Karen

Joseph Pilates

Joesph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. As a child Joe suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. To improve his health he devised an exercise regime, which drew inspiration from Zen, Yoga, ancient Greek and Roman body movements and alignment routines.

His method of conditioning worked so well, that he eventually became a diver, skier, boxer and gymnast. He was even asked to pose for official anatomy charts because of his ideal posture and muscular build.

In 1919 he was placed under forced internment in England. While there, the men in his platoon followed his fitness regime. He took springs from the bottom of beds and attached them to walls to assist with the rehabilitation of those injured in the war. Although influenza killed many people that year, no one in his platoon caught the disease, proving that Pilates will help with the immune system.

Joseph Pilates believed we should study animals and children; watch how cats move and see how children play. As we get older, we can remain in charge of our future by improving flexibility. Flexibility, like strength, can be increased at any age.

Our bodies were made to move. Let the movements of the Pilates Method maintain flexibility, strength, balance, stability and mobility in your body. During pregnancy, let the Pilates Method show you how to release and strengthen muscles when they are needed.

Pilates

Discover muscles in your body you never knew you had! Pilates is a great way to tone the body, create agility, improve balance and strength. At SYL students learn to move with awareness and conscious learning using the laws of gravity and biomechanics.

Benefits

� Be more relaxed to focus on your favorite activity.
� Enhance healthy breathing.
� Reduce PMS symptoms.
� Reduce the possibility of injury or reinjury (RSI).
� Improve joint stability and mobility.
� Build core strength.
� Increase balance and awareness.
� Improve your everyday movements.
� Increase sports agility.
� Tone the body.
� Use for post rehab and general conditioning.
� Improve your sex life, and
� Reduce incontinence.

The Pilates Method

Pilates is a system of physical conditioning and rehabilitation developed by Joseph Pilates, over seventy years ago.

It consists of a number of routines that strengthen the body and build awareness. There are 7 principles that guide training:

Concentration on every movement in your body.
Centering. Find your center. It's your powerhouse.
Breathing. Controlled breathing eases movement.
Control adds effect to your exercise.
Precision brings grace and flow to your actions.
Isolation. Focus on strengthening weaker muscles.
Routine. Commit to doing the exercises regularly.

Today Pilates has evolved to include post rehab, general conditioning and athletic enhancement. It's basic philosphy can be summed up this way:

Relax your mind and breath.
Visualize what you are moving.
Focus on quality over quantity.
Let SYL Pilates be invasive in all you do.
Believe in yourself.
Make a commitment to do the exercises.

Our Goals: To make a positive difference in the lives of people who choose to live a healthier lifestyle. To provide convenient, quality products and service. To assist with vitality in life, with less pain and strain and to see others develop self awareness. To teach others to achieve their mind, body and spirit connection.

Feldenkrais�, Feldenkrais Method�, Functional Integration�, Awareness Through Movement�, Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner(cm), and Friends of Feldenkrais(sm) are service marks of the FELDENKRAIS GUILD� of North America.