HEALTH PROMOTION

BODY CONTROL PILATES

By Lynne Robinson & Paul Massey

History The technique was developed by Joseph Pilates who was born in Dusseldorf in the 1880s and who from childhood had been plagued by ill health. He turned to various fitness programmes to improve his body image, becoming a keen sportsman who developed talents in sports as varied as diving, martial arts, fencing, skiing, gym- nastics and boxing. Pilates was drawn from each of these different disciplines. In the 1920s and in the absence of a formal train- ing programme in Pilates, teachers trained by apprenticeship to a studio, before mov- ing on to establish their own studios. The way this method has grown has led to many different types of Pilates being now available. In this article, we will talk specifi- cally about the Body Control Pilates method.

The Pilates method has been performed in the UK since the 1970s but, until recently, has been almost exclusively based in London at expensive studios with exercises focused on the use of specially-designed equipment. The Body Control Pilates Group has made Pilates more ‘user-friendly’ by taking it out of exclusive studios and breaking down tradi- tional classical Pilates exercises in such a way that they can be taught progressively and safely on a one to one basis or in a group mat work environment.

Body Control Pilates method Body Control Pilates offers both mental and physical training and is inherently different to other fitness techniques in that it tar- gets the deep postural muscles, building strength from the inside out, developing core stability, rebalancing the body and

18 SportEX DEFINITION

Pilates is based on the principle of rebalancing the body and bringing it into correct postural alignment through the use of slow controlled movements and exercises that target the core postural muscles.

bringing it into correct postural alignment. Pilates will also improve posture, achieving the perfect balance between strength and flexibility, and is a great way to relieve unwanted stress and tension.

7. Flowing movements 8. Stamina

The overall aim of the programme is to restore natural normal movement patterns to the body by improving focus and propri- oception and restoring correct postural alignment. Lateral thoracic breathing tech- niques are taught to make breathing more efficient. Clients are taught to recognise their neutral pelvic and spinal position in a variety of settings, before learning how to engage the deep pos-

tural muscles which stabilise the lumbar spine - in particu- lar, the pelvic floor muscles, tranversus abdominis, and multifidus.

Just as it’s ideal for athletes looking to enhance their performance and avoid the risk of injury, it is equally suitable for first- time exercisers. Its slow, controlled approach means that it gives much longer- term results - it is particularly recommend- ed for those who suffer from chronic back pain, stress-related conditions, osteoporo- sis, osteoarthritis and women’s health problems, amongst others.

Eight key principles underlie all exercises: 1. Relaxation 2. Concentration 3. Alignment 4. Centring (Core Stability) 5. Breathing 6. Co-ordination

Any cheating mechanisms are identi- fied and the use of over-dominant mus- cles discouraged. Once scapular and pelvic stability are mas- tered, the ‘girdle of strength’ is complete and flowing movement sequences are added, simple at first, but becoming increasingly challenging as co-ordination skills develop. Load is later added to fur- ther challenge the client. In this way mus- cle imbalances are redressed and normal movement patterns are restored.

Sports medicine role Body Control Pilates has been used by a number of high profile sportsmen such as Pat Cash who reported that the advanced exercises were some of the toughest he’d ever done. He still uses the stretches and exercises. Pilates has, over the last two years, been used increasingly in elite sport. It is now used by the England cricket team at all training camps to complement exist- ing training techniques. In addition the Kent, Essex, Northampton, Sussex, Glamorgan and Gloucestershire cricket teams all ensure that their players have regular Body Control Pilates sessions and