Welcome to Beta Pilates


"Her precise observations of how my body moves and how to correct my technique has been a great asset to the rehabilitation of injuries I received from a car accident, and her encouragement has helped me stay focused and be patient in dealing with the rebuilding of my body." - M.M. of Roslyn



The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning


Joseph H. Pilates (b.1880, Germany) struggled with a number of debilitating physical ailments in his youth. As a result of his determination to overcome his physical limitations with exercise and body building, he became accomplished in many sports including boxing, diving, swimming and gymnastics.

He developed Contrology, his method of body conditioning, in the 1920s for the purpose of achieving complete coordination of body, mind and spirit. Mr. Pilates focused on strengthening the Powerhouse - the collective muscles of the abdomen, lower back and buttocks - and formulated six original principles that establish and improve the quality of the workout: Breathing, Concentration, Control, Centering, Precision and Flowing Movement.

During his internment on the Isle of Man during WWI, Joseph Pilates refined his ideas and trained other internees in his system of exercise. While immigrating to the United States in 1926, he met his wife Clara, a nurse.

Together, they opened a fitness studio in New York City, where he continued to train clients until his death in 1967 at the age of 87. His method later became known as the Pilates method of body conditioning.

In the 1970s, celebrities from Hollywood discovered the benefits of Pilates, and the media began reporting on this "new" miracle workout. As the public learned more about Pilates, individuals of all fitness levels - athletes, performers, spa clients and fitness novices and enthusiasts - discovered its advantages as well. The medical community recognized its benefits for application in injury prevention and rehabilitation. Over 5 million Americans now practice Pilates, and it is the nation's fastest-growing exercise method.



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I.C. Rapoport www.rapo.com
Welcome to Beta Pilates