A TRULY UNIQUE EXERCISE METHOD
Imagine an exercise program that rewards you with the suppleness of a trained dancer, restoring muscular balance to your body while improving your posture.

Imagine an exercise program that helps heal muscular and soft tissue pain, while it builds the strength to prevent further injury from occurring.

Imagine an exercise program that uses your entire body, not just isolated muscle groups.

Imagine an exercise program you look forward to, that engages you, leaving you refreshed and alert with a feeling of physical and mental well-being.

The PILATES METHOD of Physical and Mental Conditioning will do all of this, and more. PILATES is a proven and acclaimed conditioning program that has helped people strengthen and empower their bodies since the 1920s.

PILATES IS INCREASING IN POPULARITY
Every aspect of a PILATES workout is pleasurable because the movement is flowing and buoyant. Completing a workout will leave you feeling refreshed and energized. Everyday tension has dissipated, your muscles feel massaged and completely relaxed. There is also an aesthetic reward. The PILATES trained body is lithe, toned and supple. Several individuals who have been trained in the PILATES METHOD are: Katherine Hepburn, Jessica Lange, Candice Bergen, James Taylor, Patrick Swayze, and Jody Foster, to name a few.

WHAT IS THE PILATES METHOD?
The PILATES METHOD, developed by the legendary physical trainer Joseph Pilates, is a full body exercise system. Emphasizing body alignment and correct breathing, PILATES uses the abdomen, lower back, and buttocks as a power center, enabling the rest of the body to move freely. A series of controlled exercises and specialized equipment create variable resistance for muscular exertion. The primary mechanism used in PILATES is the UNIVERSAL REFORMER, a bed-like platform with a carriage that slides along tracks. The carriage may be moved by pushing against a bar or pulling leather straps with the arms or legs. Exercises are performed from a reclining, sitting, kneeling, standing, or piking position. Other areas of the body may be strengthened on the CADILLAC, BARREL, CHAIR, and MAT.

WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THE PILATES METHOD?
Joseph Pilates believed that corrective exercises should begin with education and total body conditioning. Over 500 specifically designed exercises were conceived by Joseph to develop the body uniformly. Control and proper form are basic principles in PILATES. Against the practice of repetitive exercise Joseph preferred fewer, more precise motions. This mind-body technique is a more efficient way of exercising. As your mind is directed through your body's movement, a new awareness is experienced. PILATES sessions are tailored to the needs of each student. Lessons are usually done one-to-one with a trainer, or in closely supervised small groups. Joseph Pilates told his students, "You will feel better in 10 sessions, look better in 20 sessions, and have a completely new body in 30 sessions."

WHO SHOULD USE PILATES?
PILATES is accessible to anyone, young old, athletic, sedentary, or in physical therapy. PILATES is for individuals who want to improve their strength and flexibility without building bulk. Practiced regularly, PILATES aides in preventing muscle and soft tissue injury. Not surprisingly, the first people to use the Method were dancers, such as Martha Graham and George Balanchine. Ultimately discovered by physical therapists, chiropractors, and orthopedists, PILATES was found to be an exceptionally beneficial adjunct in the rehabilitation of patients. A rise in the health conscious public for a safe and effective exercise program has prompted a growing number of people to enthusiastically embrace the PILATES METHOD as their primary exercise regimen.

WHO WAS JOSEPH PILATES?
As a child, Joseph Pilates sought ways to develop his frail body, which created his life long interest in body conditioning and physical culture. A native of Germany, he grew to become an accomplished skier, diver, gymnast, and boxer. While interned in England during World War I, for his German citizenship, Joseph became a nurse. His experiments in resistance using springs attached to a hospital bed, strengthened immobilized patients. Joseph's revolutionary discoveries led him to design the MAT exercises and the UNIVERSAL REFORMER, which became the foundation of the PILATES METHOD. In 1926, Joseph emigrated to the United States with his exercise system, which has grown in sophistication and popularity until today. Currently, the PILATES METHOD is used by dance companies throughout the world, as well as Olympic and professional athletes, sports teams, and private fitness centers. Classes in the PILATES METHOD are now available in many cities across the United States and around the world.

A SPECTRUM OF BENEFITS
Everyday activities such as sitting, standing, running, playing sports, dancing, or working out in a gym, strengthen some muscle groups; but may leave other muscle groups weaker and underdeveloped. The resulting muscular imbalance may never be noticed as such, but it can eventually become a source of fatigue, discomfort, pain, and even immobility. The PILATES METHOD of Physical and Mental Conditioning facilitates muscular harmony and balance. People who consistently use the PILATES METHOD discover that without conscious effort they improve their posture, move more gracefully, sleep better, and develop firmer, sleeker, and more powerful muscles. Joseph PILATES spent more than 50 years refining his exercise system that used memory and musculature to create mental and physical harmony. His goals are achieved as each PILATES student demonstrates the full measure of his or her capabilities.