What the heck is Pilates?

Factual Questions
1

I gather it is a trendy new fitness program of the rich & famous, but after looking at www.pilates.com, I can’t figure out what is different about it. The equipment looks kind of klunky and old fashioned, with lots of ropes, pulleys and springs, like what you’d find in a YMCA circa 1910. Is there really anything revolutionary about it, or are the glitterati falling for a marketing schpiel aimed at the same gullible fools that made imported bottled water de rigeur for anyone who is anyone?

2

Here, let me fix that link for you.

3

I’ve been taking Pilates at my local Y for over a year now and I love it. It’s a slower paced workout that focuses on your back and abdominal muscles (the core muscles). My chairopractor recommended it initially and I have to say that it’s totally eliminated the lower back ache that I used to have, and made my back much stronger. The Y doesn’t have any Pilates equipment, so we just do the mat workout. My instructor says that is the most challenging type of Pilates. But it does work well for me and I enjoy it.

4

I just want to know how to pronounce it:
Pie-Lates?
Pie-Lay-Tees?
Pih-Lah-Tees?
Anything else?

I went to the website and read from the man’s bio that he’s German, so I’d assume the pronunciation would be different from that of the ancient Roman governor.

5

I’ve always heard it pronounced Pih-lah-tays or Pih-lot-ees.

6

Pilates was the Roman judge who condemned Jesus to death just by washing his hands.

[sub]For the low, low price of one bucket of water you, too, can condemn to death the central figure of a major world religion! Wow![/sub]

What? … nevermind

7

GMRyujin, that’s the pronunciation I’ve always heard. So far, our ritualistic practice of these bizarre exercises hasn’t had any effect that I know of on the leaders of any major religions, but I’ll keep you guys posted on that.

8

From looking at a book on Pilates (I’m guessing it was mat pilates, because there was no equipment.), it looks very very similar to the stretches I take my gymnasts through in their warm-up.

Basically lengthening and warming up the muscles, it looks like to me.