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π-yoga
Original Pilates re-baptized in a marketable way, the real thing as it
was meant by
Joe, Clara and
Romana,
to establish a precise, internationally recognized quality management
for Pilates Instructors.
(in preparation)
Background:
During the development of the "Pilates Method", the term "Pilates" was not copyrighted. At the time when this was attempted, Pilates was already considered a "word of general vocabulary", not protectable. So today everyone around the world can call themselves a Pilates trainer, no matter what he or she offers in detail for training. Joseph Pilates himself wanted to call his body training "Contrology", a name that may not be marketable for various reasons today.
A clearly distinguishable, protected word mark enables real quality management, provided the term is established in in a proper way to coaches and customers involved.
π?
Pi like Pilates.
Three strokes, done.
Saves time, if you have to write notes for your clients.
And moreover: Abbreviations are hip.
However, the Greek letter pi has other, very inspiring aspects:
It looks like an archway and resembles the Chinese sign
介 - "between"
It is used to represent the unrepresentable number that results from the
strange attempt to break a circle into squares to numerically represent
its "surface area."
YOGA?
Pilates and yoga are often marketed as "competitors". There are some differences of opinion between yoga gurus and pilates trainers, not only about the headstand.
From the Indian point of view, yoga is much more than the part of hatha yoga that deals with physical exercises, which is marketed in European cultures as "yoga".
The aim of the physical exercises is harmony between body and mind and a balanced body, vital and capable to highest achievements, including a powerful, controlled breathing. In this respect, gurus and trainers are in complete agreement and, from the Indian point of view, it can be readily said that Pilates is something like the gymnastic part of hatha yoga geared to the physical needs of people born into the Western cultural tradition, bringing along completely different physical conditions than people from the Indo-Asian cultural area, where, for example, it is usual to rest in a squat, while sitting on chairs is not obsessively trained, which devastating consequences for the back, neck and hip muscles. Those who grew up in India are much more likely to risk a headstand than those who have moved - or, more precisely: NOT MOVED in the European cultural environment, since moving as little as possible in Europe and its current co-cultures is an expression of success and prosperity. With sad consequences for mind, health and mental capacity.
The goal of Yoga and Pilates, as we perceive it in Europe, is the same, but method and didactics are very, very different. In my opinion, both could learn a lot from each other in practice. The centrally important "Powerhouse" of the Pilates disciples is described in yoga precisely as "Three Bandhas" and is also taught there, but much, much later, normally. This could also change in yoga, once you understand why the three bandhas are so incredibly important to Europeans and how the targeted construction of a "powerhouse" increases the efficiency of body and breathing exercises immensely, no matter which choreography followed ..
By the way: The dominant part of π is the number THREE - point one-four etc.
Conversely, in the didactics of the original Pilates, certain stretching exercises for hips and shoulders could already be introduced more systematically and earlier in basic and intermediate lessons, because the advanced exercises are not accessible to many non-professional clients, thus certain muscle groups becoming not sufficiently addressed when Pilates is done strictly following the system.