What is Pilates?

Most of you know what Pilates is already, but I myself found it quite difficult to explain it to somebody else when I started teaching, so I thought it would be good for me to give you a description here and it is also fitting to start this blog with this subject.

Pilates was developed by the late Joseph Pilates in the early 1900's, and has received renewed attention since the 1990's. Papa Joe titled his exercise program "Contrology: The science and art of coordinated body-mind-spirit development through natural movements under strict control of the will". My next post will tell you more about the history of Pilates.

The Pilates method is a low-impact form of exercise, designed to develop muscular strength, balance, flexibility and efficiency of movement while developing coordination and body awareness. With an emphasis on breath, and mental focus, Pilates is a highly effective way to stretch, strengthen and streamline your body without building bulk or stressing your joints.
Pilates can help to increase spinal range of motion, strengthen abdominal and back muscles, create symmetry within your body and increase general flexibility. This form of exercise is often recommended for people with certain spinal conditions because of its focus on flexibility of the spine and its attention to correct posture.

Traditionally, most exercises focus on the 'cosmetic' or superficial muscles of the body, the muscles that you can see, in an attempt to make you look better. People tend to forget about the 'foundation' or stabilizing muscles that keep the body stable and intact.
The primary focus in Pilates is on strengthening the deep lying muscles or stabilizers of the "Powerhouse" (core) of the body, which is the abdomen, pelvis, including the lower back and buttocks, and shoulder girdle. The result is a strong flexible body, with muscles that are lengthened and toned, rather than isolated areas of muscle mass.
If your body is your house, then your foundation is your core. There is irrefutable evidence that a strong core is important since it provides the foundation for the limbs to move in sports. Not only that, a strong core is where all the power and energy to play a sport come from. In addition to improving performance, it will help reduce the the risk of injury.
Flexibility, balance and concentration (the mind body connection) are other key components of total fitness that have been largely ignored by other conditioning methods. So a Pilates workout will leave you feeling better.

Who should do Pilates?

Pilates can be beneficial for virtually all ages (growing teenagers to the elderly), fitness levels (physically active and the sedentary) and body conditions (skinny to flabby). Pilates was originally used as a tool for rehabilitation by dancers and athletes but it can be used as a fitness regime for a lifetime. The method is like a bridge between physical fitness and physical therapy, and exercises can be adapted, modified and tailored to an individual's needs or abilities.

However, Pilates is not a cardiovascular workout, nor will you come out of a workout perspiring. Many people believe that they have not really worked out if they do not perspire, but this is not completely true. Burning calories is also not the main focus of Pilates. Nevertheless, continued Pilates practice helps strengthen, sculpt and tone the body while building long, lean muscles, and you will tend to look and feel better, whether the number on the scale goes down or not. And in combination with other exercise programs such as walking and swimming etc, Pilates can be an integral part of a program for weight loss.

Pilates class format & apparatus
Classes can be taken on a one-on-one basis or in small groups, up to preferably eight participants, in order to allow personal attention and tailoring the programs to individual needs and abilities.

A Pilates workout is gentle and controlled with no sudden jarring actions and there are over 500 different exercises described in the Pilates Method. These exercises are performed either on a mat or on special apparatus. Mat-based workouts are very convenient as they can be done anywhere. However, a mat workout will provide no added resistance, unless additional equipment such as a fitness circle, a flex band, a ball or other equipment is used to provide added resistance and balance work.

Apparatus sessions can include work on the Reformer, Cadillac, Chair, and Barrel. The reformer is the key piece of equipment used in Pilates exercise, and a reformer workout will add resistance to your routine and can correct muscular imbalances better than a mat routine would.
The Reformer glides forward & backwards on rollers and uses springs for resistance, along with other attachments, for a wide variety of exercises and positions (i.e. lying down, seated & standing.) In using springs for resistance, the equipment provides gradual resistance as your muscles contract, which ensures the muscles are being worked properly. There is greater resistance at the muscles' strongest point of contraction & less resistance on the initiation/completion of the contraction so there is less stress on tendons and ligaments.
Emphasis is placed on the eccentric contraction (lengthening of the muscles) throughout the workout, as this improves the muscles quicker.

The other apparatus, the Cadillac, Chair and Barrel, are highly versatile and have their own distinct features and benefits and a broad variety of stretching and strengthening exercises can be done on them.

What is Yoga?

