unique system of body conditioning based on the principle that the body must be trained and controlled through the discipline of the mind. His objective was to make people more bodily aware and to bring mind and body together into a unified well balanced entity.

Joseph Pilates would often refer to a quote by Friedrich von Schiller.... "It is the mind itself which shapes the body".

The Pilates Method of Physical and Mental Conditioning is unique in that it targets the transversus abdominus – the deepest layer of abdominal muscle and one that seldom gets used or promoted in exercises classes, gyms and day to day activities.

Working from the inside out, a Pilates workout will concentrate on the deep core muscles of the body to create a girdle of strength and support for a supple and graceful body.

This makes Pilates an excellent choice for:

• keeping fit and supple
• rehabilitation and pain relief
• antenatal and postnatal mothers
• injury prevention for active sports men and women
• gardeners, manual labourers, dancers and couch potatoes

The strengthening and tightening of the pelvic floor muscles is an additional bonus obtained from practising Pilates. This is particularly beneficial for those suffering from stress incontinence or for an improved sex life for any postnatal mother. See our Medical Pilates sectionfor more on this topic.