Pilates is named after its creator Joseph Pilates who was born in Germany in the late 1880s. He was a sickly child but was determined to overcome his limitations and developed an approach to fitness that drew on many methods to create the perfect balance of strength and flexibility. In 1926, he moved to New York and, with his wife Clara, set up a studio teaching his method to clients including boxers, ballet dancers and athletes.
Body Control Pilates was founded in 1996 to bring the benefits of Pilates to all, safely and effectively, with the overarching idea of preparing the body for the classical Pilates repertoire.
Of course, not everyone wish to reach those levels, most are happy to let Pilates allow them to find a body that feels, works and looks a whole lot better.
Pilates can help correct the poor posture and unhelpful muscle habits that develop in us throughout life. These are caused by, among other things, our sedentary lifestyle, inherited characteristics, stress and injury. With practice you will find that Pilates can help restore good posture and natural normal movement.
In short, Pilates is a mental and physical body-conditioning programme that uses exercises to change the way we use our bodies.