Why Isn t Pilates Trademarked

Health and exercise fads constantly fall in and out of favor. The latest patented fitness system is frequently left to gather dust in the corner as a new machine or routine replaces it. However, some exercise methods withstand the test of time and gain loyal adherents. Pilates, a fitness system developed in the 1920s by Joseph Pilates, has been gaining ground since the 1980s. But what is Pilates and why is it so effective? Pilates is a system of exercises that engage the body and mind through a series of controlled movements. These controlled movements incorporate the idea of dynamic tension, or self-resistance. Dynamic tension describes the act of exercising muscle against muscle -- a mode of exercise promoted by the fitness guru Charles Atlas, a contemporary of Joseph Pilates. Pilates employs dynamic tension and allows movements to flow together simultaneously. Today, the physical trainer's methods have supplanted traditional weight-lifting exercise as an effective way to tone muscle and build strength.



Why isn't Pilates trademarked? Pilates' popularity led to new instruction standards and the emergence of a fitness equipment industry. Suddenly, the exercises system's name was everywhere. In 1992, Sean Gallagher, an equipment retailer and owner of Pilates studios, received trademark registrations for Pilates and Pilates Studio. He began to pursue parties using the Pilates name without certification or permission. Born in 1880 in Mönchengladbach, Germany, Joseph Pilates was the son of a competitive gymnast father and a naturopath mother who believed in natural healing. As a young child, Pilates suffered from asthma, rickets and rheumatic fever. However, the young Pilates had a burgeoning interest in fitness and health and when a family physician gave him an old anatomy book, the child began memorizing and exercising each body part. By 14, Pilates had developed his body enough to model for anatomy charts. By early adulthood, Pilates was well trained in boxing, gymnastics, skiing and diving.



When World War I broke out in 1914, Pilates, who was living and working in England, was placed in an internment camp for enemy aliens. He taught fellow detainees wrestling and self-defense and began developing the exercise method he would later call Controlology. Pilates was eventually transferred to serve as a nurse for patients with wartime diseases. He began creating equipment to help rehabilitate his patients. Their new mode of exercise became popular with injured dancers who needed rehabilitation. Because Pilates builds strength without adding bulk, it's an effective exercise for Titan Rise Review dancers who must remain lithe. Pilates is still used today for sports injury prevention and rehabilitation. Pilates can also help restore distortion in a body that has been using certain muscles to compensate for injured ones. In the next section, we'll learn about the main components of Pilates. Pilates and Yoga have become popular additions to many people's exercise regimens.



While both use a similar posture and focus on breathing, they are rather different. The goal of Pilates is to increase the core strength of the body: the abdominal muscles, lower back and buttocks. Pilates also incorporates extensive work on a mat and machines. Yoga is sometimes considered more of a lifestyle. It not only calls for focused exercise but also attention to diet, breathing, relaxation and meditation. Even though Pilates engages both the body and mind, it does not seek to unify the two as Yoga does. Dynamic tension helps strengthen muscles while elongation creates flexibility. Pilates builds true flexibility -- a freedom of movement created without distorting or manipulating the body. Every Pilates movement is meant to be made in complete concentration. The Pilates practitioner should focus on the body's proper position at all times and pay attention to how the body feels. This concentrated mind control helps prevent injuries and increases the exercises' effectiveness, ensuring no muscle is forgotten or Titan Rise Health left out.



Pilates movements are also meant to be slow enough to fully engage the muscles the movement was intended for. In 1954, Joseph Pilates wrote "Return to Life through Contrology," a book about the exercise method we now simply call Pilates. The book describes 34 mat exercises: the core movements of Pilates. Some, like the hundred, help warm up the body and aid breathing. Others, like the saw, work major muscle areas such as the abdominal core and help stretch others like the hamstrings. Pilates exercises often work multiple muscles during the same exercise. For all its versatility and benefits, Pilates does have some limitations and drawbacks. Pilates is not a complete physical training program. It does not provide the cardiovascular benefits of aerobic exercises. Pilates practitioners should combine the exercises with some form of aerobic activity for cardiovascular health. Because Pilates does not help create bulky muscle mass, it's not a useful system for bodybuilders. Doctors also caution those suffering from Osteogenesis imperfecta, Osteoporosis, Paget's Disease, Osteomalacia or other bone disorders to practice Pilates only with professional consultation.