Pilates was designed by Joseph Pilates, a gymnast born in Germany
of partly Greek ancestry. He designed a system of exercises during
the First World War with the proposal to improve the rehabilitation
program for the many returning veterans. Joseph Pilates believed
that mental and physical health are inter-related. He recommended a
few precise movements emphasizing control and form to aid injured
soldiers in regaining their health by strengthening, stretching,
and stabilizing key muscles. Pilates created "The Pilates
Principles" to condition the entire body: proper alignment,
centering, concentration, control, precision, breathing, and
flowing movement. http://www.pilates-exercises.co.uk
Date Published: Feb 09, 2011 - 10:38 pm