Winsor Pilates

The History Of Pilates


j-pilatesThe Pilates exercise discipline was invented by a German circus performer and boxer, who designed a series of floor and  mat exercises to help balance the body, improve motion and promote mental and physical harmony.  This method was for many years the premiere exercise technique of the dance world.  Such notables  as George Balanchine, Martha Graham and Suzanne Farrell frequented the original New York studio set up by Mr. Joseph Pilates.

Joseph Pilates was born in Mönchengladbach, Germany, in 1880. His father was a prize-winning gymnast of Greek origin and his mother was a German, naturopath, who believed in stimulating the body to heal itself.  Joseph Pilates was a skinny and sickly child. He suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. He was so skinny that he could not fight back the older boys who taunted him and it was under these conditions that caused him to begin his life’s journey to fitness and health.

He studied both Eastern and Western forms of exercise including yoga, Zen, and ancient Greek and Roman regimens.  He came to believe that our modern life-style, bad posture, and inefficient breathing were the roots of poor health. His answer to these problems was to design a unique series of life enhancing physical exercises that help to correct muscular imbalances and improve posture, coordination, balance, strength and flexibility, as well as to increase breathing capacity
and organ function.

He went to England in 1912 and when World War I broke out in 1914 he was placed in an internment camp along with other German nationals. It was here that he began to develop the floor exercises that later evolved into what we now know as the Pilates mat work through the use of “Controlology”,  the comprehensive integration of body, mind and spirit.  A terrible epidemic of influenza swept the world in 1918. The internment camps were the hardest hit.  Under Pilates’ rehabilitation program no detainees under his care succumbed to the disease.  He devised rehabilitation equipment from bedsprings and beer keg rings.  These were the origins of the equipment used today.

j-pilates02Pilates returned to Germany after the war and trained the Hamburg Military Police in self-defence as well as taking on personal clients. In 1925 through the persuasion of Nat Fleischer and with the aid of Max Schmelling he moved to New York.  There with the help of his wife Clara, a kindergarten teacher, he established his gym, developed the Pilates method of exercise, invented the Pilates exercise equipment, and of course, trained students.  In the same building as his gym there were several dance  and rehearsal studios, which led to his being discovered by the dance community.  Through the use of “Controlology” its dancers were sent to Pilates for rehab.

Joseph Pilates taught in New York from 1926 to 1966, referred to as the “Golden Years.” He was a friend and teacher to many renowned dancers and choreographers.  He trained a number of students  who applied his work and became teachers of the Pilates method themselves. This first generation of teachers who trained directly under him are often referred to as the Pilates Elders. Some committed themselves to passing along Joseph Pilates work exactly as he taught it. This approach is referred to as classical style Pilates. Other students went on to integrate what they learned with their own research in anatomy and exercise sciences.

Joseph Pilates died in 1967 at age 87. He had maintained a fit physique throughout his life. He was renowned for his flamboyant personality liking cigars, whiskey, and women. He would be seen running the streets of Manhattan, in the dead of winter, in his habitual bikini bottom training attire.  His wife Clara continued to teach and run his studio for another 10 years after his death.

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Why Try Winsor Pilates?


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Pilates has become a very popular form of workout exercise and is taught privately or through gyms and fitness classes. Because of busy lifestyles, people find it easier to incorporate an exercise plan that they can do at home.  Winsor Pilates was developed by Mari Winsor, who started developing her innovative workout nearly 20 years ago, for the sole purpose of meeting this demand.  Her lively up beat style came through on her well produced infomercials which have sold more than 30 DVD packages centering around weight loss and the sculpting of specific body areas.

The Winsor Pilates DVDs come with a variety of tools such as the Pilates Magic Circle.  The DVDs are designed to take viewers through various routines. The most popular ones include Mari Winsor’s “Basics” which is a step-by-step guide illustrating the most effective body sculpting moves.  There is also the “20 Minute Workout” video which is meant to be used when someone is short on time. and she often includes with the DVDs “The Winsor Dozen”, an exercise guide that can be used when a DVD player is not available.

A word of warning Winsor Pilates is not for Everyone.  If you are just starting out or are looking for the traditional Pilates mat work you might be better off getting your fundamentals through a class first.  The benefits and applications of the Pilates method are extensive.  The videos do offer some guidance as to alignment and exercise modifications, however consumers have had a hard time managing Winsor Pilates at home.

