Joseph Pilates Quotes

Man should bear in mind and ponder over the Greek admonition - Not Too Much, Not Too Little.

As a heavy rainstorm freshens the water of a sluggish or stagnant stream and whips it into immediate action, so does the Pilates Methods purify the bloodstream.

It is the mind itself which builds the body.

The acquirement and enjoyment of physical well-being, mental calm and spiritual peace are priceless to their possessors ...

Contrology is not a system of haphazard exercises designed to produce only bulging muscles ... Nor does Contrology err either by over-developed a few muscles at the expense of all others with resulting loss of grace and suppleness, or a sacrifice of the heart or lungs. Rather, it was conceived to limber and stretch muscles and ligaments so that your body will be as supple as that of a cat and not muscular like that of the body of a brewery-truck horse, or the muscle-bound body of the professional weight lifter you so much admire at the circus.

It is better to be tired from physical exertion than to be fatigued by the 'poisons' generated by nervousness while lying awake.

Contrology is not a fatiguing system of dull, boring, abhorred exercises repeated daily "ad-nauseam." Neither does it demand you joining a gymnasium nor the purchasing of expensive apparatus. You may derive all the benefits of Contrology in your own home.

You must squeeze every atom of impure air from lungs until they are almost as free of air as a vacuum.

The man who uses intelligence with respect to his diet, his sleeping habits and who exercises properly, is beyond any question of doubt taking the very best preventive medicines provided so freely and abundantly by nature

The Pilates Method teaches you to be in control of your body and not at its mercy.

By all means never fail to get all the sunshine and fresh air you can.

With body, mind, and spirit functioning perfectly as a coordinated whole, what else could reasonably be expected other than an active, alert, disciplined person?

Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.

Pilates is gaining the mastery of your mind over the complete control over your body.

Every moment of our life can be the beginning of great things.

Ideally, our muscles should obey our will. Reasonably, our will should not be dominated by the reflex actions of our muscles.

The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning is gaining the mastery of your mind over the complete control of your body.

Daily, from sunrise to sunset, the radio, newspapers and magazines broadcast to the world how to maintain health, how to regain health ... the conflicting information, expressive of the different opinions of these various health authorities, has proved to be nothing less than confusion ...

Good posture can be successfully acquired only when the entire mechanism of the body is under perfect control.

Above all, learn how to breathe correctly.

The mind, when housed within a healthful body, possesses a glorious sense of power.

Self-confidenc e, poise, consciousness of possessing the power to accomplish our desires, with renewed lively interest in life are the natural results of the practice of Contrology [Pilates].

You're only as old as your spine.

To achieve the highest accomplishments within the scope of our capabilities in all walks of life we must constantly strive to acquire strong, healthy bodies and develop our minds to the limits of our ability.

True flexibility can be achieved only when all muscles are uniformly developed

Were man to devote as much time and energy to himself as he has devoted to that which man has produced, what astounding and unbelievable progress would be made; a progress eclipsing all he has so far successfully accomplished ...

Through the Pilates Method of Body Conditioning this unique trinity of a balanced body, mind and spirit can ever be attained. Self-confidence follows.

Contrology (Pilates) is complete coordination of body, mind, and spirit. Through Contrology you first purposefully acquire complete control of your own body and then through proper repetition of its exercises you gradually and progressively acquire that natural rhythm and coordination associated with all your subconscious activities.

We retire too early and we die too young, our prime of life should be in the 70's and old age should not come until we are almost 100.

If your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old. IF it is completely flexible at 60, you are young.

Normal muscles should function naturally in much the same manner as do the muscles of animals.

This is the equivalent of an "internal shower". As the spring freshness born of the heavy rains and vast masses of melting snows on mountains in the hinterlands cause rivers to swell and rush turbulently onward to the sea, so too will your blood flow with renewed vigor as the direct result of your faithfully performing the Contrology exercises.

Americans! They want to go 600 miles an hour, and they don't know how to walk! Look at them in the street. Bent over. Coughing! Young men with gray faces! Why can't they look at the animals? Look at a cat. Look at any animal. The only animal that doesn't hold its stomach in is the pig.

When all your muscles are properly developed, you will, as a matter of course, perform your work with minimum effort and maximum pleasure.

A man is as young as his spinal column.

It is the mind that shapes the body

In 10 sessions you'll feel the difference, in 20 you'll see the difference, and in 30 you'll have a new body