What is Contrology?

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"Contrology develops the body uniformly, corrects wrong postures, restores physical vitality, invigorates the mind, and elevates the spirit."-Joseph Pilates  

Who is Joseph Pilates?

Joseph Pilates was born in a small town outside of Düsseldorf in Germany called Mönchengladbach. He was a sickly child. Gifted anatomy books, Joseph dedicated his life to improving his physical strength. During World War I, while living in Britain as a circus performer, gymnast, and boxer, he and other German citizens were forced into an internment camp. While interned, he taught self-defense and wrestling and expanded his studies of physical fitness, yoga, and animals' movement. He refined his teaching and started to develop his concept of an integrated, comprehensive system of exercises that he would later call "Contrology." He defined his work as an art form that unifies the body, mind, and spirit.

How does it work?

Contrology is  "movement of all kinds."  It is a workout with over 500 exercises, not counting variations, modifications, and exercises done with or without equipment. It is more than exercises performed on a floor mat, which is only 10-12% of the work. 

Contrology works the entire body equally, including your mind and its imagination. The mind is used to perform with control and purpose, precisely.  Working this way creates the awareness needed in our everyday patterns and restores the body's natural balance and alignment. Simply put, an average adult spends most of the day sitting or operating machinery in a repetitive way. This repetitive motion creates an imbalance in the body, causing some muscles to overwork and others to overstretch. With Contrology,  the entire body is addressed equally to improve these imbalances.  

Beyond a specific order of exercises on the mat and the reformer, it offers a varied range of movement from quite easy to extremely difficult/advanced. Special equipment in the studio is designed to strengthen the feet, lungs, neck, and overall posture. This work is without limits and allows for creativity to deliver a unique challenge to each individual. 

Is it for you?

• It is for everyone! Young or old, in shape or out of shape, dancers, athletes, and those with sedentary lifestyles. The work is specifically tailored to each individual and can be modified and or regressed for any injury or condition.

Benefits

• Core muscles strength
• Better posture, balance
• Injury prevention
• Better circulation, increased lung capacity
• Increased flexibility (joint mobility), bone density
• Improved body image (awareness), self-esteem
• Increased stamina, better focus
• Proper alignment development

The list goes on, and these improvements can have a greater impact on other areas of your life.