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SatMay 4

Pilates Day – May 4, 2024

Pilates Day is celebrated on the first Saturday of May every year. This year it is celebrated on May 4. Pilates is a mind-body exercise developed in the 20th century by Joseph Pilates. He and his wife Clara taught and supervised students about this unique method of exercise. They called it ‘contrology,’ which teaches and encourages controlling your muscles with your mind by focusing attention on core postural muscles that provide spinal support and help keep the body balanced. Pilates’ exercises were developed to teach breath awareness, spine alignment, and abdominal muscle strength. There are also claims that Pilates alleviates ill health.

History of Pilates Day

Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates, who named the exercise after himself. His father was a gymnast while his mother was a housewife. Pilates believed that there was a relationship between mental and physical health so he tried to develop exercises that were meant to strengthen the human mind and the body.

He had practiced many forms of physical training in Germany during his youth and it was from these that he designed and developed his method. He said that the inspiration came to him while he was being held at the Knockaloe internment camp on the Isle of Man during World War I. Around 1925 Pilates migrated to the United States. He met his wife, Clara on the ship and they would eventually go on to open a studio in New York City where they directly taught students ‘Contrology’ well into the 1960s.

The method became popular and they were able to gain a good number of devoted followers in the performing-arts community of New York. Martha Graham, who arrived in New York in 1923, and George Balanchine, who arrived in the United States in 1933, were well-known dancers who were both devoted to Pilates. They regularly sent their students to Pilates for rehabilitation and training and once it became known that ballerinas were going to the Pilates gym, others followed. Towards the end of his life, Pilates made one of the ballerinas whose name was Romana Kryzanowska the director of his studio.

Pilates Day timeline

1883
Joseph is Born

The Inventor of Pilates is born on December 9.

1925
Migration to the U.S.

Pilates migrates to the U.S. where he opens his studio.

1945
Second Publication

Pilates publishes his second book relating to his training method titled “Return to Life Through Contrology.”

1967
Pilates Dies

Pilates dies in New York City at the age of 83.

Pilates Day FAQs

Is 20 minutes of Pilates a day enough?

Yes, for most people 20 minutes of Pilates a day is long enough to benefit from it.

Is it okay to do Pilates every day?

Pilates is safe enough to practice every day.

Is it better to do Pilates in the morning or at night?

It is better to do Pilates early in the morning as it’s an energizing exercise.

Pilates Day Activities

  1. Learn Pilates

    The best way to celebrate Pilates Day is to learn the exercise and practice it. It has lots of health benefits including the ability to alleviate lower back pain.

  2. Teach the exercise

    After learning it yourself the next best thing to do is to teach it to another person. There are two benefits to this, firstly, you reinforce your knowledge, and secondly, you help someone else.

  3. Go to a Pilates studio

    Another way of celebrating the holiday is by celebrating with other people. Join a Pilates studio, even if it’s just for the day, and celebrate in the presence of the Pilates community.

5 Interesting Facts About Exercising

  1. Music improves exercise performance

    Listening to music while exercising will make your workout better.

  2. Exercising improves the memory

    Exercising regularly helps to sharpen the mind.

  3. Exercising prevents signs of aging

    Regular exercise will keep you looking young for longer.

  4. More exercise equals better brain performance

    The more you exercise, the more you enhance your brain’s function.

  5. Exercise eases stress

    Moving your body can help you relieve stress.

Why We Love Pilates Day

  1. It’s a good day to try Pilates

    It’s an opportunity to practice this exercise that engages both the mind and the body. It improves both mental and physical health and when done consistently, improves flexibility and builds endurance.

  2. We love exercise

    Even if not Pilates, we’re going to try out another form of exercise since the holiday is dedicated to exercise. Hopefully, we can continue with the ritual and make it a habit.

  3. A day to remember the founder

    We remember the founder himself and how he worked hard to bring to life a reimagined exercise. It’s a lesson for us to always try to make our visions a reality.

Pilates Day dates

YearDateDay
2023May 6Saturday
2024May 4Saturday
2025May 3Saturday
2026May 2Saturday
2027May 1Saturday

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