Reclaiming Wellness: Joseph Pilates’ Legacy at Henry Mayo Health & Fitness

Originally, Joseph Pilates set out on his quest to create effective exercise programs because the activities he enjoyed later in life – boxing, gymnastics, skiing, and weightlifting, to name a few – simply hadn’t been accessible due to his poor health in his early years.
A few of the health problems he was prone to as a child included back pain and respiratory problems. Tired of being sick, in his teenage years he began to research both conventional and Eastern approaches to wellness, and by his 20’s, he was in such good shape that he and his brother were able to join a traveling circus.
A few key principles that allowed Joseph Pilates to improve and maintain his health as he continued to live into his 80’s are fundamental to the exercises in a Pilates class today, and parallel his love of adventure and his own aging process.
For example, core strength can be a massive advantage in both weightlifting and in overall back health. Many Pilates exercises challenge the core’s ability to keep the spine in a neutral posture. Especially during compound lifts that place demands on multiple muscle groups at once, the spine can safely handle much heavier loads when it is kept straight.
Also, a neutral spine is important during daily life, especially as we deal with gravity over the years. Over time, both the pull of gravity and hours spent either sitting or on our feet all day can have a tendency to exaggerate or minimize the healthy curvature of the spinal column. A Pilates program challenges the core’s resilience and ability to return the back’s resting position to a neutral spine.
To give this a try, call Henry Mayo Fitness and Health at (661) 200-2348 to book your intro Pilates sessions!