CenterPoint Pilates - Exercising the Body and Mind

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• STUDIO
• GETTING STARTED
• CLASSES
• NEW COMBO CLASS
• NEW MODERN DANCE CLASS
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Open House!

Studio Open House on Sat. May 22nd 8:30am-2:00pm. Free classes and demonstrations, give-aways and much more.

Studio 1
• 9:00-10:00 Reformer
• 10:00-11:00 Combo: MAT and Reformer
• 11:15-12:00 Wunda Chair and Wall Unit class and demo
• 12:30-1:30 Jumpboard

Studio 2
• 8:30-9:30 Elevate Dance Fitness
• 9:45-10:15 Hoop Dance mini class and demo
• 10:30-11:30 Pilates MAT
• 11:30-12:30 Nia
• 12:45-1:45 Vreeland Yoga

Welcome

CenterPoint Pilates was founded in 2001 with the goal of inspiring each individual on a program of exercising the body and mind. Our certified teachers provide exceptional guidance in private, group, and class settings. The studio is equipped with classic and contemporary exercise apparatus and boasts a stunning view of the Santa Ynez Mountains and downtown Santa Barbara.

Vision Statement

CenterPoint Pilates is dedicated to excellence. We inspire growth and change, promote physical movement education and dedicate ourselves to the success of each client. We believe in continuing education and teach with respect, integrity and safety.

The Method

Pilates is a system of exercise designed to develop strength and flexibility without disproportionately increasing bulk. It has long been practiced by dancers and actors seeking leaner physiques. In addition to its traditional focus on fitness and general vitality, Pilates has recently begun to receive greater recognition among professional sports franchises as a successful method of injury prevention and rehabilitation.

Joseph Hubertus Pilates (1880-1967)

Joseph H. Pilates (Pi-LAH-teez) was born near Dusseldorf, Germany, in 1880. A sickly child who suffered from asthma, rickets, and rheumatic fever, he dedicated his entire life to becoming physically stronger. In his youth, Pilates studied and became proficient at body building, diving, skiing, and gymnastics. By the time he was 14, he was fit enough to pose for anatomical charts.

In 1912, Pilates moved to England where he earned a living initially as a boxer, circus performer, and a self-defense trainer of English detectives. After World War 1 broke out two years later, he was designated an “enemy alien” and interned with other Germans at a camp in Lancaster and later on the Isle of Man. Pilates became a nurse in the camp and trained other internees in physical fitness exercises he developed. He was widely credited when none of the inmates succumbed to an influenza epidemic that killed thousands of others in England in 1918.

After the war, Pilates continued his fitness training programs in Hamburg, Germany, where he honed his methods with the city’s police force. In 1926, disenchanted with working with the German Army, Pilates immigrated to the United States. On the ship to America, Pilates met his future wife Clara. Upon arrival, the couple founded a studio in New York City which is in operation to this day. Joe and his wife personally supervised their clients at the studio well into the 1960’s.

Pilates and his method, which he called “Contrology,” soon established a following in the dance community. George Balanchine sent many of his dancers to him and many modern dancers became devoted to this method.

Pilates practiced what he preached and lived a long, healthy life. He died in 1967 at the age of 87 from smoke inhalation due to a fire that took down his apartment building in NY. Today, his methods and exercises are used worldwide by dance companies, theatre groups, and musicians, students at performing arts schools and universities, professional sports teams, spa clients, fitness enthusiasts at health clubs and gyms as well as at physical therapy clinics.

This system of exercise is so easy and safe to use that it is recommended for senior citizens because it tones muscles, improves posture, and helps prevent bone deterioration. It is also excellent for pre-and post natal women. It can help them learn proper breathing and body concentration and recover body shape and tone after pregnancy. It can be used pre and post-rehabilitation; can assist in specific sports and dance training as well as an overall fitness regime. The exercises stimulate the circulatory system, oxygenating the blood, aiding lymphatic drainage and releasing endorphins which are responsible for the “feel-good” factor. The immune system is given a boost to provide greater resistance to disease and illness.