​   Pilates at West Pennant Hills

Pilates Today

 

After 16 years of living in Edinburgh, and 19 years of training in and teaching Pilates, I have returned to my hometown of West Pennant Hills. I have worked with a variety of clients in my 15 years of teaching, from tri-athletes and sports enthusiasts, to clients recovering from illness, injury or surgery. There are many benefits to Pilates, including;

 

   - improved performance in other sports

   - to address imbalances in the body caused by repetitive actions, such as work related tasks or sports

   - strength, flexibility, stamina, better balance and co-ordination

   - to tone and lengthen muscles

   - rehabilitation after injury or surgery

   - to relax and de-stress, to find a deeper connection to the body/mind

   - improved posture

   - improved breathing

   - improved digestive function and circulation

   - decreased posture related aches and pains such as;

      - head aches, neck ache, shoulder tension

      - stiff upper back

      - tight / weak lower back

      - hip, knee, lower leg and foot pain

pilates in west pennant hills

Pilates is also excellent for pre, ante and post-natal Mothers. I have had a lot of experience taking Mothers through their full term, and beyond. Many common complaints of pregnancy can be eased or alleviated with Pilates. It is also a great way to recover your body after the rigours of labor, particularly the core muscles which can suffer greatly during this time, and to build the strength needed for all that comes afterwards, and to give you the time out that you deserve, for yourself.

 

 

 

pilates in west pennant hills

About Joseph Pilates.

 

'Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenence of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.'

pilates in west pennant hills

'With body, mind and spirit functioning perfectly as a coordinated whole, what else could reasonably be expected other than an active, alert, disciplined person? Moreover, such a body freed from nervous tension and over-fatigue is the ideal shelter provided by nature for housing a well-balanced mind that is always fully capable of successfully meeting all the complex problems of modern living.'

pilates in west pennant hills

These are words from the book 'Return to Life Through Contrology' written by Joseph H. Pilates, published in 1945. It is a must for any Pilates enthusiast's reading list, and a great insight into the mind of the man who created what is now a technique known and practiced in many parts of the modern world.

pilates in west pennant hills

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1883,  his Father was a gymnast and his Mother a naturopath. Joe is said to have been quite sick as a child, suffering from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever, and dedicated his life to improving his physical health. He did body building, yoga, gymnastics, boxing, martial arts, and was even a circus performer. He came to the belief that our modern lifestyle, bad posture and inefficient breathing were contributing factors to poor health. Pilates, previously known as 'Contrology', is Joe's response to those challenges. Return to Life documents the 34 exercises that make up what we refer to today as the Classical Pilates Repertoire.

pilates in west pennant hills

Joe was also an inventor, and he built a number of studio apparatus including The Reformer, The Cadillac, The Wunda Chair and Ladder Barrel to name a few, to further explore and improve the workings of the human body and his method. In New York he had his studio with wife Clara, were he trained dancers and athletes, and even the common man (much to their horror I am sure, as seen in video footage of the era), well into the 1960's. I was privalidged enough recently to do Pilates in his original studio, a humbling expereince to be in the place where it all began. Joe was a firm believer of the body / mind connection, and a pioneer in his field. There were a number of original students Joe passed his teachings on to, some of whom are still teaching today, including Lolita San Miguel, whom I had the pleasure of attending a Classical Pilates workshop with in London, where she shared many stories of her time working with Joseph Pilates.

pilates in west pennant hills

A truly inspirational man, without whom there would be no Pilates, and I'd probably still be punishing myself in kitchens........

pilates in west pennant hills