Even after Joseph Pilates’ death in 1967, the method was not as widespread as it is today. It wasn’t until the year 2000 that the name Pilates really picked up speed as the latest workout regimen. Classes at the gym or the local YMCA began to call their “Stretch and Strengthen” classes “Pilates” classes. This was because of a landmark case during that year. Before that time, the name Pilates was trademarked by one man. He would not allow anyone outside his organization to use the term. In 2000, he was countersued and lost. And so, Pilates was reborn.

Regardless of who was right or wrong in the case, there are arguments for both sides. The side that won the case claims that it wasn’t fair the word be trademarked because it is an exercise; and that would be like putting a trademark on “yoga” or “aerobics.” Others argued that allowing just anyone to teach Pilates would result in inexperienced instructors spreading poor forms and methods to the masses. Both arguments were valid, but the judge ruled that Pilates was now an exercise, and not to be trademarked.

Nowadays, there is no regulation whatsoever to becoming a Pilates Instructor, and there are all kinds of certification programs. I have even found those that will certify an instructor to teach a mat class in one weekend! These are very dangerous and more often than not, these instructors may know how to do the exercise, but cannot teach the exercise properly and safely to everyone.

Doing Pilates safely and effectively is difficult. Personal attention is the key to getting what you need out of every exercise. At Pilates Corps, we are dedicated to keeping the method true and original. We specialize in private and semi-private (2 or 3 clients per instructor) sessions, mat classes and recently began adding Reformer classes. These group classes are kept small so you still get all the attention you need. We are proud to be a “Romana’s Pilates” studio. Romana Kryzanowska started taking lessons from Joseph Pilates in her teens and has carried on Joseph Pilates’ method for most of her life and is still teaching today, well into her 80s.

Rather than promote a diet mentality, Frankel insists that a healthy body weight is a manifestation of the way we think about food. She says our relationship with eating is a series of habits that can be modified without changing who we are. And rather than tell you what to eat, she emphasizes the importance of taste, and points out that a sugar and fat-free menu will likely just make you feel deprived. Frankel also talks about portion control and she explains the virtues of sitting down to enjoy your meal vs. unconsciously putting food in your mouth with no recollection of what it was that you ate.

In summary, I lost five pounds in three weeks after putting several of the Naturally Thin principles into place. And I must emphasize, those five pounds were legitimate weight loss, not the water weight that used to make me fluctuate on a daily basis. For that matter, with my new eating habits in place, water-weight is no longer an issue for me.

Pilates works great for me. It keeps me fit and flexible, and I enjoy it. For others it may be walking. If you have kids — and really do find yourself lifting and running after them all day — you may be getting an adequate amount of daily exercise. However, it’s not unusual for some moms to use childcare responsibilities as an excuse for having too little time to exercise. As I often tell my clients, the requisite for any successful exercise program is that you find something you enjoy doing. Whether it’s walking, aerobics, chasing toddlers or Pilates; if you stay with what makes you feel good, the benefits will come.

The South Beach Diet, Sugarbusters, False Fat Diet, Skinny Bitch and Slim-Fast all work pretty well when your willpower is at its best. Yet inevitably, we all find ourselves at a party or dinner date surrounded with nothing but bad food choices. Under the circumstances, people either shy away from all the food so as not to blow their diet, or (more often) they will decide to “forget about it,” and eat whatever they want without thought.

Before you go to your next cocktail party, take a few minutes to think about what you will eat, and why. If you love eggnog and only drink it during the holidays, then by all means enjoy it! But pass on the chips and salsa in favor of a healthier alternative. A few more suggestions:

Eat a light meal before you go to avoid overeating at your destination. If you are drinking alcohol, have a glass of water between each serving.

Avoid grazing. Instead, fill a plate with foods you enjoy and eat every morsel. Then stay away from the buffet table for the rest of the night.

Go for the greens. Raw vegetables and fruit are every dieter’s friend. Lean meats and seafood are also good choices, but leave the dips and sauces for others.

Choose healthy alternatives. Walnuts, almonds and cashews all have beneficial nutrients. Yes, it would be ideal if they were organic and unsalted, but a handful of nuts will provide you with a small amount of protein and is a much better choice than crackers or chips.

Most importantly, keep the intent and purpose of the holiday season in mind. Good wishes, good company and good food release the feel good endorphins that contribute to long-term health. Grousing about the fat content of the hors d’oeuvre does nothing for your state of mind — or body.

I decided to drop in on a Tower Class at my studio. There I was, among my former clients, taking cues just like everyone else. I still had a fairly strong stomach, but in no way was I in the shape I was before my pregnancy. Needless to say, it was exactly what I needed. Knowing the instructors eyes were on me and seeing clients right next to me perform exercises was the perfect motivation to do better.

My studio reopens in a new location in just a couple weeks. It’s closer to my kids’ school, to my home and the perfect place for me to continue my new role as a student of Pilates. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned as an Instructor, it’s that you never stop learning!

Mental concentration is one of the most important aspects of any sport. If an athlete lacks concentration, their athletic abilities cannot be effectively or efficiently applied to the task. Pilates provides increased focus. The ability to center the breath, hold various positions for a certain amount of time, and concentrate on mind-body fitness are necessary for young athletes to challenge their energies into one activity. Pilates does exactly this and more.

Coordination and balance are an integral part of every sport. Pilates strengthens the core muscles; abdominal, back and pelvic. If the core muscles are weak, the result may be poor body posture, back pain and other injuries. Good alignment of the spine helps keep the head, ribcage and pelvis in balance, and takes away tension and stress.

Body awareness increases self esteem and confidence. Many young people feel self conscious about their bodies. Pilates teaches control over the body which results in improved posture. The tendency to stand and sit up straight are extremely important in all facets of everyday life.

