Pilates

Maker of aligned body
The Pilates training method was originally created and spread by Josehp Pilates, who was a German born in 1880. He had a frustrated childhood due to ill health. When as young as 7, he started to do an exercise which he created that integrates yoga, martial art and ancient Greek fitness exercise. When at 14, under help of doctors, Pilates started to overcome his physical pains by doing a tremendous amount of exercise. Surprisingly, he did very well in skiing, diving and gymastics. In the 20th century, the British people added the dance element into his training method, which proved good result later on. In the long training process, he gained rich experience and worked out a unique training system for body alignment. Such system spread very fast, and won increasing recognition and favor. It has even been added as a special training method by ballet and gymnastic experts. The Pilates training method hence made its name. At the very beginning, it was used in the kinetic recovery therapy. Coordination of breath and movement is the core of the Pilates training method. It stresses the effect of breath on movement.   
      
Pilates infuses the soft oriental style with the tough western style. The movements are slow and clear, and each position must be coordinated with the breath. Obviously, the Pilates exercises are suitable for participants of any age, especially those office workers spending much time before computers everyday and lacking exercise. Stretching is a focal part in the Pilates system. What's amazing, the muscles won't develop after the training, and the spine will become soft and flexible through training of the core parts (comprising the lumbar and abdominal muscles, including transverse abdominis, obliquus internus abdominis, obliquus externus abdominis, rectus abdominis, erector spinae). Therefore, the Pilates exercises not only improve your body curve, but also correct the neck and spine.  
  
Features:  *scientificness *safety *general effectiveness *ease to learn *combination of challenge and amusement *freedom 

Benefits　　
Pilates wins wide popularity just because of its benefits. Pilates stresses the control process while in a still status, so that the participants will build their muscle strength without increasing the muscle size. The Pilates light equipment exercise is just arranged with light weight and frequent movement rounds in mind, which will enable your muscles to become flexible, without increasing their size. The workout intensity is not very high, but it stresses control, stretching and breath, which is particularly helpful for shaping of women's important areas, such as the lumber, abdominal and gluteal areas, and makes the exercise an ideal choice for women going for perfect body shape.   　

The stretching exercise is an important part of the Pilates training. Some yoga postures are borrowed and made operable. Rhythms are added to different positions and position shifts. It enhances the organic function while building a perfect body shape.