I believe a lot of people are confused by all the different styles of yoga and do not clearly understand that yoga is not just a form of exercise, so in this post I aim to present a small summary of the concept of yoga as I understand it. This little summary might not be completely correct and it might give rise to some discussion or constructive criticism, which I appreciate. This summary was written on my return from India after studying with the Ashtanga Yoga guru Pattabhi Jois, which I blogged here.

What is yoga?

Literally yoga means "union" or "to yoke". Yoga is the union of breath with the body, of the mind with the muscles, and the self (or soul) with the divine. Yoga is not a religion and does not require you to believe in a certain God or chant certain mantras. It is an ancient Indian discipline which leads to health in the body, peace in the mind, joy in the heart and liberation of the soul. Liberation of the soul? In this context, I believe liberation of the soul does not mean union with the divine after death, but liberation from anger, greed, worry, desires, despair and depression.

Often the reason for our unhappiness on a personal level is the fact that we are constantly at odds between our mind and our heart, our desires and our fears. We feel alone, anxious and scared.
In our families and communities we criticize each other and compete with each other, "My style of yoga is better than yours." And we devide ourselves by nations, religions and colour. Yoga in its most complete meaning is the panacea for all that which ails us and devides us.

Here's a dictionary definition of yoga:
Yoga: n 1: Hindu discipline aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility that is achieved through the three paths of actions and knowledge and devotion
2: a system of exercises practiced as part of the Hindu discipline to promote control of the body and mind [Hindi, from Sanskrit yoga, union, joining.

Note the paths of action, knowledge and devotion. There are many types/paths of yoga that don't even include doing poses like down dog or tree. This is because yoga is not just physical exercise. There is yoga that only focus on obtaining knowledge of sacred texts. There is yoga that is all about devotion and service.

Types/Paths of Yoga

• Hatha Yoga

Most people if you ask them what kind of yoga they do, will say "Hatha Yoga". A lot of people get confused as to what all the different schools of yoga are.
Hatha literally means "sun meets moon" and this type of yoga emphasizes specific physical postures or asanas. The ultimate goal of practicing difficult postures, however, is not a toned bum or flexible hamstrings, though these are sometimes the by-product of a yoga practice. The ultimate goal, if we are to really do yoga, is to force the mind to withdraw from the outside world to create perfect spiritual insight and tranquility. Hatha yoga provides us with a healthy body, which is a stepping stone towards achieving a still mind.

There are many different styles/schools of yoga:
Anusara, Ashtanga, Bikram, ISHTA, Iyengar, Jivamukti, Kripalu (derived from Kundalini), Kriya, Power, Restorative, Shinto, Sivananda, Vinyasa (Flow).
These are all forms of Hatha yoga, but it must always be remembered that all these are merely different methods of reaching for the same ultimate goal of stilling the mind. I suggest people try out different styles to find one that suits them. There is a good comparison of the most popular styles / schools of yoga in the February edition of the Yoga Journal.

Interestingly, 3 of the most popular schools today - Iyengar, Astanga and Vini Yoga - were all developed by students of Sri T. Krishnamacharya.
Swami Ramaswami, BKS Iyengar and BNS Iyengar (not relatives), along with Pattabhi Jois, and Krishnamacharya's son TKV Desikachar learnt yoga from their guru Sri T. Krishnamacharya. As far as I understand Krishnamacharya looked at the abilities and limitations of each boy and taught them Yoga according to their capabilities.

Ashtanga yoga was and is taught by Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. The first westerners who went to Mysore to practice with Jois, or Guruji, as he is called, went in the 1960's. In the 1970's more students followed and they brought the practice to the U.S., Europe, and now pretty much all developed countries have ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga yoga is extremely intense; physical; a great activity for fitness, strength and endurance; the mother of "power yoga" classes. Guruji, now at 91 years of age, is not the only ashtanga teacher in India, but he is by far the most popular.

While Jois and BNS today teach the vinyasa based form of yoga known as ashtanga, BKS Iyengar, who is also in his 90's and teaches in Pune, India, focused on breaking down postures and working on the alignment. His school of yoga is called Iyengar yoga, but not by his own choice. Iyengar yoga is sometimes referred to as "prop yoga", because of the use of props such as blocks, straps and blankets. If you are a beginner, not athletically inclined, are injured or are a detail oriented person, who doesn't mind a lot of verbal instruction by the teacher, Iyengar yoga may be the thing for you and it is a great base for understanding alignment. It can also complement another style of Yoga.

The third type of Hatha yoga to have come from Krishnamacharya's students is Vini yoga, which was developed by his son TKV Desikachar. Vini yoga is usually performed one-on-one with an instructor and again focuses very much on the abilities and limitations of the individual to tailor a unique routine for each person.