Strength and flexibility are necessary to successfully compete. Everyone knows that those with stronger muscles can lift more, push more and jump higher. Flexibility is important since it allows for increased range of motion. Flexible muscles are more elastic and, therefore, can restore themselves, particularly when the stretch is sudden. Strength can be developed without losing flexibility.

Weight management is important to athletes of any age. Pilates strengthens and lengthens core muscles without adding bulk.

Injuries are, unfortunately, an aspect of every sport. When Romana Kryzanowska, a renowned ballerina, was sent to Joseph Pilates with an injured ankle, she was amazed that he asked her to move her own body rather than just work on her injury. She only kept returning to his studio because he promised her a refund if she did not get better in five lessons. The positive impact these sessions had on her body and career brought her back to the studio again and again. She eventually studied with Pilates for 28 years and was ultimately entrusted to carry on his work as a Master Teacher of the Pilates method.

I consider myself someone who can handle any level of activity. I have trained in the past for endurance, speed and flexibility, utilizing the most common methods of running, free weights and strength training and living by the macho mantra of “no pain, no gain.” While participating in sports, I’ve done wind sprints, run bleachers, and had intense body building sessions. More recently, I’ve trained to keep in shape and stave off the effects of the 30-something metabolism dive. Being fit and strong for any activity has been a priority of my routine. My mindset has been that in order to get fit and stay there you must follow all the traditional cardio/weight routines. Never before had I been introduced to the challenge of core training. Katie explained that Pilates is so much more than just an ab workout. And I was just about to find out!

This is the chronicle of my first experience with the true authentic method.

Upon entering the studio, I see three other people working their way through a Tower Class. I am very happy to see that one of the participants is male. In some way, this makes me feel more comfortable. So I pop my shoes off and look around. No weight stacks or something for me to bench press. Hmmm, I’m wondering exactly what is going to give me enough resistance to create results. It’s here that I am coached to sit on the reformer. I proceed to go through several positions, and Katie, just by viewing my attempts, is diagnosing the imbalances present in my core–abs, hips, and even pelvis. As I continue to work through the positions, my glutes and hamstrings actually begin to burn a bit. As I adjust to proper form, I’m surprised at the amount of focus required to control the movements. Breathing becomes measured. I’m focused on my rib cage, spine, lower abdominals, obliques and glutes. I’m sure if someone were looking through the large glass windows of the studio it would appear like a most simple exercise. In truth, the beads of sweat are beginning to form in the first few minutes. I am surprised that controlling my own body actually creates the resistance I am used to in weight training, simply by engaging the core and releasing certain muscles within a specific posture.

Expertly, Katie develops a routine that addresses my muscle imbalances. I learn that my dominant side actually creates weakness in areas that need to be adjusted to protect my back and increase range of motion with flexibility.

After 55 minutes, it is clear that this is one of the most challenging workouts I’ve ever experienced. Yet, rather than hitting a wall or experiencing the lactic burn, I feel energetic. My head is clear. Upon waking the next day, rather than feeling muscle aches or pulls, I’m more aware of my core and the complex series of muscles that will allow me to achieve and maintain my goals of fitness, strength, and energy. No longer a skeptic, I believe in Pilates.

Most men don’t think about Pilates as a good workout. If they think they need Pilates at all, it is only to build their core or gain more flexibility. They are not looking for Pilates to build muscles in their arms or legs. This is a false assumption, of course. Pilates is a total body workout. Each exercise does originate from your core, however, once you have that strengthened, you move on to the extremities. You then begin to strengthen your arms and legs in conjunction with holding onto the abdominal muscles. Of course, the flexibility is integrated right away. Unlike most workouts though, you are not taking 10 minutes to stretch before and 10 minutes to stretch after. In Pilates, the stretch is incorporated into the routine. Many exercises have you strengthening one part of your body and stretching another at the same time. This isn’t your mother’s aerobics class…

I used to teach a number of professional athletes. One time a baseball player came in and said, “Today I would like to work on my legs.” Clearly, I thought, he has no clue about Pilates! But because a “Pilates Instructor” in his past had responded positively to those statements, he didn’t know the true purpose behind this method. He didn’t realize that every Pilates lesson is actually a total body workout. You do not focus more on one part than another, everything works together.

Recently, an instructor I know applauded a new client for enjoying and appreciating Pilates, simply because he is a man used to hard workouts in a gym. I thought, of course he likes this method! This is the one workout that leaves you focused, challenged and energized! The exercise where you will work your entire body; stretching, strengthening and gaining control of your movements! The movements that employ your mind and body! So, yes, I suppose you could give him a pat on the back for realizing it…but I think rather that he’d be a fool to NOT realize it.

Pilates is what I teach, study, appreciate and love. I know, for me, that working out is a must. It makes me feel better and helps me look better. And truly, what I know about this form of exercise, is that I’ll be able to do it for the rest of my life. It will always be just the thing that my body needs, because Pilates is individualized. You can be a stiff football player and do Pilates…or a woman who has never done an minute of exercise in her life and still do Pilates.

When I started taking private Pilates lessons, I did beginner exercises and as I got better, added more and more until now I’m considered advanced. However, when I was pregnant, I had to eliminate and modify certain exercises. BUT I STILL DID PILATES. At times, I have clients call to say that they hurt their back playing with their kids or they injured their wrist and don’t think they can come in for their session. Usually, they still come in and we work on exercises that don’t exacerbate their injury, but help strengthen the rest of their body. I know that when I’m in my 50s, my 60s, my 70s and even my 80s, I’ll still be doing Pilates.

That’s what I really love about it.