Pilates: Introduction and History

Pilates is the name of a set of exercise methods named after its originator Joseph Pilates. Born in Dusseldorf, Germany, in 1880, Joseph remained a sickly child with multiple health problems of rickets, rheumatic fever, and asthma. Instead of yielding to his untoward physical frailty, Joseph became determined to master health and develop a strong and healthy physique. He studied different health techniques like skiing, bodybuilding, gymnastics, and diving.

As he attempted repeatedly to devise his own exercise techniques that would be a perfect health program, Joseph failed several times. But he kept his spirits high and eventually arrived at his aspired exercise program. The movements, which Joseph perfected as part of the program, constitute what we now call Pilates. In 1912, Joseph started training detectives at the Scotland Yard. During the First World War, he developed his techniques further and devised makeshift exercise aids. This helped patients recovering from injuries to exercise with ease. Present-day reformers are the modern version of these aids.

Joseph Pilates came to the United States in the late 1920s and his studio offering fitness techniques soon became popular among actors, athletes, gymnasts, and dancers. Owing to his mastery of fitness exercises, Joseph lived to 87 years and wrote several books on fitness. After him, his disciples kept his teachings alive and today his program has been molded to fit in with scientific principles of the age.

The Nature of Pilates

Pilates is the collective name for a set of exercises or techniques that condition the body to acquire greater flexibility, strength, greater endurance, and improved coordination without addition of bulk of muscle to the body. Also, Pilates increases circulation and shapes the body in a more balanced form. Essentially, these exercises are mat exercises that focus on the body’s torso.

The body’s own weight is used as resistance against which the exercises are designed. These are very easy to begin with since these do not require any specialized equipment but only a floor mat. However, several machines are currently used to tone the body and increase its strength and endurance. The principle of resistance applies here as well.

Effects of Pilates

Exercises of Pilates are focused on strengthening the body’s core (or what is called powerhouse) by which is generally meant the torso. These also align the bones along regular lines. Regular exercises of the program result in feeling a more balanced posture, enjoying a better health, and greater resistance to injuries.

Should Women Lift Weights?

Good God, yes. Well…if they want to. A woman is not – I repeat, NOT – going to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger from going to the gym, doing her routine, and lifting some good, old-fashioned heavy weights.
It can seem like a scary thing for women, I totally get it. (not to mention, it can seem scary to the MEN of these women!) You don’t want to lose your feminine look. But this is just simply not how it works.
Many of those women you see with the crazy muscular bodies (I’m not saying they’re crazy, but that they have crazy-muscular bodies!) have clearly taken steroids. That’s a fact. Women just don’t have the genes to achieve such things, aside from a small percentage of notable exceptions.
Women can lift weights to tone up, shape, and firm up their bodies, if they so choose, with no danger of looking like Lou Ferrigno. Many women I know have told me that since they started lifting weights, their body weight has been much easier to manage and they have leaner, more graceful physiques. Pretty cool, right??
For the serious adventurer, there are even bodybuilding competitions around the world for women to take part in. While there are clearly a few freaks of nature in that group (I mean that in a complimentary way; really!), many of the women – while they’re not flexing for show – look like “normal” females, but just in tremendous shape. Remember, you’re not trying to flex your biceps all the time. It doesn’t work like that.

Cosmetic Surgery and Celebrities

Cosmetic surgery is a fast-growing industry in the UK, with countless Brits seeking various procedures to enhance their appearance and boost their self-esteem. From face lifts and tummy tucks to liposuction and rhinoplasty, cosmetic surgery is now more popular among both men and women across Britain than ever before.

Various factors have influenced the growing popularity of cosmetic surgery, one of which is undoubtedly the media, and more specifically, cosmetic surgery undergone by celebrities. Many celebrities have had various cosmetic surgery procedures done, prompting some of their biggest fans to follow in their footsteps - and nowhere is this more apparent than in the realm of breast augmentation.

Breast augmentation – or breast enlargement – is now the single most popular cosmetic surgery procedure among women in the UK, and there is certainly no lack of publicity when it comes to celebrities who have undergone the procedure. As the chests of countless female celebrities blossom with their fame, fans everywhere begin to notice and admire them, as well as ask whether they themselves might benefit from the procedure. Female celebrities who have undergone breast enlargement - and who have subsequently gained fame for their new, enhanced appearance – include supermodels Heidi Klum, Giselle Bundchen, and Marisa Miller, as well as actresses Angelina Jolie, Katherine Heigl, and Halle Berry – among countless others.

Liposuction is another popular cosmetic surgery procedure, not only among the famous, but also among the British population. Many people now seek liposuction to remove "stubborn" fat from areas such as their abdomen, thighs, chest and back. Among the countless celebrities who have undergone successful liposuction procedures are Demi Moore, Jennifer Lopez, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Naomi Campbell, and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Of course, it's important to keep in mind that everyone's body is different, and that your body type might not necessarily match up with that of your favourite celebrity. So, in undergoing liposuction or breast enlargement, you should always remain realistic about your body type and about the look that would naturally suit you. This is something that can be determined by a cosmetic surgeon during pre-surgery consultations, where you'll be able to learn about your potential procedure, the expected outcome, and the healing process.