What Is Pilates and How Can it Benefit My Body?

“Hm, what does Pilates do for the body?” “Is Pilates different than yoga?” “Does Pilates require me to join a gym?” “Can Pilates help me lose belly fat?” These and many others are questions that plague all the enthusiasts who are thinking about signing up for great Bankers Hill San Diego Pilates courses. But, first things first, let’s see what Pilates is all about.

What kind of workout is Pilates?

The mere name of it, “Pilates”, similar to “yoga”, brings an air of mystery to this form of working out. Where are my dumbbells, my treadmills, my medicine balls and my ropes? And you’re right to wonder as Pilates is still considered to be a novelty by many. But it should not be so because Pilates offers numerous invaluable benefits.

Pilates explained

Explaining Pilates, on the other hand, is a lot easier than the name would suggest. It’s an exercising method which primarily focuses on the strength of your core. And, according to the San Diego Institute for Public Health, if your core is as strong as it can be, your overall fitness and wellbeing levels will improve massively too.

Essentially, Pilates is mostly comparable to yoga as it also focuses on balance, posture, and flexibility. And, like yoga, it seems quite simple, yet it’s actually quite physically demanding. Yes, you probably will be sore in the beginning, but that’s just the good old burn.

What are the six principles of Pilates

And, it has to be said, Pilates is also extremely beneficial. You might not think it, but it can massively improve your physical fitness in ways you didn’t think were possible with this kind of exercise. These are just some of the things Pilates is good for:

  • Posture
  • Muscle tone
  • Flexibility
  • Abdominal muscles
  • Balance
  • Stress

As you can see, Pilates is a well-rounded form of working out, one that is a bit easier on your body, a bit easier to get into, but one that is highly beneficial nonetheless. 

What are the six principles of Pilates?

Joseph Pilates, the creator of, you’ve guessed it, Pilates, has identified the six basic principles of Pilates in his work called “Contrology”. He considers Pilates to be more than just a body workout. It’s also an exercise for the spirit and the mind. Because of it, he identified six essential principles:

  1. Centering – When doing Pilates, the whole idea is that the source of all your energy comes from the center of your body, between the pubic bone and your lower ribs. This is the area of focus when doing pilates.
  2. Concentration – Obviously, you need to concentrate on whatever it is you’re doing at the moment. But while you can let your mind wander while treadmilling, Pilates does require your maximum attention to yield best results.
  3. Control – With Pilates, nothing is left to chance. None of your body parts are left to their own devices, and you have to obtain complete control of virtually every muscle in your body in order to practice Pilates correctly.
  4. Precision – No hectic movements when it comes to Pilates, no flickers of hands, no jerkings of legs. Every move you make has to be properly envisioned and adequately aligned to the rest of your body.
  5. Breathing – Every Pilates exercise should be done in tune with breathing. Breathing is an essential part of the majority of Pilates exercises, and it’s integral to Pilates as a method.
  6. Flow – Pilates flows like water. Fluidity is a vital part of it, and your every movement should arise from the previous and continue into the next one. Everything is carefully orchestrated to achieve complete harmony of physical expression. 

“I’m sold, what’s the best place for Pilates in San Diego?”

If it’s Pilates in San Diego’s Bankers Hill you’re looking for, then you’re at the right place. Fit Athletic is one of those rare gyms that boasts a serene atmosphere and effective workout methods that Pilates and yoga require. Sometimes, it’s more than just the equipment and amenities, which we also have, and it’s more about the feeling you get when you enter a gym. And that’s why we stand out. So, if Pilates is something you’d like to try out, stop by our place after a walk through Coronado and consider signing up. You won’t regret it!

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