The Origin of Reformer Pilates
Reformer Pilates offers a number of benefits and with regular practice you’ll notice improved strength, flexibility and muscle tone. At Kaya Health Clubs, we deliver authentic reformer Pilates Classes Prahran and the Melbourne CBD and use traditional methods to achieve optimal results. Today, we’ll be looking at the origins of reformer Pilates and how it developed into the full body workout that our members enjoy every day.
The development of Pilates:
It’s impossible to talk about the origins of Pilates without also talking about Joseph Pilates who overcame childhood ill health to dedicate his life to health and fitness. After being interned in England during World War I due to his German heritage, he began to develop a system of physical exercises which he named “Contrology”. After the war ended, he immigrated to the United States where he and his wife opened a studio where Joseph taught his students his techniques.
Joseph’s studio began to gain a reputation thanks to the impressive results of the exercises and he began to train high profile personalities and ballerinas. As with modern Pilates, Joseph’s techniques had a focus on awareness of the breath, alignment of the spine and abdominal strength. Over time, Joseph’s methods spread across the United States with numerous studios appearing. Following his death in 1967 at age 83, his exercise system became known as the Pilates Method.
The first Pilates reformer:
The evolution of the Pilates reformer began when Joseph Pilates was in the internment camp during World War I, where many patients in the hospital were bed bound. To assist with movement, Joseph attached springs to a bed to help patients engage in resistance exercises without having to stand up. Once Joseph opened his own studio in the 1920s, he refined the design of the Pilates reformer and incorporated this into his exercise system. He understood that exercises could be made far more effective with the added resistance of the springs.
As Pilates has evolved, the reformer has remained an essential piece of equipment and provides an effective (and fun!) way to lengthen and strengthen the muscles of the body. The reformer is able to facilitate a full range of motion which improves flexibility while also providing the necessary resistance to strengthen the muscles. Once your instructor introduces you the reformer, you’ll find that you’re able to work through each exercise with ease.
Authentic Pilates classes:
At Kaya Health Clubs, we offer genuine reformer Pilates classes to help you find your mind and body connection. Our passionate instructors will guide you through each class to help you reach your health and wellness goals. If you’re new to reformer Pilates, we also offer our members complementary introductory courses in Pilates, Yoga & Boxing to assist you in your Pilates practice so you can perfect your technique and avoid injuries.
To give one of our authentic Pilates classes a try, contact Kaya Health Clubs today on 03 9090 1000.
About the Author
Demi fell in love with yoga when she travelled to India when she was 20 years old. She loved the feeling of bliss she experienced both during and after class, and how that feeling would stay with her throughout her day. It was also in India, that Demi learned how much she loved to write about her travels. She believes that stories have power. They delight, enchant, touch, teach, recall, inspire, motivate, challenge. They help us understand. They imprint a picture in our minds. This led her to her job as a Content Writer. She loves helping businesses tell stories. Especially when the stories involve educating readers on the endless benefits of yoga and Pilates- two of her most loved fitness regimes