• Japa / Mantra Yoga

This form of yoga involves the use of words or phrases that are repeated either mentally or verbally.

• Karma Yoga

This is the first of the vedic methods recommended for self-realization. It is the path of selfless action, in which the practitioner serves others without expecting anything in return.

• Jnana Yoga

This is the path of knowledge in which the practitioner seeks the answers to questions such as "Who am I", through science and philosophy. Ghandi never did any asana's, yet he was a model yogi on this path.

• Bhakti Yoga

This is the path of devotion and is considered the superior method for achieving self-realization, when compared to Karma and Jnana yoga. Priests, monks, nuns and other holy people all follow this path.

• Raja Yoga

Raja Yoga means the king of yogas and is based on the yoga sutras written in sanskrit by Patanjali some 2800 years ago. Yoga is believed to be a lot older, and there are many other sanskrit texts on the subject which have been lost, such as the yoga korunta.
The yoga sutras explain yoga as an eight-limbed tree. Ashtanga means "eight limbs", but when we refer to Ashtanga Yoga, we all mean the practice of the asanas, which is only one limb. When Pattabhi Jois named the style of yoga he developed, from what he learned from his guru, he meant it as a reminder to practice all eight limbs and not just the asanas. Yoga is a way of life and its teachings should penetrate every aspect of our being from your actions to your speech to your thoughts.

There is a style of Yoga called Integral yoga, which integrates the various branches / forms / types of yoga mentioned above.

The eight limbs of Raja Yoga

There are many many translations of the yoga sutras and I have tried to identify, through discussion with people who have read some of them and by reading reviews on them, the most easily readable translations. I have put links to two of the ones I have identified as easily readable on the blog on the right hand side.

As mentioned earlier, yoga is not a religion and none of the eight limbs depends on one's spiritual belief system and it does not matter what name or form of the divine you worship.

The first four limbs are considered the external limbs, and the last four limbs the internal limbs.???? The order of the limbs is important and the first two limbs are the foundation of the "tree", the moral and ethical code of conduct.

1. Yamas (actions / moral restraint)

a) Ahimsa: non-violence
b) Satyam: truthfulness
c) Asteya: not stealing
d) Brahmacharya: restraint and moderation
This is frequently translated as celibacy or abstinance, but after more research, I found the following description: one whose actions are pure and holy, to create loyal, honest and loving relationships bringing us closer and closer to God.
e) Aparigraha: non-accumulation/non-hoarding
"There is more than enough for everyone's need, but not enough for any man's greed." Mahatma Ghandi. We need to realise that nothing belongs to us, we are merely lending it for certain period of time, and the more we try to accumulate, the more we acquire, the more we are bogged down and the more difficulties we face.

2. Niyamas (observances / principles of self conduct)

a) Suacha: refraining from putting anything impure into our being (drugs, cigarettes, negative gossip, pornography etc)
b) Santosha: contentment
We should strive for an attitude of gratitude instead of hungering for more (possessions and achievements).
c) Tapas: practice of tolerance
taking control over our volatile mind, emotions and insatiable senses
d) Swadhaya: study of the scriptures
We should read something spiritual and inspiring every day, but we should also use introspection as a tool to examine our lives, just like a businessman examines his balance sheet.
e) Ishwra pranidhana: devotion to God

3. Asana (Seat on which to sit to practice yoga - control of the body)
Asana (or the physical posture) is not the yoga, it is the preparation for the practice of yoga. We must not stop with asana, the asana readies us for the higher limbs of yoga.

4. Pranayama (prolonging our life force and energy - control of the breath)
As the breath becomes still, slow, deep and steady we find that our lives also become calm, collected and centred.

5. Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses - control of the senses)
Turning the object of our senses from the external to the internal.

6. Dharana (singleminded concentration - control of the mind)
To channel all thought-power in one direction and stop the incessant wanderings of the mind.

7. Dhyana (meditation)
Not to be confused with concentration, where there is a subject (you) and an object (what you are concentrating on). In meditation all borders, boundaries and seperation between the universe and us begin to disappear and we begin to realise the inherent oneness of all beings and all creation. At first we will need a technique to get us there, but once we are in a meditative state, we do not need a technique any more.

8. Samadhi (to merge / cosmic consciousness)
This is the ultimate goal of enlightenment.

The Open Directory Project has many links to categorized by the different paths of yoga.
Further links: What is Yoga,