The Winsor Pilates program has been purchased by millions of people worldwide.  If you are thinking of trying Winsor Pilates you should consider its benefits:

  • It can help make your body look and feel better.
  • It will help you to attain the figure that you want, and will actually make you feel healthier.
  • It can relieve stress, depression and anxiety.
  • It can help you lose unnecessary fats and weight.
  • It will not result in bulky and unsightly muscles that many women prefer not to have.
  • It is a great mind/ body workout.
  • It increases body awareness building strength and muscle tone.
  • It improves posture, flexibility and circulation.
  • It improves or even cures back, neck and shoulder pain and relieves soreness and muscle tension.
  • It develops a strong core and improves your balance and co-ordination.

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The Pilates exercise method as a whole helps develop flexibility and strength without becoming bulky in muscularity. It is generally regarded as a low intensity exercise system.  So if you are considering Winsor Pilates, or any other form of Pilates for that matter, remember that  the benefits are there for achieving good health.

 

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Winsor Pilates and the 6 Principles



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Joseph Pilates gave the term “contrology” to his fitness program.  Pilates helps you to exercise your body and improve your flexibility through a body/mind/spirit approach founded on the 6 Principles of centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow. Joseph Pilates did not set out these principles, but they were the work of his instructors the “Pilates Elders.”  There are disagreements in regard to the number, the order and the specific words used for these principles within the Pilates community.  However you will find versions of these principles to be a part of almost any Pilates training program.

The application of these 6 Principles is part of what makes the Pilates exercise program unique in the fitness world.  Whether one is working out on a mat or using any type of Pilates equipment, one experiences a sense of balance, grace, and ease as a result.

The 6 Principles are:

  • Centering – Focus is brought to the center of the body, the area between the bottom ribs and the top of the pubic bone known as the powerhouse. The powerhouse area of the body is the energetic center of the body.

  • Concentration – Maximum value can be obtained, if one commits and pays complete attention to each movement of the exercises.
  • Control – All Pilates exercises are done with complete muscular control.
  • Precision – Awareness of maintaining appropriate placement and alignment of each body parts to another is essential.
  • Breath – Emphasis on using full breaths while exercising an integral part of Pilates exercise.
  • Flow – The body’s energy during an exercise should flow evenly with grace and ease of motion.

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The popularity of Pilates is increasing at a rapid pace. So to are the number of instructors now numbering over 14,000. Each adding their own insights and expertise.  One of the most influential is Mari Winsor and her successful   Winsor Pilates infomercials.  Winsor Pilates is one of the best-known names in Pilates today. Mari Winsor has developed a workout style that she calls “dynamic sequencing,” which is meant to be a low-intensity body sculpting and calorie-burning workout.

 

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Winsor Pilates And Weight Loss


losing weightThe most frequent question asked about Winsor Pilates is about weight loss.  Winsor Pilates most definitely supports weight loss. Committing to any Winsor Pilates workout will not only create a more trim and lean body appearance, but it will create significant weight loss.  Just starting a home workout routine through any of the Winsor Pilates DVD packages is enough to jump start weight loss. It is important to note that as time goes by your body will become accustomed to your workout level. The intensity level of your workout will have to be increased to help you burn the extra calories.

At the beginner and intermediate levels most Pilates workouts are done slowly to give the student an opportunity to establish good balance, alignment, and familiarity with the exercises. One of the best ways to burn calories and lose weight is to pick up the pace and get the Pilates principles of breath and flow working for you.  Once you know your Winsor Pilates home workout routine you will be able to focus on these two principles and not have to pause to review the exercise instructions.

pilates09By expanding your Winsor Pilates DVD collection is another great way to get a weight loss workout. Find workouts that will increase the intensity of your current level.  By adding new equipment to your workouts like the magic circle, fitness band, or exercise ball will add a new challenge and increase the diversity of the exercises.  It is important to get the most out of each exercise. Stretch to your fullest length at every opportunity, breathe deeply, be precise, move with control and grace. The use of these principles is in keeping with what Joseph Pilates taught, and increases the exertion level of your workout.

Remember that:

  • Pilates tones and shapes the body.
  • Exercise burns calories.
  • Pilates promotes deep and efficient respiration.
  • Pilates creates lean muscle mass.
  • Pilates aids in the development of good posture.

A Winsor Pilates workout can help sustain energy levels throughout the day. However, Winsor Pilates is not a true aerobic exercise. It is a good idea to combine Winsor Pilates with an aerobic/cardio exercise like walking, running or swimming to maximize for weight loss.

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