We seldom listen to what our bodies are really telling us. The pressure to fit into a bikini before summer often leads us to push our bodies beyond its breaking point. We ignore blatant warning signs, such as pain, sickness and exhaustion, and as a result we are often rewarded with injuries and sprains. The Pilates method focuses on well-being first and foremost and not on quick fixes, i.e.: “lose ten pounds before summer”. Pain is our body’s most powerful tool of communicating that something is wrong. A good Pilates instructor will help you listen to what your body is telling you and to focus inward to find out what is right for you. Working with your body instead of against it leads to profound results and a feeling of empowerment.

Our body is one co-dependent unit and every muscle depends on another to work correctly. In all Pilates exercises, the muscles are engaged all at once, without isolating a specific muscle. These integrated exercises lead to uniformly developed muscles and better posture in general. Working the entire body at the same time leads to better co-ordination, strength and a natural grace of movement.

Pilates works on developing the inner, “core” muscles that other workouts often neglect. These muscles need special attention and focus. As they develop and become stronger, they begin to work in concert with the more developed outside muscles, creating a balance in the body and a more efficient calorie burning power.

Pilates focuses on strengthening and lengthening muscles, which avoids the bulky development of muscles weight lifting and such exercises can easily produce. Each movement has been meticulously designed to oxygenate, stretch and strengthen every single muscle. The result is a lean, toned and strong body that is graceful instead of bulky and more resilient to injury.